Greetings! A note from the Editor Welcome to the first issue of Washington Wine Country's e-zine. I'm not going to call it monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly because frankly, we're not yet sure of its frequency. We're not even sure of the name (read on to help us with this.) What we are sure of is that we have a passion for nurturing the development of wine country. Within this passion lies the WWC mission, which I encourage you to read about it in the featured article. Meanwhile, we have numerous initiatives taking place and we have designed this e-zine to inform you of the ongoing developments in wine country. One of our foremost goals is to help you, the wineries and businesses of "wine country," educate both the public and one another as to your presence and achievements in this growing marketplace. New to Washington, I have been very fortunate to become a part of this industry. I have never witnessed a product's ability to pull people together and create so much enthusiasm the way wine does in this state. Please read on to learn more about this e-zine and our organization. I look forward to hearing from you.
Salut!
We haven't yet come up with a name for this publication and would like to enlist the help of our readers. If you have an idea for a catchy title, please submit it to jwalsh@winecountrywashington.org. We are looking for entries that have some relation to our organization and it's mission. Please read our featured article below to learn more about us while considering your submissions. The winner will be awarded a Washington Wine Country vintage art print. To view our prints and the rest of the Washington Wine Country merchandise visit www.winecountrywashington.org/cellar. Good luck! What is Washington Wine Country Consortium? Washington Wine Country was formed in 2003 as a non-profit consortium of business and community leaders in Eastern Washington. These men and women have a vision to promote tourism and economic development in the primary grape-growing region of our state which they have so dutifully dubbed "Washington Wine Country." The organization was formed to carry out the goals and objectives that could ultimately bring that vision to fruition. Washington Wine Country was incorporated in 2003 and began work on the goals that they had set forth. The goals are inclusive of the following:
Increase awareness of Washington Wine Country in the hearts and mind of
Washington state's citizens.
In keeping with the desire to locate in people's minds the whereabouts of Washington's wine country, WWC first created a Web site. The site, www.winecountrywashington.org, utilizes state-of-the-art Microsoft mapping technology to teach tourists how to travel within the various AVA's. It pinpoints not only the wineries and vineyards, but also the amenities associated with travel such as hotels, B&B's and restaurants. Each establishment has the ability to create a profile and post information on the site. In addition, WWC has created some sample itineraries for users to consider on their wine country visits. Another key strategy was to aid the grape-growing region to look, feel and act more so like a "wine country." With this in mind, WWC began to seek out a way in which to brand themselves, a way that would reveal the complexities and culture of the region while also displaying an image to live up to and be remembered. In March 2004, WWC released the "Perfectly Balanced" campaign. A display of vintage wine art with vibrant colors, this campaign portrays a bit of history and romance in association with the wine country. It's goal is to create a unified vision between the various AVAs, to form a strong identity and belief that there is indeed a wine country in our state and to provide an infrastructure from which to promote ourselves as such. The work has now shifted from one of creating the campaign to promoting the campaign. It has been made available through various mediums including avenue banners and road signage. WWC advocates have taken to the road to speak at numerous venues in order to promote the vision of the campaign. Several cities as well as individual wineries, hotels and companies within the region have already embraced the campaign. The hope is that as the various "wine towns" continue to adopt the campaign as their own, a unified image will begin to unfold bringing a balance between the image of our wine country and the world-class products which it produces. To learn more about Washington Wine Country and its efforts, please feel free to e-mail info@winecountrywashington.org. Facts & Tidbits - Wine Country Research
Living Wine Country The Culinary Cutting Edge
Along The Wine Road
Wine Spotting This just in . . . a Washington wine enthusiast traveling home from London via British Airways first class was offered a choice of the following three reds: Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon 2000, Gordon Brothers Merlot, 2001 and Gigondas 2001, Domaine Montirius. Two out of three? We like those odds!
Everybody Loves Vin!
The 2004 Grand Vin! was an enormous success. Not only did it raise more funds
than ever, sponsorships for the event increased from $5K in 2003 to $45K in
2004. We also saw more attendees from the West Coast than in years past. Friday
evening's Benefactor's Bash, which was held at three prominent wineries, was a
particularly cherished event.
Washington Wine Country Collection 
Merchandise Own a piece of the Perfectly Balanced campaign! Washington Wine Country now has merchandise available including avenue banners, vintage posters and unique art prints, t-shirts, caps and more. Visit www.winecountrywashington.org/cellar. In order to promote our state's wine region and our campaign, much of our merchandise is available for resale to qualifying businesses of Washington. For more information, contact us directly at 206-285-0514. 
Web Site If you've never taken the opportunity to peruse our Web site, www.winecountrywashington.org, now's the time. Learn how to travel wine country, find a fun, new itinerary such as our "Syrah Tour" or "Best Places to Kiss," learn more about upcoming wine events or read about some of the current favorite vintages. With 4,500 visitors monthly, the time to take part is now. Become a participant in what is fast becoming the world's link to Washington's wine country. Please submit your upcoming special events or regional events that you are aware of to events@winecountrywashington.org and we will post them in our next issue. October
Forwarding of this E-zine is highly encouraged. If you are receiving this
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Name That E-Zine
Did you know . . .
A barn raising in Zillah has everyone
talking. Sheridan Vineyard winemaker Scott Greer announces the presence of the
new winery in Zillah at 2980 Gilbert Rd. Currently open on Saturdays from 11 am
to 5 pm, Sheridan is producing highly acclaimed Syrah and a beautiful red
blend. Greer's latest release is due out this month. Wine country enthusiasts,
be sure to stop in for a taste! 
Eggplant
Sundays - Salmon Dinners each
Sunday night at Silver Lake winery in Zillah.