(August 20, 2018; Portland, OR)—Willamette Valley Wineries Association is pleased to announce Eugenia Keegan and Shirley Brooks as the co-chairs for the fourth-annual Willamette: The Pinot Noir Auction. The auction, attended by wine-trade and media only, will take place April 6, 2019 at the Allison Inn and Spa in Newberg, Oregon.
Keegan and Brooks both bring decades of wine industry experience and have challenged the Willamette Valley community to create one-of-a-kind Pinot noir lots for the auction. Keegan is the Oregon General Manager for Jackson Family Wines and oversees wine production for its four Willamette Valley estates: Gran Moraine Winery, Penner-Ash, WillaKenzie and Zena Crown. Brooks is the VP of Sales and Marketing for Elk Cove Vineyards and has served as a member of the Oregon Pinot Camp Board of Directors and advisor on the Oregon Wine Board Export Committee.
“Willamette: The Pinot Noir Auction was established in 2016 to showcase the very best of the Willamette Valley, which we believe creates some of the finest Pinot noir wines in the world,” says Keegan.
“As enthusiasm for Willamette Valley Pinot noir continues to grow every year, we welcome members of the international wine trade to come experience the region in person at the auction,” Brooks adds.
Building on the success of the 2018 auction, which raised $737,000 to support the marketing and educational initiatives of the Willamette Valley Wineries Association, the focus of the next auction will be Willamette Valley Pinot noir from the 2017 vintage. The 2019 auction comes at an exciting time when consumer demand for Oregon wine surpasses that of other regions. In 2015-2016 wines from Oregon saw a 10% increase in off-premise sales. The region—now one of the most desirable for Pinot noir in the world—began its rise to prominence in the 1960s, and has been defined by the trailblazing spirit of its diverse producers, as well as its unique climate and soils. An inherently difficult grape to grow, Pinot noir thrives under very specific cool-climate conditions. The Willamette Valley, located at 45° N—a similar latitude as Burgundy’s Côte-d’Or located at 47° N—has made Pinot noir its signature grape. The region is now home to more than 530 wineries with new vineyards and wineries being added every year.
Attendees are licensed wine sellers, including retailers, restaurateurs and wholesalers, invited personally by participating wineries. All proceeds from the auction support the marketing, branding and education efforts of the Willamette Valley Wineries Association. If you are a licensed member of the wine trade and interested in attending, please visit the website: willamettewines.auction. For members of the press, please visit the media page to complete a Media Credential Request Form.
About The Willamette Valley Wineries Association
The Willamette Valley Wineries Association (WVWA) is a non-profit industry association dedicated to achieving recognition for Oregon’s acclaimed Willamette Valley as a premier Pinot noir-producing region. Currently, the WVWA has nearly 250 members representing wineries and tasting rooms throughout the Willamette Valley region from Portland to Eugene.
To learn more about The Willamette Valley Wineries Association visit: willamettewines.com
Contact the Willamette Valley Wineries Association
10200 SW Eastridge St. Ste. 214
Portland, OR 97225
503.297.2962
info@willamettewines.com
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