Celebrate Washington’s Wine Industry While Supporting WSU’s V & E Program
Toast – and help support – one of the great economic engines of Washington’s economy by attending the 2009 “A Celebration of Washington Wines.” Learn more by visiting:
www.wineauction.wsu.edu
The annual black-tie gala dinner and auction “A Celebration of Washington Wines” is a fun and rewarding way to support the WSU program that supports the Washington wine industry.
Our state’s wine industry has become an important part of the state economy, contributing more than $3 billion annually and providing nearly 15,000 direct and indirect jobs and wages of $579 million. With nearly 600 wineries and more than 31,000 acres in wine grape production, Washington is the second largest wine producer in the nation.
The WSU Viticulture and Enology Program supports the growth of this vital industry by providing cutting-edge research and by training the next generation of vintners and grape growers.
This year’s “Celebration” will be held on Saturday, Jan. 24, beginning at 6 p.m. at Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery in Woodinville. The evening will feature a reception and silent auction followed by a multi-course dinner with wine pairings prepared by the winery’s award-winning culinary staff and an exciting live auction.
Whether you’re interested in adding a few premium Washington wines to your cellar or pursuing romantic or exotic getaways such as a trip to the luxurious Ezulwini Game Lodge in South Africa, you’ll find something of interest on the auction block.
Two of the most sought after items at last year’s auction will be up for bid again this year: A dinner and wine tasting for ten hosted by Boeing Commercial Airplanes president Scott Carson in the Boeing Suite at Seattle’s historic Fairmont Olympic Hotel, and the East meets West dinner and wine tasting for eight hosted by Cougar alums Ted and JoAnne Baseler of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, and Husky alums Bob and Cathy Betz, owners of Betz Family Winery (with four magnums of exceptional wines from both wineries tossed in for good measure).
Tickets are still available but the deadline for reservations is Wednesday, Jan. 21, at noon. Tickets for the evening are $250 each, and reservations can be made by contacting Linda Bailey at lmbailey@wsu.edu or by calling 509-335-7772.
More information and a listing of auction items can be found at www.wineauction.wsu.edu.
It’s always a fun evening, and you’ll be contributing to an educational program that supports a vital piece of the state’s economy.
Wine Online: Self-directed Winemaking Courses Now Available
WSU’s world-class enology program now offers you the opportunity to jump start your winemaking education – online and at your own pace.
The WSU Viticulture and Enology Certificate Program now has a new option available.
If you do not need a certificate for employment reasons, do not have the time or financial resources for the certificate program, or are anxious to start learning about winemaking and can’t wait until a seat in the certificate program opens up, then the new self-directed program may be the option for you.
The self-directed program provides you the opportunity to take individual courses. There are no exams or assignments due, there is no contact with the instructor, there is no requirement to attend the weekend camps, and there is no certificate. However, by taking a course you will receive a URL to a Web site where you can obtain the lectures given by WSU and industry specialists. The lectures are PowerPoint presentations with audio, and they are the same lectures that the students in the certificate program receive.
The Web site to take self-directed enology courses is now open and the first six courses are available. More enology courses will be added soon and a site for self-directed viticulture courses will also be available soon.
The six courses currently available for self-directed study are: Wine Production, Wine Chemistry, Winery Sanitation, Winery Equipment, Economics of Starting a Winery, and Enology-Viticulture Interface.
Jump start your winemaking education today!
To learn more about these self-directed winemaking courses, please visit: http://bit.ly/hqXAOg.