• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Contact Us
  • Wine of the Week newsletter
  • Wine submission guidelines
Great Northwest Wine

Great Northwest Wine

News, reviews and info about the wines of Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Idaho

  • Home
  • About us
    • Awards and honors
    • Advertising on Great Northwest Wine
    • Wine submission guidelines
  • e-edition
  • Events calendar
    • Submit an event
  • Reviews
    • Latest wine reviews
    • Wine of the Week
    • Best Buys
    • Washington wines
    • Oregon wines
    • Idaho wines
    • British Columbia wines
  • Competitions
    • Cascadia International Wine Competition
    • Idaho Wine Competition
    • “The Invite” – Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition
    • Platinum Awards
    • Walla Walla Valley Wine Competition
    • Washington State Wine Competition
  • Explore
    • Wine news
    • Grapes and viticulture
    • Washington wine
    • Oregon wine
    • Idaho wine
    • British Columbia wine
    • Product reviews
    • Recipes
    • Podcast

Seattle Wine Awards competition this weekend

April 20, 2013 by Great Northwest Wine Leave a Comment

Seattle Wine Awards
The Seattle Wine Awards competition takes place this weekend at The Rainier Club. (Photo courtesy of Seattle Wine Awards)

SEATTLE – The Seattle Wine Awards, the largest and most prestigious wine competition held in Washington, will take place this weekend at the tony Rainier Club in downtown Seattle.

This year’s competition drew the most in its eight years, with 1,105 entries from Washington. It easily outpaced last year’s record number of 984. The first competition, held in 2006, drew 274 wines.

The competition is owned and operated by Christopher Chan, director of wine and spirits for The Rainier Club. He said he launched the competition because the emerging Washington wine industry was ready for such a judging – and he didn’t want someone from outside the state coming in and doing it first.

“I did some research and created a plan to put on the competition,” he said. “I knew a lot of people, and I knew I could do it great.”

Chan said using the iconic Rainier Club as a venue has made the competition special.

Historic Rainier Club part of Seattle Wine Awards

Seattle Wine Awards
The Rainier Club is in downtown Seattle and is home to the Seattle Wine Awards. (Photo via flickr/click image for credit)

The Rainier Club dates to 1888. A year later, with the city devastated by the Great Seattle Fire, city leaders met at The Rainier Club to plan the new city. The Rainier Club’s current location was built in 1904. It was recognized as a historic landmark by the city of Seattle in 1986, less than a decade after it inducted its first female and black members.

This year’s judges include:

  • Rina Bussell, Altura restaurant
  • Gregory Chan, vice enchanson la Chaine des Rotisseurs
  • Patrick Comiskey, Wine & Spirits magazine
  • Regina Daigneault, South Seattle Community College
  • Cole Danehower, Essential Northwest Wines
  • Phillip Dunn, Canlis restaurant
  • Doug Frost, Master of Wine and Master Sommelier
  • Cortney Lease, Wild Ginger
  • Matthew Loso, winemaker
  • Christopher Miller, Spago
  • Jamie Peha, Peha Productions
  • Thomas Price, Metropolitan Grill
  • Andy Perdue, Great Northwest Wine
  • Jackson Rohrbaugh, Canlis Restaurant
  • Kerry Shiels, winemaker, Cote Bonneville
  • Mark Takagi, Metropolitan Markets
  • Tommy Thompson, Tulalip Resort & Casino

While the judging is not open to the public, The Rainier Club will play host to the Seattle Wine Awards’ Gold Medal Wine Experience, an opportunity to taste many of the top wines. The event takes place Sunday, July 21. Ticket prices range from $65 to $356.

Chan also operates the Oregon Wine Awards. He held the fifth annual competition in Portland last month, and it drew 252 entries.

Filed Under: News, Washington wine Tagged With: featured, ticker

About Great Northwest Wine

Articles credited to Great Northwest Wine are authored by Eric Degerman and other contributors. In most cases, these are wine reviews that are judged blind by the Great Northwest Wine tasting panel.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Wine of the Week

Mt. Hood Winery 2018 Gunkel Vineyard Barbera, Columbia Valley $38

July 8, 2022

Latest Wine Reviews

Trella Vineyards 2016 Pinot Gris, Umpqua Valley $16

July 23, 2022 By Great Northwest Wine

Flora Jane Cellars 2021 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley $22

July 23, 2022 By Great Northwest Wine

More Northwest Wine News

Footer

Grapes

Northwest vineyards enter August as much as 12 days behind normal

Oregon stands out throughout Pinot Gris tasting

The Wine Knows: Mastering the magical blend of GSM

Sniff, Sip, Swirl: Holmes family unveils Arneis on Red Mountain

Northwest Merlot remains memorable in talented hands

Food

Match Maker: Thiessen puts his brand on WW with Walla Walla Steak Co.

Match Maker recipe: Chocolate Crémeux Tart with Cocoa Nibs and Hazelnuts

Ellen on Wine: 19th century French chef’s legacy inspires 21st century NW women in hospitality with Les Dames d’Escoffier

Match Maker recipe: Cast Iron Cowboy Ribeye with Marinated Spring Vegetables

Expect heavy bidding as Reveal Walla Walla wine auction returns 

History

Ellen on Wine: 19th century French chef’s legacy inspires 21st century NW women in hospitality with Les Dames d’Escoffier

Kiona, Barnard Griffin toast 40th Red Mountain harvest with fundraiser Cab

Parks Redwine, owner of NorthWest Wine Summit competition, dies in Atlanta

Yakima Valley thrives as historical heart of Washington wine

Washington Wine Hall of Fame Gala raises record $105,000 for Clore Center

© 2022 Great NW Wine. All Rights Reserved.