—by Colleen Frei, Washington Winegrowers Association

This is a special time of year for the Washington wine community. Last year’s harvest is over, and vineyard operators are watching the weather forecast to plan for the 2025 season. Winemakers are delving into the next round of their artistic expression for the 2024 vintage, and it’s bottling time for those lovely white wines and sparkling wines that will soon be poured into glasses for celebration and enjoyment, at occasions large and small, as family and friends gather.
Annual WineVit Convention and Trade Show
Speaking of occasions to gather together, we at the Washington Winegrowers Association are thrilled to host the annual WineVit Convention and Trade Show Feb. 10–12 at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick, Washington.
WineVit, our trademarked event, serves as the epicenter for wine grape growers, producers, vintners, wineries, marketing and sales reps, educators and students, researchers, suppliers and industry professionals to explore cutting-edge technologies, foster connections and engage with visionary leaders. Attendees include hundreds of wine industry enthusiasts, leaders and members ready to celebrate Washington wine, share invaluable information and build community.
This annual three-day event is where the wine industry meets for best-in-class educational and networking opportunities in the Northwest. WineVit features a dynamic trade show, thought-provoking State of the Industry session, poster spotlights on the latest industry research, and multifaceted educational sessions delving into topics such as sustainability, vineyard and winery operations, and tasting room and business efficiencies. Additionally, the Leadership and Legacy Luncheon celebrates industry leaders and legends who have made significant contributions to the Washington wine community.
Members of Washington Winegrowers Association receive the membership benefit of a discounted registration fee for the WineVit Convention and Trade Show. There is still time to register online at: winevit.org.
Dynamic future of Washington agriculture
Here in Washington, we benefit from the geographic diversity that allows farmers to produce unique agricultural crops and the wine industry to embrace a wide array of wine grape varieties and wine styles. In 2024, we welcomed the Beverly, Washington AVA as our 21st and newest American Viticultural Area within the state, in acknowledgement of another distinct growing area.
This geographic diversity comes with farming challenges related to sun and heat exposure, water availability for crop irrigation, wildfire smoke impacts and differences in soil composition and terrain. It also leads to our Washington wine community embracing a mindset of innovation, creativity and collaboration. This is how we highlight the beauty of premier Washington wineries, featuring our wine grape growers and their sustainable practices and the winemakers who craft exceptional wines.
With the current unstable and changing market conditions facing the wine industry (and many other Washington agricultural crops) and the headwinds pushing on product demand, inventory challenges remain industrywide. At the same time, prices continue to climb for labor and inputs, as do costs associated with managing increasing government requirements on agriculture and small businesses.
The wine industry’s Sustainable WA program is certainly a bright light for the future. The Sustainable WA Winegrape Standard is the first statewide sustainability certification program, and we built this rigorous, science-based program with continuous improvement in mind. To be certified as Sustainable WA is to proudly demonstrate an operation that is environmentally sound, socially equitable and economically viable. This focus on sustainability not only reinforces the incredible benefits of this agricultural product but also demonstrates the commitment to developing vineyards with the right variety planted in the right location for long-term enhancement and protection of our landscape.
As shown through development of the Sustainable WA program and other industrywide efforts, there are opportunities for those willing to be creative and for those willing to work together to identify and remove barriers to trade, to markets and to the unknown. The Washington wine community — wine grape growers, producers, vintners, wineries, marketing and sales teams, educators and students, researchers, suppliers and industry professionals together — have a reputation for collaboration, innovation and unity.
We will accomplish this vision of a thriving industry for Washington wines and vineyards by working together in a thoughtful, strategic approach to address the needs of our industry. As the issues at hand for our Washington wine industry resemble those for other Washington agricultural crops, collaboration and innovation can happen not only within the wine industry but also by reaching across to other agricultural partners, policymakers and regulatory agencies, educators, industry coalitions and allied business groups.
There is a dynamic future ahead for Washington agriculture, and we can meet it head-on by working together. Cheers to the 2025 season for our Washington agriculture and wine community!
Looking forward to seeing you at the WineVit 2025 Convention and Trade Show!
Colleen Frei is the executive director of the Washington Winegrowers Association.
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