My Latest in The Drinks Business:
Auction of Washington Wines TOAST! Celebration: ‘Unity is our power’
by L.M. Archer
The movers and shakers of Washington’s wine trade gathered for the second annual TOAST! awards gala on 10 August at Chateau Ste. Michelle.
Jamie Peha, executive director for Auction of Washington Wines, devised the Toast! event to laud both established and emerging industry leaders in Washington state wine, selected by an esteemed peer committee.
This year’s presiding TOAST! luminaries included Auction of Washington Wines’ board president Stacy Lill, honorary chair Annette Alvarez-Peters, and Master of Wine Bob Betz.
TOAST! falls under the aegis of Auction of Washington State Wines, founded in 1988 to benefit Seattle Children’s Hospital and Washington State University’s Viticulture and Enology Department. More recently, additional funds also assist Vital Wines, a non-profit winery which provides medical care to vineyard workers. To date, the auction has raised over $63 million during its 36 year history.
Honorees
Ted Baseler, emeritus president and CEO of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, famous for his motto “Work hard, play hard, make history,” received the Lifetime Achievement award for his “extraordinary dedication, inspiration, and advocacy” to Washington wine.