BLAINE, Wash. – Four great Northwest wineries will come together April 15-17 for the inaugural Northwest Wine Encounter at Semiahmoo Resort.
The event is organized by Semiahmoo and Great Northwest Wine.
Winemakers for Betz Family Winery, DeLille Cellars, Col Solare and Dobbes Family Estate will spend an intimate weekend with wine lovers to explore the world of Northwest wine.
Space is extremely limited, and only a handful of seats remain for the Northwest Wine Encounter. Semiahmoo, a seaside resort northwest of Bellingham, is on a peninsula and has been a top Northwest destination for more than 20 years. It is home to two championship golf courses, one of which was designed by PGA legend Arnold Palmer.
Semiahmoo Resort is about two hours north of Seattle and about 30 minutes south of Vancouver, British Columbia.
Cost per person is $375, and that includes two nights’ lodging, Friday evening’s tasting, four wine seminars and Saturday evening’s gala winemakers dinner. The package price is based on double occupancy.
The participating winemakers include:
- Bob Betz, Master of Wine and founding winemaker for Betz Family Winery in Woodinville, Wash.
- Chris Upchurch, winemaker, founder and partner in DeLille Cellars in Woodinville.
- Darel Allwine, winemaker for Col Solare on Red Mountain.
- Joe Dobbes, owner and winemaker of Dobbes Family Estate in Dundee, Ore.
- Louis Skinner, winemaker for Betz Family Winery.
The seminars will be led by Andy Perdue and Eric Degerman, owners of Great Northwest Wine.
Itinerary for inaugural Northwest Wine Encounter
Friday, April 15
4-7 p.m.: Arrival and check-in. A good time to leisurely explore the beautiful Semiahmoo Resort and property.
6:30-8 p.m.: Meet the Winemakers. The participating winemakers will bring some of their favorite wines to share with patrons. This is a great opportunity to mingle with five of the Northwest’s most admired winemakers.
9 p.m.: Beach Bonfire. Enjoy s’mores and dessert wines with the winemakers on the beach in front of Semiahmoo Resort. This event is weather-permitting.
Saturday, April 16
9:30 a.m.: Opening remarks. Bob Betz will share the story of the Washington wine industry, setting the stage for the rest of the weekend.
10-11 a.m.: Sublime world of Pinot Noir. Joe Dobbes will share four single-vineyard Pinot Noirs from four separate American Viticultural Areas in the northern Willamette Valley. He will talk about how each region differs and why each is able to produce some of the most exciting New World Pinot Noirs.
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Lunch. Enjoy lunch on your own at either of Semiahmoo’s on-site restaurants.
1-2 p.m.: Succulent Syrah. Chris Upchurch, Louis Skinner and Bob Betz will share four different expressions of Washington Syrah. They will provide their insights into why Washington Syrah can be so expressive and fascinating.
2-3 p.m.: Guided bird watching on Semiahmoo Spit.
3:30-4:30 p.m.: Red Mountain Rising. Darel Allwine and Chris Upchurch will pour four examples of red wines from Red Mountain, a 4,040-acre ridge in the eastern Yakima Valley that is considered the finest grape-growing area in Washington. Learn why winemakers around the world are being drawn to Red Mountain and its stunning wine grapes.
7 p.m.: Winemaker Gala Dinner. Enjoy a multi-course gourmet meal by Semiahmoo’s talented chefs paired with wines from Betz, Col Solare, DeLille and Dobbes. Andy Perdue, wine columnist for The Seattle Times, will deliver a keynote address to set the mood for the evening. Each table will have representatives from the participating wineries. This is another great opportunity to get up and personal with the featured winemakers.
Sunday, April 17
10-11:30 a.m.: Wonderful Whites. We conclude the inaugural Northwest Wine Encounter with a tasting of several delicious white wines from Dobbes Family Estate, DeLille Cellars and Chateau Ste. Michelle.
Register for the Northwest Wine Encounter by calling 855-917-3767 or registering online.
Leave a Reply