Seattle Wine Awards

Breaking it down

By Doug Haugen

It smelled like a winery in full production. When we walked up the stairs to the third floor of the Rainier Club, we realized that the directions the concierge gave us were wholly unnecessary. Like Toucan Sam, we just had to follow our noses.

It was the yeasty, fruity smell of upwards of 300 bottles of wine, the second half of an extensive two-day evaluation, and it was drawing us up the stairs like the call of the sirens. Walking into the Grand Dining Room, we were met with tables blooming like tulip fields with Riedel stems filled with wine, seated with groups of relaxed but studious evaluators with the smugly serene, sagely amicable expressions of people who think they’ve landed the best jobs in the world. The sunlight streaming through the tall, ballroom style windows gave them a cherubic glow. It was like walking into a cocktail party in heaven.

To be clear, these evaluators were hard at work, and were taking their jobs very seriously. These were élite professionals vetted from among the proverbial “cast of thousands.” While it sounds like fun (and no doubt it is on an academic level), it’s not easy to spend two full days sipping wine unless you’re on a blue-chip vacation in France. The tasting panel was composed of industry experts with trained palates and steady hands.

With over 750 wines to judge in two full-day sessions, the risk of palate fatigue is considerable, but this daunting logistical hurdle was met with an adroitness of a seasoned pro. The fifteen judges were split into three teams, each moving methodically through individual categories. They were encouraged to take as many breaks as they needed, while staying on schedule, and a buffet table was available with more palate cleansers than you’ve ever thought of.

Each evaluator formed his/her own palate-cleansing strategy. Some really liked the celery. Some liked specific combinations as complex as hand signals from the dugout during the World Series (e.g. bread, celery, mushroom, etc.). Some occasionally hit the big red reset switch by going for Cheetos or jerky, before stepping themselves back down with bread, carrot, celery, mushroom, etc. Rinse and repeat. In every case, dedication to accuracy was paramount not only out of fairness to the wineries that had submitted their lives’ work for scrutiny, but for the larger reputation of the entire Washington wine industry. It’s a big job.

The wines are divided into twenty varietal categories, and each of them is split into three price ranges. Then, they’re organized and presented in flights of around fifteen glasses, and the evaluators taste them (single-blind), judging them on twenty characteristics while taking extensive notes (they are aware of the varietal and price categories they’re tasting). And, while it’s not sexy, spitting is the rule, rather than the exception, adhered to with a nearly religious fervor.

To be clear, the Seattle Wine Awards is not a contest, per se. Conceived and executed by Executive Director Christopher Chan, it’s a recognition program that aims to highlight the fantastic wines produced in Washington State. According to Chan, this is the largest Washington AVA-only recognition program in the state, and is dedicated to recognizing the wineries that are producing the most outstanding wines by professional consensus.

The standards are exacting. On average, only three out of every ten wines receive any kind of recognition. Wines must reach a minimum score to receive special recognition, and of those (in each category and retail price range) the top three are awarded the Gold, Silver and Bronze medals. The wines that achieve the minimum score but do not receive a medal, receive the Vintners Honor Outstanding Wine Award. After all, achieving the necessary score by the prestigious judges is no small thing and deserves to be honored.

Why do the judges subject themselves to a grueling wine marathon? For most, it’s the best opportunity they can find to academically experience the breadth of the Washington wine industry. For many, it’s a chance to get acquainted with individual great wines without the taint of reputation, and then introduce them to their own businesses—the judges are allowed to see the bottles after the tasting is complete. And for some, it’s all about local Washington pride.

You can satisfy your own curiosity and experience the cream of this crop by attending SWA’s Grand Awards Tasting on June 14 where you can taste through the winners, meet the winemakers, and munch on some gourmet grindage. What could be better?

(Tickets to the Grand Awards Tasting are available at http://www.seattlewineawards.com/tasting.html)