Latest news with #MattAustin
Forbes
30-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Washington Wine Excellence: The ‘Ground Floor Of Something Epic'
TV wine from Gilbert Cellars shows the playful side of Washingon Wine Washington State's wine industry is still relatively young compared to the world's historic wine regions. For many years, its identity was closely tied to a small number of very large producers. Now, with more than 1,000 wineries—up from just 100 two decades ago—the landscape is evolving rapidly. As some large wineries scale down and smaller ones emerge, space has opened for new voices and ideas. Washington's youth is proving to be an asset in this transitional moment for the broader domestic wine industry, allowing winemakers here to be agile and innovative, much like the tech companies just across the Cascades in Seattle, as Matt Austin of Grosgrain puts it. "The opportunity to perhaps identify a variety that has a magical interaction with our terroir is a pretty tantalizing thing," says Austin. According to the state's wine commission, Washington ranks as the second-largest wine-producing state in the US, pushing out more than 12 million cases of wine annually while generating over $9.5 billion in economic impact within the state each year. In the vineyard at Two Mountain Winery in Washington The transformation of Washington's wine identity has been dramatic. Patrick Rawn of Two Mountain Winery remembers when the biggest challenge was simply getting regional attention: "When I started my career, we were all still trying to raise awareness that Washington made wine. The typical consumer response was 'Wow. These wines are really good. I did not know Washington even made wine. Doesn't it rain there all of the time?'" Those days are behind them. As Gloria Gilbert of Gilbert Cellars notes, "I think we have mostly graduated from that phase, and the depth of what is being done here is being recognized. Not only can we grow a wide range of varieties really well but there is real depth and complexity between different AVAs." The numbers tell the story. Gilbert Cellars celebrated 20 years in 2024, witnessing firsthand the industry's explosive growth. "When we acquired our license, there were around 100 registered wineries and now there are more than 1,000," Gilbert explains. "We really view the boom of the Washington wine industry to mirror the spirit of curiosity and adventure of the state's agricultural industry." Kelly and Matt Austin of Grosgrain Vineyards Many winemakers in the area are on board with Washington's embrace of Mediterranean varietals. The warm volcanic soils of regions like Walla Walla Valley are proving ideal for grapes that thrive in heat and require less water—crucial advantages in Eastern Washington's arid climate. Austin has been a pioneer in this movement, planting varieties like Fiano, Vermentino, Grenache and Carignan at higher elevations where "vine roots can reach volcanic basalt." His reasoning is both practical and visionary: "Resilient in heat, these varieties also require less water generally, so they are great options in Eastern Washington where rainfall—typically 5 to 10 inches annually—is much scarcer than in Seattle on the other side of the Cascade Mountains, which gets around 40 inches annually." Seth Kitzke of Upsidedown Wine is equally enthusiastic about Grenache specifically: "It has an exceptional profile here. It isn't as candied as some regions, can maintain balanced alcohol and has some aromatics that will make your mind spin.' On top of that, it is a drought-tolerant variety that loves heat, which encourages him to believe this is the grape of the future in Washington. Seth Kitzke, Upsidedown Wine Respect for the land is becoming the foundation of quality winemaking in Washington. The region's winemakers are embracing everything from beneficial insects to falconry as alternatives to traditional chemical interventions. Austin describes his farming approach: "We farm organically and have been excited to incorporate beneficial insects in new ways, including drone drops of beneficial mites and lacewings in order to avoid the use of pesticides.' A falconer that Grosgrain shares with some neighboring vineyards has also allowed Austin and his team to avoid the use of nets to protect from bird damage. At Two Mountain Winery, the focus on ecological responsibility has yielded tangible results in wine quality. "We are seeing more resilient vines that respond better to stress events and are generally in better 'balance,'" Rawn explains. "The resulting fruit arrives at the winery needing much less manipulation and the finished wines show an immense sense of place." Gilbert Cellars has taken certifications seriously, earning an organic stamp as well as the Sustainable WA certification, which focuses on practices that are environmentally sound, socially equitable and economically viable, according to the Washington State Wine Commission. "To us, these certifications are just as important, if not more important, than scores," Gilbert emphasizes. "They are a visual representation that stewardship is at the root of our brand." The team at Gilbert Cellars Devyani Gupta of Valdemar Estates describes her team's intriguing experiment: "In our property in