Wine Awards Pt 1

Wine Awards Pt 1

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
With today's Fruit Grower Report, I'm Bob Larson. The Washington Wine Growers Association honored the achievements of industry leaders at their annual Convention and Trade Show.

Washington Wine Growers Association executive director Vicky Scharlau says the first award winner was Grower of the Year Mike Andrews ...

SCHARLAU ... "It's the Erik Hanson Wine Grape Grower of the Year Award. And, it honors Erik Hanson who was the long-time manager of Sagemoor Vineyards and Mike is a grower from the Horse Heaven Hills and he has just been an outstanding grower and his focus has really been on quality. Even though he has a winery and a vineyard, his focus is really on the quality of the grapes that come out of the vineyard."

Scharlau says that is just one of four award winners ...

SCHARLAU ... "We also have an Industry Service Award which we give to honor those that have really given of themselves to the service and the infrastructure of the industry and organizationally. So, this year Tom Waliser was given that award and he's the owner of Beresan Winery in Walla Walla."

Scharlau says Waliser stays pretty busy with his industry involvement ...

SCHARLAU ... "And he's been on the research committee, the Washington Wine Grower's Board, the Washington Wine Industry Foundation Board. And, he's really been a mentor to a lot of the younger industry members even if they were from a competing vineyard or a competing winery."

Scharlau says Waliser is called not just an industry leader, but an industry pioneer.

Listen tomorrow for the final two awards, the Grand Vin and Lifetime Achievement Awards.

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