
WOODINVILLE, Wash. — The Auction of Washington Wines, one of the top five charitable wine auctions in the U.S., has named Eduardo Zaragoza, vineyard manager for Shaw Vineyards, as the Vine to Wine Award winner for 2023.
This year marks the 36th annual Auction of Washington Wines, and the presentation to Zaragoza will be 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 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.”
Titans of the Washington state wine industry such as Dick & Wendy Shaw and their vineyard operations manager — Marshall Edwards — make sure they surround themselves with some of the region’s best team players.
Their MVP may well be Zaragoza, who they’ve described as “an inspiring leader and passionate advocate of the viticulture industry.”
For the past 20 seasons, Zaragoza has been an all-star for Shaw Vineyards. His tireless efforts between the rows have helped the Shaws grow the acclaimed grapes that led to their selection as the Auction of Washington Wines 2015 Honorary Grower and their induction into the Legends of Washington Wine Hall of Fame three years later. Edwards served as the Honorary Grower in 2018.
Zaragoza’s skill and endurance in handling tasks such as pruning and picking have led to a series of promotions since he first began working for Shaws on the Wahluke Slope in 1998.
“In 2004, I asked the Shaw administration for the opportunity to supervise the Northstar vineyard in the Benton City area,” Zaragoza says. “Northstar Vineyard is the first Red Mountain vineyard that Shaw owned in the area. That is when my career took off.”
At 13 acres, Northstar ranks as the smallest Shaw parcel on Red Mountain. Now, Zaragoza oversees the cultivation and production of the 3,200 acres of vines for the Shaws. Those responsibilities span seven American Viticultural Areas throughout the state. Zaragoza also orchestrates the efforts of skilled manual labor with the increased advancements offered by mechanical vineyard management while farming according to the wishes of his winemaking clients.
“I think that actual industry growth may start slowing down a bit in the next few years as we have other challenges, including hand labor,” Zaragoza said in a 2021 interview, “but at the same time this may allow for keeping the commitment of producing just high-quality grapes and wines.”
Auction to reveal all 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.
For the Vine to Wine category, they are individuals who are hands-on in the vineyard, including leading or collaborating with peers.
“We feel that the well-established folks get the bulk of recognition — locally and nationally — and we didn’t want the next generation, those newer to the industry, to feel that they weren’t being seen,” Kleinhofs says.
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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