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Hold a major conference in Woodinville??
What kind of grape leaves r u smoking???
I'd rather choose Benton City over Woodinville/Seattle.
Do the right thang...go WallaWalla and I'll hollaholla!
Even if there aren't wine grapes GROWING in the greater Redmond area, the proximity to the growing regions lends well enough to the conference I think.
Just kidding, thanks for the input. This has been a remarkable discussion and that's why I don't think it can be something we're doing without more input from the bloggers.
Moving the conference around has always been our goal, EXECUTING that is a HUGE task that we want to get right!
Here is the "real" situation about Seattle vs Walla Walla. Yeah, flying into Walla Walla isn't as near as convenient as flying into Seattle. However, once you get into Seattle, you still have about 30 minutes to the hotel in Redmond. If you fly into Walla Walla, you are 15 minutes from downtown - in fact, no matter where you are in Walla Walla - 15 minutes is the farthest us natives have to drive. And when you step off the plane in Walla Walla, I believe there are just as many wineries in the airport district of Walla Walla than all of Woodinville - or at least close!
It appears at the Redmond Hotel you are going to get charged for parking and in Walla Walla at the Marcus Whitman Hotel, there are no parking/valet fees. In fact, Walla Walla is very self-contained. So when it comes to costs per travel, while it may seem more expensive to fly into Walla Walla, when you consider the nickel and dimeing in Seattle with time, gas, car rental, parking fees, it will probably end up a wash.
Woodinville certainly has its charm and some excellent wineries, however - - it is really not a true example of the Washington State Wine Industry, like Walla Walla is. Like I pointed out, Walla Walla is very self-contained and less than a 15 minute drive will take you to the vineyards. The hotel in Walla Walla is a walk across the street to tasting rooms, wine bars, bistros, unique shopping boutiques and art galleries.
The biggest reason, in my opinion that Woodville is not the best example of the Washington State Wine industry, is Woodinville, is located in Western Washington and Woodenville sources the majority of their grapes from - - guess who? Eastern Washington vineyards and included in Eastern Washington of course is Walla Walla!
Yes, Woodville may have the big Chateau Ste Michelle (which produces volumes of affordable $15 wine), but the Ste Michelle corporation also owns a couple of high-end boutique wineries in Walla Walla, such as North Star and Spring Valley, which only uses Walla Walla grapes. Walla Walla is also home to one of the Precept Wine Company production facilities who has a portfolio of wines from all over the world.
And when it came time for the Seattle-based former CEO Allen Shoop of Chateau Ste Michelle to build his winery empire (Long Shadows Consortium of Walla Walla), to produce wines made by highly acclaimed winemakers from different regions of the world using fruit from Eastern Washington (including Walla Walla) vineyards he didn’t pick Woodinville. Long Shadows Consortium features wines produced in Walla Walla by Randy Dunn of Napa, Michel Rolland, Armin Diel from Germany and John Duval from Australia, to name a few.
Okay, so with Walla Walla having the one of the heaviest concentration of wineries than any area of Washington State - that alone speaks volumes. If you can’t come to the best showing of Washington State wines, then why bother doing Washington?
I say Walla Walla now and Woodinville later.
Woodinville would be a good compromise, I think.
FYI - We have something up our sleeve for a Willamette Valley conference in 2010 or 2011. Maybe we could join forces to build a partnership and work together on it?
That being said, I'm planning on a week in France end of June, so July works best for me.
Also, since I live half time in Seattle and half just outside of Walla Walla, both locations work for me. Either location would be an excellent choice for a good overview of the industry, but Walla Walla is far more charming and has the vineyards also. The traffic in Seattle is horrible, and you'd be dealing with it. Walla Walla is a pleasure to drive around, and there's good food too. Anyway, thanks for choosing Washington state for your confernce. I'd be happy to participate as a panelist since you are coming to my home turf. Let me know what works for you.
Cheers,
PaulG
paulgwine@me.com and/or Facebook
And, Joel, do take Paul up on his offer to be a panelist.
John
Okay Joel. I am going to STFU now. Really. I really am. Really. Ummm...really. At least for today. Really.
Love your book. You may be the hardest working man in the Washington State wine industry. I gave it a very favorable review on my site. Would love to meet you. I understand your preference for Walla Walla, but Seattle is just too great a temptation. For first time visitors to your state it is the Emerald City that is the draw.