the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, we planted the rows east to west as opposed to the traditional north to south." She says this was a thought experiment to grow fresh aromatic whites in a very warm sub-climate of the Walla Walla Valley. The results have been promising, according to Gupta: "So far, theory has met expectations and the natural acidity and tension in our 2023 and 2024 Viognier and 2024 Grenache Blanc reflect this." At Grosgrain, Austin is exploring how different fermentation and aging containers impact wine character: "We've been gradually incorporating other types of more neutral vessels to build character and add depth in different ways, whether it is through the material that the vessel is made from such as older oak, concrete or clay or the shape of the vessels such as eggs, amphora, cubes or large-format barrels." A chorus among Washington's winemakers is the philosophy that great wine comes from restraint rather than intervention. Kitzke of Upsidedown Wine emphasizes that farming holistically is the most important step of his process. 'The winemaking portion receives a lot of praise, but the vineyard management targeting a certain style is what really levels up the wine," he says. Rawn agrees: ''Less is more' is the direction that is most interesting right now.' He says this philosophy takes more discipline to fight the human urge to micromanage everything, instead being highly intentional about restraint. Devyani Gupta of Valdemar Estates Washington's wine consumers are evolving too, seeking authenticity and story over status. Gilbert observes a shift in tasting room culture: "Rather than seeking a buttoned-up tasting experience, customers are coming in looking to really be immersed in our brand. They're next to us, dancing [in] the amphitheater at our summer concert." The Gilbert profile walks the line between traditional and contemporary style wines. 'We're not only trying to keep our customers on their toes, but we're also part of a generation that is nudging Washington wine to a place it hasn't really gone before,' says Gilbert. This more playful side extends to the wines themselves. Gilbert's team recently created a co-ferment of Tempranillo and Verdelho that they labeled TV, complete with artwork inspired by Shel Silverstein. "Sometimes we are submitting a wine for scores and sometimes we are putting a TV on a chillable red,' he points out. 'And we're finding that the same customer is enjoying wines with scores and wines that are meant to make you laugh." Perhaps the most thought-provoking takeaway of Washington's wine evolution is the ongoing search for the region's defining grape. Austin captures this perfectly: "The opportunity to perhaps identify a variety that has a magical interaction with our terroir is a pretty tantalizing thing. Maybe the 'signature' grape for Washington is out there just waiting to be discovered." While that search continues, the region's strength may lie not in a single variety but in its diversity and willingness to experiment. As Gupta notes about the constant evolution: "Even though we are over 40 years into our journey, you can visit and feel like you were on the ground floor of something epic."
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
Bristol, Tenn. Police Department receives TLEA accreditation status
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Tennessee Law Enforcement Accreditation (TLEA) Program granted accreditation status to the Bristol, Tennessee Police Department. The police department received this accreditation during the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police meeting in Nashville on April 9. The police department accomplished TLEA accreditation by meeting the criteria that measured the level of professionalism, organization and overall readiness in law enforcement policy and procedures. This is the fifth TLEA award this department has received. 'The standard of excellence that is met through this process is to be admired. We are proud to recognize the hard work of the Bristol Tennessee Police Department, its staff, and community leaders,' TACP President Mark Gibson said. To achieve TLEA accreditation, agencies voluntarily submit a three-year process that enhances the professionalism and effectiveness of the agency using the 164 law enforcement standards. The standards used aid in evaluating the agency's policies in various areas such as organizational, operational and budget management practices. The TLEA program is intended to encourage cooperation, recognize professional standing, develop professional services and ensure public safety throughout Tennessee. 'I believe being an accredited agency means each member of the Bristol Tennessee Police Department is devoted to providing professional services to every person and each day will continue to provide service and protection to all citizens and visitors of Bristol, Tennessee,' Bristol Police Chief Matt Austin said. The program was created under the authority and direction of the TACP, which endorses and supports the improvement of law enforcement and emergency communications operations and maintains the framework for equal access to effective and comprehensive polices for Tennessee law enforcement. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
