PNW Wine Competition brings region's wines to Walla Walla for 11th year

For Dan Radil, the Pacific Northwest Wine Competition is more than just a wine contest - it's an opportunity to get to know the people who make the best wines in the PNW.

Now in its 11th year, the PNW Wine Competition brings wines from across Washington, Oregon and Idaho to Walla Walla. Radil is the president of Whatcom Beer & Wine Foundation, which produces the competition.

"Recruiting is a huge part of it (the competition), and you've got to go out and knock on doors and visit wineries," Radil said. "I'll go to the Lake Chelan area and Tri-Cities and the Woodinville/Seattle area and pick up wines, so we get to know a lot of these folks over the years. So for me, it's really gratifying to start entering in the scores and seeing what they've earned and knowing the people behind the wines."

This year's competition saw 644 entries from 153 wineries, 54 of which were from the Walla Walla Valley. The competition takes place each year at the Institute for Enology and Viticulture on Walla Walla Community College's campus.

"Overall, the quantity was down a little bit because it's been a really difficult year for the wine industry, and we knew that going in, yet we got some incredible support," Radil said. "We got a lot of first-time entries from wineries in all three states."

Radil said what stood out about this year's competition was the high quality of the wines that were submitted, as well as the wide variety.

"We're starting to see a little lighter style wines and more variety in wines," Radil said. "So obviously we have the classic cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, merlot, those types. But we're also seeing some interesting new grapes, and I think that's representative of wineries kind of venturing out and responding to demand from newer wine drinkers."

The competition donates its proceeds from entry fees each year to local beneficiaries. This year's proceeds will go to the WWCC enology and viticulture program, the Walla Walla Alliance for the Homeless and Hope Heals.

The results from the three-day judging period will be released on Tuesday, June 30, on the PNW Wine Competition's website at pacificnorthwestwinecompetition.com.

"It's just really cool to be able to recognize the quality of wines that are being produced here in the region," Radil said. "And that, in turn, helps them market and promote their wines to their wine club members and the general public. We feel that wines that have medals and point scores on them just naturally should be something that consumers want to go and try, and that's one of the great components of this competition."

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