Exactly why I recommend shifting the Conference.
I wouldn't stay in downtown Dijon if I was going to Burgundy. You have to be out there.
Vote Walla Walla.
I'll give you a lift.
After thinking through the pros and cons, I voted for Walla Walla. I believe that Walla Walla is the best location for truly showcasing Washington wine country which is what I think is most important. However, I do have concerns about the distance from a major airport and costs. I'm just afraid that when push comes to shove, attendance may be lower in Walla Walla than Woodinville when people start making their travel arrangements.
One compromise should the voting select Woodinville is to offer an optional excursion to Walla Walla after the conference.
The advantage to Woodinville is obviously logistics. Close to the airport, but still about 30 miles away thru Seattle traffic. So "close" is relative. There are a plethora of hotels in the Bellevue/Kirkland area (about 5 miles from Woodinville). The wineries in Woodinville are very close together (40 wineries probably within a 5-6 mile radius). About 15 of them are in a warehouse district that is convenient because you are able to park and walk to them. Also, quite a few wineries from the eastside of the state are opening up tasting rooms there.
Personally, I may have a scheduling conflict with the June dates due to another conference I attend around the same time (Don't know those dates until Jan). So based on that I am leaning towards Woodinville only because it's in July.
Either location would be fine with me, except I think we'd be missing out by not going to Walla Walla! Touring this area and talking with winemakers would be a great experience. Living in Iowa, I don't have very good access to wines from there so I have a lot to gain by attending. By the way, I searched around and it would take me pretty much all day to get there whilst switching planes 3 times! I say it's going to be worth it!
The traffic between Woodinville and Seattle is a nightmare. You don't know congestion until you've attempted to cross the Evergreen Bridge. Awful. Rest assured, with Seattle in view from atop even modest Woodinville hillocks, people will want to visit the Emerald City. It may be just a few miles away but it will feel like 100. Like the torturous vision of San Francisco suffered by the prisoners on Alcatraz.
Walla Walla is wheat fields for days. Seattle? A distant dream.
But if I had to choose, it would be Woodinville. Not happy with either choice. Did anybody do research? Somebody throwing darts?
Why not Portland? Or Seattle proper?
Last year we enjoyed an introductory lunch at a vineyard upon our arrival and but a single afternoon, a few hours, walking in one of three vineyards. A dinner was held at Sebastiani; we took buses in the evening. The conference could have easily been held in Oakland!
So, understanding the irresistible draw Seattle will be to participants, that Woodinville rolls up the sidewalks at 8 p.m., and knowing the complexity of navigating the hi-ways to and from, I thought it might make more sense just to stay in the Emerald City. Seems cruel to be so close, yet so far.
Prosser Chamber of Commerce invites you to visit us during your trip to WA in 2010.
6 AVA's w/in 1-20 minutes (Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley, Snipes Mountain, Red Mountain, Rattlesnake Hills, Horse Heaven Hills.
30 wineries & 2 MicroBreweries.
Yakima and Pasco airports 45 minutes away. Airport shuttle from Seattle to Yakima.
Seattle, Portland, Spokane 3 hrs by car.
Walla Walla 90 minutes by car.
Pasco served by Amtrak.
WA St Univ Research and Extension Center origin of modern WA Wine industry and WSU Viticulture and Enology program.
Yakima Valley Community College Enology and Viticulture program.
Award winning vineyards
75% of the US hop production
Dry land and irrigated diversified agriculture
Major wine events the 3rd weekend of July and 2 weekend of August.
Visit it us at http://prosserchamber.org.
How exciting this is in Washington State.
I see advantages to both. Tough choice; Metropolitan Seattle and seafood or quaint Walla Walla. the promise land for Wine.
Check out Sip of Spokane on facebook.
On the other hand Walla Walla is a real small town that has grown organically with the wine industry. Wineries and tasting rooms may be surrounded by vineyards or in historic buildings downtown. It's an authentic place with a sense of placew. Where else can you taste wine with the winemaker then hit Hot Poop - the coolest music shop there is - correct Mr. G?
Both locations are home to some of the state's top wineries, however, I'm thinking once folks land from a long-flight, the last thing they'll wanna do is drive somewhere and add to the overall cost of their trips..
I will say its still surprisingly close! Within 10%...