Ted Baseler to receive Lifetime Achievement Award from Auction of Washington Wines

WOODINVILLE, Wash. — The Auction of Washington Wines, one of the top five charitable wine auctions in the U.S., has named Ted Baseler, retired CEO of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, as the recipient of its 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award.

This year marks the 36th annual Auction of Washington Wines, and the presentation to Baseler 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 — four years after Baseler arrived at Château Ste. Michelle as the director of marketing. He went on to serve as President and CEO from 2001 until he stepped down Oct. 1, 2018.

“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.”

Baseler was born in Oregon City, Ore. His father, a Lutheran pastor, moved the family to Bellevue, where Baseler grew up until he left for WSU, where he earned a communications degree.

During his 34-year career with Ste. Michelle, Baseler helped guide the company’s expansion throughout Washington state, acquisitions in California and Oregon, and developed collaborations to import wines from Italy, Spain, Chile, France and New Zealand. At the same time, his commitment to community service included board positions at the Washington State Wine Commission, the Napa-based Wine Market Council, the Auction of Washington Wines and Seattle Children’s.

Baseler earned governor appointments to the WSU Board of Regents, the first in 2006. He led the campaign to build a world-class winemaking program at WSU, an initiative that led to $23 million in private and government support. He also steered the Ste. Michelle scholarship program that has granted more than $3 million to students in need.

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 first recipient of the TOAST! Lifetime Achievement Award was Bob Betz, the acclaimed winemaking Master of Wine. He spent 28 years working at Ste. Michelle — 19 of those with Baseler. It is the highest honor presented by the Auction of Washington Wines and recognizes an individual whose extraordinary dedication, inspiration and advocacy for the Washington wine community that spans at least 25 years in the industry.

“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.”

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 Baseler’s predecessor at Ste. Michelle.

Ste. Michelle Wine Estates is the sponsor for the TOAST! Honoree Celebration dinner and new industry after-party. Tickets and information are available here.

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