Open to members of the wine trade, auction benefits Washington State University Viticulture & Enology Research
February 1 – This year’s Auction of Washington Wines’ (AWW) Private Barrel Auction is going virtual for the first time. Registration is now open to licensed members of the wine trade.
Starting Monday, April 19 at 10 a.m. and concluding at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 20, the Private Barrel Auction takes place online. Up for bid are 30 exclusive auction lots in five-case allotments from Washington winemakers.
“Despite a brief hiatus in 2020, the Private Barrel Auction is coming back stronger than ever in a new, virtual way,” said Jamie Peha, Auction of Washington Wines’ executive director. “Our relationships with members of the wine trade are key to raising awareness of Washington state wine across the country. Providing members access to one-of-a-kind wines offers the opportunity to bring something truly unique to their clientele. Funds raised will help to educate the next generation of winemakers through Washington State University Viticulture & Enology research programs.”
Exclusive to the Private Barrel Auction this year are 25 cases of 2019 WSU Cuvée from Dionysus Vineyard in Columbia Valley. Celebrating the bond between growers and vintners, this one-time collaboration between J. Bookwalter, Washington State University and Sagemoor Vineyards is a Bordeaux blend – 50% Petit Verdot, 30% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. This unique wine was blended by J. Bookwalter winemaker Caleb Foster, Washington State University Viticulture & Enology director and professor of enology Dr. Thomas Henick-Kling and his senior wine class. This lot will be auctioned off individually by the case.
Beginning March 2, representatives from participating wineries will provide highlights of their wines up for bid in a 10-session Virtual Winemaker Series, which is open to the public. Each session is hosted by global wine reviewer, Dr. Owen Bargreen, founder and executive editor at OwenBargreen.com. The series is sponsored by Northwest Farm Credit Services and the Washington Wine Commission.
Notable auction lots include:
- Leonetti Cellar 2018 Malbec, Loess Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley – Typically incorporated in blends, this is the first time Leonetti Cellar has offered Malbec as a single-varietal wine.
- Two Vintners 2019 Grenache, Weather Eye Vineyard, Red Mountain- 2019 marks Two Vintners’ second cultivated vintage and the first red wine bottling from Weather Eye Vineyard.
- DeLille Cellars 2018 Marguerite Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley – Using Sauvignon Blanc grapes sourced from Sagemoor Bacchus Block 5, one of the oldest plantings of the variety in the state, DeLille selected a single large-format “Cigare” shaped barrel to age this wine 18 months, whereas their famed Chaleur Blanc is aged just six months.
Varietals offered in the 2021 Private Barrel Auction will include Bordeaux Blends, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, an Italian blend, Malbec, Merlot, Mourvèdre, Rhône blends, Sauvignon Blanc, Sparkling Wines, and Syrah.
In its five-year tenure, the Private Barrel Auction has raised over $800,000 for important research conducted at Washington State University’s Wine Science Center. In 2019, all one-of-a-kind Private Barrel Auction wine lots were sold to national and local licensed members of the wine trade for a record-setting $301,900.
Sponsors of this year’s Private Barrel Auction are Northwest Farm Credit Services, Washington Wine Commission, Tonnellerie Quintessence, TW Boswell, G3 Enterprises, DIAM, Trysk Print Solutions, everyvine, Pollen Systems, Doubleknot Creative and Bloom.
A full list of wineries participating in the 2021 Private Barrel Auction can be found on the Auction of Washington Wines’ website.
About the Auction of Washington Wines (AWW)
Since its inception in 1988, AWW has raised more than $52 million to benefit Washington State University Viticulture & Enology Research and Seattle Children’s. AWW is listed in the top five wine charity auctions in the U.S. by Wine Spectator. AWW’s mission is to support the growth and awareness of the Washington state wine industry through a series of celebrated events benefiting the community. For more information, visit www.AuctionofWaWines.org.
