PULLMAN, Wash. Six wineries whose selections have been featured in the Washington State University Alumni Association’s “Wine-By-Cougars” wine club have been named among the 100 Top Wineries for 2010 by “Wine & Spirits” magazine.
Since its introduction in 2006, the WSUAA Wine-By-Cougars program has delivered premium, hand-crafted wines produced by wineries with a strong Cougar connection to some 500 members in 29 states. The selections have been drawn from dozens of wineries where the owner, winemaker, or grape grower is a WSU alumni and actively involved in the wine making process.
The six participating Wine-By-Cougar wineries named among “Wine & Spirits” magazines most recent top 100 wineries of the year are Amavi Cellars, Shane McKibben, vineyard manager, Walla Walla; Chateau Ste. Michelle, Ted Baseler, president and ceo, Woodinville; Fidelitas Wines, Loren Hoppes, owner, Benton City; L’Ecole No. 41, Jean Ferguson, founder, Walla Walla; Leonetti Cellars, Chris Figgins, ceo and director of winemaking, Walla Walla; and Pepper Bridge Winery, Shane McKibben, vineyard manager, Walla Walla. The list praised three other wineries from Washington and 37 from the United States.
Jud Preece, senior associate director of the WSUAA, said Wine-By-Cougars is the only alumni association wine club of its kind in the country offering different varietals from different wineries in each release. Participating members receive four shipments of four wines produced by Cougar-connected wineries annually.
“The state of Washington has emerged as one of the finest wine-producing regions in the world and what a lot of people don’t know is that WSU alumni have been a driving force behind this exciting success story and the economic benefit it brings to our state,” Preece said. “Cougars own or manage many of the top wineries in the state, grow the finest wine grapes around, and make some of the most celebrated wines in the world.”
The overwhelming success of Wine-By-Cougars has led to the establishment of two scholarships to support students in WSU’s Viticulture and Enology program and in the WSU College of Business/School of Hospitality Business Management’s new Wine Business Management degree, Preece said.
Current members of the WSUAA are welcome to join Wine-By-Cougars and pay no registration fee. Non-members are required to pay a one-time registration fee of $45, for which they also receive a one-year WSUAA membership. For more information and to learn more about WSU alumni wineries, visit winebycougars.com.