Pacific Northwest Wine Competition to return to Walla Walla in June

WALLA WALLA — The Pacific Northwest Wine competition will bring wines from more than 120 wineries to Walla Walla this June for its ninth annual event.

The two-day competition, which originated in Bellingham, moved to Walla Walla last year. Hosted at Walla Walla Community College, the competition accepts entries from wineries in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia.

Dan Radil, president of the Whatcom Beer & Wine Foundation that produces the competition, said the event was on track to receive more than 600 wine entries this year.

“When we start the competition, it’s a level playing field,” Radil said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a small boutique winery or you’re a big player in the wine industry. When you come into the competition and enter your wine in the blind tasting, everybody has an equal chance of winning best in show.”

Some of the bigger wineries participating this year include L’Ecole No. 41 and Echolands, along with some boutique wineries such as Smoky Rose Cellars, Moonbase Cellars, Floating Balance Cellars and August Forest. There are also a few wineries in the Valley that have participated in the competition for several years now — Lagana Cellars, Otis Kenyon Winery, Dunham and Eternal Wines.

“Being here in the Walla Walla Valley has been a huge help for us to promote the event and contributed to the success of the event,” Radil said. “In large part, it’s because we’ve gotten so much support from wineries in the Walla Walla Valley.”

This year’s competition will feature two panels of three judges each day along with a moderator. Radil said the panels are made up of different people each year with a broad range of experience in the industry, including sommeliers, winemakers, wine educators and those involved in wine retail and distribution.

The organizers also are working with Walla Walla Community College to possibly bring in a student judge, whose scores would not be counted, but would provide a student with the experience of sitting in on a panel and seeing what the judging process is like.

Radil said one of the things that makes the Pacific Northwest Wine Competition unique from others is that it is 100% volunteer-driven and not for profit. After judging and promotional costs are paid, the rest of the funds are distributed to beneficiary organizations.

“Our primary goal is to promote wineries in the area, and by having this competition, we are able to give them medals and point scores to recognize the great wines that they’re making,” Radil said. “But in addition to that, we’re raising funds for these beneficiary organizations, one of which is the College of Enology and Viticulture at Walla Walla Community College.”

“I just got back from the Lake Chelan area yesterday, and I spent a couple of days there picking up entries a few weeks ago,” Radil said. “Next week I’ll be going to Prosser and Tri-Cities, and it’s just those little personal touches that help facilitate participation from wineries and make them say, ‘Gosh, these guys go the extra mile. They are really genuinely interested in helping us out,’ and that, I think, makes a difference.”

This year’s competition is planned for Monday, June 24, through Wednesday, June 26, with medalists being announced on Monday, July 1. It is not open to the public. The entry period is still open, with new entries being accepted until Wednesday, June 19. For more information about the competition and entry requirements, visit pacificnorthwestwinecompetition.com.