Thursday, September 13, 2007

"The Potential of Washington Wines" - - The Potential?

Regarding the Long Shadow Vintner's project in Walla Walla and their Food & Wine award for Winery of the Year: Lettie Teague, Food & Wine’s executive wine editor said "...she has admired the incredible ambition of this project...its brilliant outreach to prove the potential of Washington wines."

To prove the potential...hmmm...the potential? For some reason the word, 'potential' is disconcerting to me. Meriam-Webster says this about the adjective, ‘potential.’

1. existing in possibility : capable of development into actuality

Come on Lettie. - you know wine! You even write books on how to turn a novice wine drinker into a master sommelier practically overnight. Give us more than 'prove the potential.' When it comes to wine in Washington State - - we have moved way past the word, ‘potential’ and way past being capable of developing.

It was not by chance or gamble that former Ste. Michelle CEO Shoup chose to do this project in Washington state, let alone by accident did he choose Walla Walla for winery location. It is not by accident or stroking the rabbit's foot that the State of Washington has vineyards with distinct terroir and award winning wines by those of Cayuse Vineyards, Leonetti Cellars, Quiceda Creek Vintners to name a few, besides many other award-winning wines. It was not a blindfold game of stick a pin on the map and see where it lands, that wine movers and shakers like Randall Grahm, Bonny Doon of California, chose to build a winery in Washington to prove the potential. These wineries and winemakers are not here to prove anything. They already know or they would not have staked their claim into the Washington wine industry. Sorry Lettie, but we are so over potential. Washington State wines have moved way past the point of potential about 10 years ago. Washington wines have arrived as a force to be reckoned with - - -

They_are_here!!!

No comments:

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...