When the Washington Wine Hall of Fame returns, let’s induct Lane Hoss

In the world of sports, it’s standard practice for someone to have been retired for five years in order to be considered for their hall of fame.

This past winter, Lane Hoss retired after a 42-year decorated career at Anthony’s Restaurants. Here is an abbreviated argument for her to become the next member of the Legends of Washington Wine Hall of Fame.

Her induction likely wouldn’t come until next year at the earliest — and there should be at least four more inductees to join her. That catching up will be explained in a few paragraphs.

It was 2003 when the Washington State Wine Commission created the Walter Clore Honorarium to recognize those who have demonstrated dedication to the advancement of the Washington wine industry. Lane was the first recipient. And it can be argued no one in the state’s restaurant industry has been more important to the Washington wine industry than Lane.

Winemaker/viticulturist Wade Wolfe, who moved to the Yakima Valley in 1978, supports her induction.

“In her many years as the wine buyer for Anthony’s, she has always included a wide selection of Washington-produced wines, either as individual brands or as Anthony’s house wines,” he says. “This has exposed many customers, both in-state and tourists, to the breadth and quality of our wines. Thurston Wolfe has personally benefited from this exposure because many of our visitors tell us they first enjoyed our wines at an Anthony’s.”

Career with Anthony’s Restaurants began in 1982

Lane joined Anthony’s Restaurants in 1982. She retired as a vice-president with oversight of three departments — operations, marketing and the beverage program.

“When we opened at Shilshole Bay, we put all the wine from Washington in one section on the list and called it ‘Washington wine.’ Anything from any other part of the world — including California — was called ‘Imported.’

“Doing that got us press and media attention, and we never turned back,” she adds with a smile. “Those who go into our restaurants now will notice that our wine programs are 80% Washington with Oregon for Pinot Noir. We now have some Idaho wines that we champion.”

Anthony’s operates 25 restaurants in three states, and throughout the decades, any wine at Anthony’s has met her high standards. And she’s enjoyed the journey that began in the mid-1970s when the young graduate of Central Washington University worked at Seattle’s famous Edgewater Inn.

“They thought it would be a novelty to have a woman wine steward and captain,” she recalls. “I only knew how to open Mateus, Lancers and Blue Nun, but I took the job and I loved it.

“Even though it might have started as a joke or a test or a marketing stunt,” Lane adds, “it really opened the doors for me to this wonderful career and to meet such wonderful people in both industries.”

Lane remains involved with Anthony’s on their wine selection committee and also is consulting for the Washington Athletic Club on its wine list. She now has more time for travel and judging wine competitions — including next month’s 12th annual Great Northwest Invitational at the historic Columbia Gorge Hotel & Spa in Hood River, Ore. She’s been a key member of that panel from its start, giving the judging instant credibility.

Uncertain future for Walter Clore Center

The pandemic and other challenges have put both the Washington Wine Hall of Fame and its current home — the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center — on hold. Nominations for the 14th Legends of Washington Wine Hall of Fame were being gathered in late 2019 by the Clore Center.

The $4 million Clore Center opened in its full glory in 2014 along Prosser’s Wine Country Road with a mission to serve as a tasting and education destination for consumers touring the heart of Washington wine country.

By the end of 2020, the nonprofit group operating the Clore Center pulled out, defaulting on a $150,000 loan. Since then, the Port of Benton has been unable to find someone to operate the Clore Center.

In September 2021, Washington State University Tri-Cities entered an agreement to use the Clore Center for wine education. Sadly, the man who was going to lead those efforts — Fulbright scholar Byron Marlowe — died unexpectedly Dec. 28, 2021 at the age of 43. He was WSU’s assistant professor of hospitality and director of the wine/beverage business management program. Without the vision and leadership of the internationally beloved Marlowe, WSU informed the Port of Benton earlier this year that it was not going to sign a new lease when it was set to expire Aug. 14, 2024.

That means the Port of Benton again needs a third party to serve as a proper custodian for the Clore Center and “maintain the day-to-day business of the facility above and beyond the port’s landlord role.”

It took a $2 million grant in 2012 from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to complete construction of the Clore Center. Pandemic aside, if the terms tied to that grant are neither revised nor fulfilled — which include job creation — then the grant is required to be repaid.

This summer, there were only a handful of events staged at the Clore Center. One of those was for a wine industry meeting. There are no active links on its website. Among the most recent public events was the 2023 First Ladies of Washington Wine presented by Alliance of Women in Washington Wine. The oyster bar and salmon was catered by Anthony’s. And it was Lane who moderated that panel with aplomb.

WA wine Hall of Fame deserves broader spotlight

Gary and Nancy Figgins of Leonetti Cellar were the most recent inductees into the Washington Wine Hall of Fame. That was summer 2019. At this point, access to those hall of fame plaques is limited. If nothing can be resolved, industry leaders should consider moving the exhibit to the WSU Wine Science Center on the Richland campus.

Granted, it’s not meant for tourists, but there would be access to the exhibit — and there’s a natural connection considering Clore’s legacy of research for WSU. Recently, sparkling wine producer Tirriddis moved its tasting room into the vineyard pavilion on the Clore Center campus.

In 2017, the Legends of Washington Wine Hall of Fame Gala and auction at the Clore Center raised $105,000. If Lane Hoss were to become the fourth woman inducted — joining Pat Holmes of Ciel du Cheval Vineyard, Ann Williams of Kiona Vineyards and Nancy Figgins — my money would be on more than $105K being raised by the end of that night.