Great Northwest Wine conducts a one-of-a-kind wine competition each October. It’s called The Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition, and the 12th annual judging will be staged Oct. 1-2-3, 2024 at the historic Columbia Gorge Hotel & Spa in Hood River, Ore.
- See the 2023 results
- See the 2022 results
- See the 2021 results
- See the 2020 results
- See the 2019 results
- See the 2018 results
- See the 2017 results
- See the 2016 results
- See the 2015 results
- See the 2014 results
- See the 2013 results
Here’s how it works:
- We recruit influential wine professionals to join us for this competition at the Columbia Gorge Hotel’s historic Benson Ballroom.
- Judges nominate as many as 120 Pacific Northwest wines to be invited.
- The panel then evaluates the wines within a blind competition.
Nominating judges for the 2023 Great Northwest Invite:
- Jusden Aumand is the head buyer for Tri-Vin Imports, New Rochelle, N.Y.
- Kaleigh Brook, an advanced sommelier, is the manager/wine buyer at The Thief Fine Wine & Beer Shop in Walla Walla, Wash.
- Jeff Cox is the wine buyer for PCC Natural Markets in the Puget Sound.
- VJ Gandhi is the founder/CEO of Kascadia Wine Merchants in Los Gatos, Calif.
- Carl Giavanti is publicist/proprietor of Carl Giavanti Consulting in Portland, Ore.
- Clinton Hoiland, based in Lewiston, Idaho, handles Northern Idaho on- and off-premise sales for Idaho Wine Merchant and is owner/operator of Twisted Vine Wine Tours throughout the Lewis-Clark Valley.
- Chris Horn is director of liquids at the Heavy Restaurant Group based in Seattle and co-author of Cook + Cork.
- Lane Hoss is the wine buyer and VP of operations for Anthony’s Restaurants.
- Ellen Landis is a certified sommelier, journalist and renowned international wine judge with offices in St. Petersburg, Fla., and Windsor, Calif.
- Allison M. Markin is a columnist/wine writer for Castanet Media and principal of AllSheWrote.ca in Penticton, British Columbia.
- Tim McDonald is the founder of Wine & Spirits Spoken Here in Napa, Calif.
- JD Nolan is a certified sommelier/wine buyer/general manager/owner of Fat Olives Restaurants in Richland, Wash., and Homer, Alaska.
- Dave Smith is director of buying for Everything Wine in North Vancouver, British Columbia.
- Steven Sinkler is the proprietor of The Wine Shack in Cannon Beach, Ore.
- Mark Takagi is specialty sales director of the Seattle-based Metropolitan Market group.
- Paul Zitarelli is the founder/owner of Full Pull Wines in Seattle and author of 36 Bottles of Wine.
Great Northwest Wine Magazine and other regional publications, and Great Northwest Wine columnist Elizabeth Moss-Woerman serve as chief judges for the Great Northwest Invitational.
Dana Van Nest, a Seattle-based communications strategist and contributor for