PROSSER, Wash. — It’s been a long time coming, so it makes sense that tickets for the First Ladies of Washington Wine celebration Thursday at the Walter Clore Center took almost no time in selling out.
Organizers capped ticket sales at 175 for the luncheon and lineup of speakers. If there was room, more of the $100 tickets could have been sold for The Alliance of Women in Washington Wine scholarship fundraiser that benefits the next generation of women winemakers and growers.
“Tickets went very quickly, which was a wonderful surprise for us not knowing if people would like our idea,” said Luanne Holden-Boushey, co-chair of the event, advisory officer for The Alliance of Women in Washington Wine and co-owner of acclaimed Boushey Vineyards.
When they first went on sale, the group was hoping for 100 attendees, a modest goal considering the panel and the topics feature Kay Simon (enology), Dr. Sara Spayd (viticulture research), Lila Gault (marketing), Mimi Nye (vineyard management), Cheryl Barber-Jones (enology), Linda Mercer (viticulture/marketing) and Holden-Boushey (viticulture/history).
Moderating the program, which begins at 11 a.m., will be Lane Hoss, vice-president of operations for Anthony’s Restaurants and longtime regional wine buyer for the group with locations in Washington, Oregon and Idaho.
“There are so many organizations that aren’t doing as good of a job as they should in reaching out to past leaders and gathering wisdom from them,” Hoss says. “And in Washington, not a lot of these talented women have been recognized for how important they’ve been to the wine industry.”
In 2003, the Washington State Wine Commission created the Walter Clore Honorarium within the Washington State Wine Awards to recognize an individual who has demonstrated dedication to the advancement of the Washington wine industry. Hoss was the first recipient of the Walter Clore Honorarium.
“Lane knows all of these women well and was there supporting the industry in any way she could — and still is to this day,” Holden-Boushey says.
Hoss, Anthony’s Restaurants support ‘First Ladies’
More than two dozen of the state’s top winemakers — all of them women — will meet in Prosser to pour some of their wines and pay homage to the collection of longtime industry leaders. Katie Nelson, vice-president of winemaking for Château Ste. Michelle, will offer a series of special toasts throughout the event.
“Additional women who were on the heels of the First Ladies will be honored,” said, Holden-Boushey, a longtime counselor in Yakima Valley school districts.
That list includes Joy Andersen, Connie Crawford, Anke Freimuth-Wildman, Darcey Fugman-Small, Patricia Gelles, Julie Grieb, Joan Johnson, Lynn Mills, Peggy Patterson, Jamie Peha, Vicky Scharlau, Carole Viney and Vicky Williams on behalf of Ann Williams.
Tributes also will be paid to the lives of Paula Eakin (Ste. Michelle Wine Estates), Patricia Holmes (Ciel du Cheval), Kathy Shiels (Côte Bonneville) and Becky Yeaman (Thurston-Wolfe Winery). Nelson’s toasts will spotlight the Domaine Ste. Michelle Luxe — a sparkling wine made by Eakin, who died in December.
Auction items to raise funds for women’s scholarship
Thursday’s event will help fund the recently established Alliance of Women in Washington Wine Scholarship program in partnership with the Washington Wine Industry Foundation. Each year, a $5,000 scholarship will be awarded to a female or female-identifying student enrolled in a viticulture or enology degree program in Washington state.
More than 40 auction items and experiences from across the state were donated for Thursday’s fundraiser. Holden-Boushey said the response to her requests was immediate, generous and abundant.
“All who I asked again were more than willing,” Boushey said. “We have some fun experiences up for bid.”
Among those was Woodinville winemaker Chris Gorman of Gorman Cellars, who has donated bottles of his Luanne — a blend of white Rhône varieties grown by the Boushey family — to be served with oysters from Anthony’s.
Holden-Boushey, fellow board member Kristin Scheelar, Mercer and Simon are credited with the “First Ladies” concept. Based on the auction items, the hospitality provided by Anthony’s and Bon Vino’s Bistro & Bakery in Sunnyside, and the additional backing, the inaugural First Ladies of Washington Wine will go down as the most important event in the young history of The Alliance of Women in Washington Wine.
“The Alliance is grateful for all the support we have received since the organization was founded just two years ago,” Tiffany Britton, CEO/winemaker at Brainstorm Cellars, stated in a news release. “We are dedicated to advancing and encouraging women who want to build a career in Washington wine. We have big plans for this industry and our future.”
Among Thursday’s sponsors are Trysk Print Solutions, the Washington State Wine Commission, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, the Washington Wine Industry Foundation, the Auction of Washington Wines, Fidélitas Wines, Lisa Stevens and Vic Wertz, Kelly and Chris Sparkman of Sparkman Cellars, and Stacy and Greg Lill of Château Lill.
“We are ready!” Boushey said. “Woo-hoo!”
Thank you for your kind words Eric. I have always worried that those beginning years of our industry will be lost as our generation gets older, and the story go untold. The days when we created what the industry was, learned from each other and from our mistakes and all sat around in someone’s backyard pondering what and how each of us should approach the industry, and wondering if anything would ever really come of it all.
I hope all who are attending the First Ladies of Washington Wine Event tomorrow have a wonderful time and learn from the knowledge of the outstanding women who will share their challenges, accomplishments and the people who influenced and mentored them.
I salute all these women, many of them old friends. Hi, Luanne!
I’ve had the pleasure of working with many of these pioneering women. What a bunch of talent in one room!
Paul Vandenberg
Paradisos del Sol Winery and Organic Vineyard
I was so proud to see the project from concept to event day. Working with Luanne, Kay and Linda was so educational. The community was very generous. Thank-you to all who attended and a special thanks to Luanne who has boundless energy and to Taryn Baze whose guidance kept us on course.