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Wine legends are selected based on their contributions to the wine industry and the community.
Guy "Bill" Powers had the first vinifera grape orchard in Washington to be certified organic.
Guy “Bill” Powers of Badger Mountain Vineyard and Powers Winery and the late David Lake, longtime winemaker for Columbia Winery, will be iinducted into the Legends of Washington Wine Hall of Fame during a gala at the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center at Prosser on August 28. Legends are selected for their significant contributions to the community and the wine industry.
Powers planted his Badger Mountain vineyard in 1982 after consulting with Washington State University researcher Dr. Walter Clore. In 1990, his vineyard became the first vinifera vineyard to be certified organic by the Washington State Department of Agriculture. He has helped the Washington wine grape industry move towards low-input, sustainable, and organic viticulture. He was a founding member of the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers and was selected Grower of the Year in 1996. He received the association’s Lifetime Achievement award in 2007.
David Lake began his career in the wine industry in 1967 and became a Master of Wine in 1975. He joined Columbia Winery in 1979. He was most renown for his experimentation with new varietals. He was the first winemaker in Washington to produce Washington Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Pinot Gris. He served as a director of the Washington Wine Institute and was a wine judge. He died in 2009.
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