
WOODINVILLE, Wash. — The Auction of Washington Wines, one of the top five charitable wine auctions in the U.S., has named Hedges Family Estate on Red Mountain as the recipient of its 2023 Healthy Land, Healthy Communities Award.
This year marks the 36th annual Auction of Washington Wines, and the presentation to the Hedges family will be featured as part of the second annual TOAST! Honoree Celebration on Thursday, Aug. 10 at Château Ste. Michelle.
The festive Winemaker Picnic & Barrel Auction is Friday, Aug. 11 on the winery’s campus, followed by the auction’s signature Gala on Saturday, Aug. 12. The Gala Online Auction begins Tuesday, Aug. 8 and runs through Aug. 12. Money raised helps support Seattle Children’s, the Washington State University viticulture and enology program and grant partner Vital Wines in the Walla Walla Valley.
Each of this year’s TOAST! recipients will be announced this week on GreatNorthwestWine.com.
Previously announced honorees for the 2023 Auction of Washington Wines include longtime Costco executive Annette Alvarez-Peters (Honorary Chair), Ben Smith and Gaye McNutt of Cadence Winery (Honorary Vintners) and Miguel Rodriguez of Weinbau Vineyard (Honorary Grower). Co-chairs are Cam & Linda Myhrvold and Ian & Laura MacNeil.
The Auction of Washington Wines has raised more than $59 million since its launch in 1988, the year before Tom and Anne-Marie purchased 50 acres of land on the upper slopes of Red Mountain — about 10 miles west of Tom’s hometown of Richland.
“The mission of the auction is to uplift the Washington wine industry through celebrated events that give back to the industry and community,” says Jamie Peha, executive director of the Auction of Washington Wines since 2019. “With the Washington wine industry as our North Star, the auction can add value to the industry by recognizing past and present icons, emerging leaders and all aspects of the industry including vineyard workers and champions of the industry.”
Tom and Anne-Marie look back proudly at their pioneering efforts to help establish the modern Washington wine industry and the world-renowned Red Mountain American Viticultural Area, and they rightfully describe their program as estate grown, family-operated and Biodynamically farmed. In fact, theirs is one of just two Demeter Biodynamic-certified properties in the Washington state wine industry.
The couple began as negoçiants selling their first Hedges-branded Columbia Valley wines to the Swedish government in the late 1980s. They soon realized the importance of site selection for producing world-class wines. Anne-Marie grew up in Champagne with that approach.
As a result of their risky investment and the construction of their château in 1995, Hedges Family Estate soon became one of the first premier wine country destinations in Washington state. That château, which has served as their residence, helped define hospitality in the Columbia Valley and remains an icon for wine tourists. Skilled winemaking and an Old World outlook on winegrowing also make their bottles among the state’s most cellar-worthy, particularly when paired with garden-fresh ingredients from the Hedges Family Estate kitchen.
Since their initial investments, the family has acquired another 70 acres for their organic vineyards and farm, giving them control of 120 acres.
It’s been the children — Christophe as general manager and Sarah as winemaker — to take the lead on the transition to organic and Biodynamic farming starting in 2008. More than 50 percent of their five vineyards and estate gardens are Demeter-certified Biodynamic. The rest of the estate is in transition. Their practices include using choosing compost preparations and chickens for pest control. Those sustainable efforts prompt some to refer to the Hedges Family Estate as “The Guardians of Red Mountain.“
Sarah, who studied enology at WSU, took over as the head winemaker in 2015. She relies on early harvesting, natural fermentation and restrained oak management for an approach they describe as “a traditionalist, international style of subtlety, finesse, and respect for the fruit.”
This spring marked the launch of yet another of the family’s environmentally driven initiatives. Hedges Family Estate began serving as a glass recycling station along Sunset Road in a collaboration that includes Glass Packaging Institute and BIG Recyclers.
Auction to announce Toast! recipients this week
Last year, the Auction of Washington Wines created the TOAST! program, which helps cast a spotlight on a number of those who have been key to elevating and innovating the state’s wine industry, according to Laura Kleinhofs, business manager for the Auction of Washington Wines. The 2022 award for Healthy Land, Healthy Communities was presented the Washington Winegrowers Association, the trade association behind the young Susaintable WA program. This award was created for Individuals or organizations who are looking at today’s environmental challenges and are developing equitable, viable and responsible solutions. Examples include climate change, packaging and sustainable practices.
“Nominations are canvassed from the entire industry through our mailing lists, the lists of the wine commission, the winegrower’s association and personal outreach,” Kleinhofs explains. “A committee of industry folks – winery owners, growers, AWW board members, professionals in the industry – make the final determination on who receives the award.”
Ste. Michelle Wine Estates is the sponsor for the TOAST! Honoree Celebration dinner and new industry after-party. Tickets and information are available here.
This year also marks the launch of the Allen Shoup Memorial Fellowship, which will award one journalist each year with a two-week research project in Washington wine country. Shoup, who founded world-renowned Long Shadows Vintners in Walla Walla, was the CEO of Stimson Lane and backed the establishment of the Auction of Washington Wines.
Honor roll of 2023 TOAST! recipients
Monday, July 10
9 a.m. — Lifetime Achievement Award: Ted Baseler, retired President/CEO, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates
Noon — Award of Distinction: Marty Clubb, owner/managing winemaker, L’Ecole N° 41, Lowden
2:30 p.m. — Healthy Land, Healthy Communities: Hedges Family Estate, Red Mountain
Tuesday, July 11
8:30 a.m. — Emerging Leader: Becca De Kleine, GM/director of winemaking, Four Feathers Wine Services, Prosser
11:30 a.m. — Emerging Leader: Devyani Isabel Gupta, winemaker/viticulturist, Valdemar Estates, Walla Walla
1:30 p.m. — Emerging Leader: Michelle Moyer, professor, Washington State University, Prosser
3 p.m. — Emerging Leader: Ashley Trout, winemaker, Vital Wines/Brook & Bull Cellars, Walla Walla
Wednesday, July 12 – final day
9 a.m. — Vine to Wine: Eduardo Zaragoza, vineyard manager of Shaw Vineyards, Red Mountain
Noon — Wine Industry Champion: Andy Perdue, journalist, Richland
2:30 p.m. — Auction of Washington Wines Star: Gary McLean, President of GMMD Consulting, Seattle
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