My Lastest In The Drinks Business:

Taste Washington makes successful return for 2023

by L.M. Archer

Taste Washington, the largest US single-region wine and food festival, returned to Seattle March 6-13 after a three year hiatus.

The event drew over 7,000 attendees, including consumers, media and trade. This year, participants comprised 224 wineries, 12 associations and wineries, and 47 restaurant and chef partners.

“Washington’s grown so much in the wine industry,” said Adam Acampora, Executive Director of Woodinville Wine Countryan association located near Seattle. “There’s over 1,200 wineries now, and 20 AVA’s. The fact that consumers can come here and taste and see some really craft, boutique winemakers, as well as the big guys – it’s incredible.”

“Woodinville is kind of like Taste Washington all year long,” Acampora elaborated. “We have 100-plus wineries in Woodinville, and represent about 10% of the wine industry, pouring 19 of the 20 AVA’s all year long. So it’s kind of like the graduation party for a lot of the wineries that are there.”

It’s also an opportunity for winemakers and growers to reconnect with one another.  “Being separated in Washington by a big mountain range, we sometimes don’t get to see our friends from the east side of the mountain on the west side of the mountain,” said Mari Womack, winemaker at Damsel Cellars, a 3,600 case winery in Woodinville. “So this is a really great unifying event to get to see everyone, and taste the wine again.”

Womack also recognized the growth in wineries and brands statewide. “We have been away now for three years, and what I have noticed is there are a lot of new brands here, and a lot of new wine labels that I haven’t seen before,” she said. “I think Taste Washington allows us to see some of the growth.”

I’m delighted to share my coverage of Taste Washington in Lond0n-based The Drinks Business with you. You can read more of my work here.