Walla Walla, WA (June 11, 2008) – The Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance of Washington State will be the official wine sponsor of the premiere exhibition of renowned glass work artist Dale Chihuly at the de Young Museum in San Francisco.
Winemaker and winery representatives from Walla Walla will attend the various museum events in honor of the opening of the Chihuly exhibition and to pour wine on Monday at an extensive tasting for more than 150 members of the wine trade industry and the media in the de Young’s observation tower.
Throughout the three-month exhibition, wines from the Walla Walla Valley will be poured in the Museum’s cafeteria and at cash bar events and receptions, including Friday Nights at the de Young and member preview events.
“When we learned that Dale Chihuly was having his first-ever exhibition in San Francisco, we knew as a wine region that we wanted to be there to help celebrate the work of this great Washington state artist,” said Elizabeth Martin-Calder, executive director of the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance. “And what better way to celebrate, than with wine from his home state.”
Chihuly at the de Young is an exploration of the groundbreaking artwork of Dale Chihuly. From the Mille Fiori (a 56-foot garden of glass) to the Saffron Tower (a 30-foot neon sculpture), this exhibition challenges convention with a feast of bold color, dramatic forms and extraordinary composition.
An iconic and prolific glasswork artist, Chihuly has been known to work with various wineries in the Walla Walla Valley, including Long Shadows Vintners, where three of Chihuly’s works are on display, and Dunham Cellars, which often commissions Chihuly to create one-of-a-kind, commemorative wine bottles for their special auction lots.
About the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance
The Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance is a winery and grower membership organization committed to furthering the awareness of the quality wineries, wines, and vineyards of the Walla Walla Valley Appellation. Our mission is to support and promote quality and excellence in our wine industry and to further national and international recognition of our region. For more information, please visit www.wallawallawine.com.
Walla Walla wineries donating wine to the de Young include Abeja, Cadaretta, Chateau Rollat Winery, Couvillion, Forgeron Cellars, K Vintners, L'Ecole No 41, Long Shadows Vintners, Northstar Winery, Otis Kenyon Wine, Patit Creek Cellars, Pepper Bridge Winery, Seven Hills Winery, Spring Valley Vineyard, SYZYGY, Tamarack Cellars, Three Rivers Winery, Walla Walla Vintners, Waterbrook Winery, and Woodward Canyon Winery.
About the de Young Museum
Founded in 1895 in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, the de Young Museum has been an integral part of the cultural fabric of the city and a cherished destination for millions of residents and visitors to the region for over 100 years. For more information, please visit www.famsf.org/deyoung.
About the Walla Walla Wine Industry
There is a long history of winemaking in the Walla Walla Valley located in Southeast Washington and Northeast Oregon. European settlers began planting grapes and making homemade wine as early as the mid to late 1800’s, though it wasn’t until the 1970’s that today’s wine industry began to take shape. Early winegrowers observed that the unique combination of soils and the hot days and cold nights during the growing season were ideal for grape-growing. The area’s first modern-day commercial winery was bonded in 1977. In 1984, four wineries and even fewer growers, with only 60 acres planted, celebrated the federal designation of the Walla Walla Valley as a unique American Viticultural Area (AVA). Over 260,000 acres were designated during this initial application with land in both Washington and Oregon. (In 2001 the AVA was revised with a total of 303,500 acres.) Growth in the industry continued at a relatively slow pace and by 1990 there were still only six wineries and roughly 100 acres of wine grapes.
Although the quantity of wineries and vineyards were slight during this time, the quality of the wine being produced was note-worthy and industry professionals from around the globe began to traverse the Cascade passes to frequent this new-found wine hamlet of the Pacific Northwest. As the word spread about Walla Walla being a new world wine region, more and more winemakers flocked to the area. Prices for land were reasonable compared to Napa, and the opportunities available to a winemaker or grower with an entrepreneurial spirit were endless. Equally attractive was the willingness of the area winemakers and growers to share their knowledge and lend a helping hand were needed. Before long it wasn’t only the wine but the spirit of the people behind the Walla Walla wine experience that captured the attention of so many.
The Walla Walla Valley is now home to close to 100 wineries, with more than 130 bonds pending and more than 1,600 acres of wine grapes. The wineries of the Walla Walla Valley are still relatively small operations where artisan winemakers can closely follow the evolution of their wines from fresh grapes to bottled product. The Walla Walla wine industry continues to be known for its outstanding wines as well as the general sense of camaraderie that thrives in the local wine community. This continued commitment to quality and camaraderie has made the Walla Walla Valley an appellation where winemakers and growers work together to produce world-class wines.
As a wine destination, Walla Walla boasts a picturesque historic downtown, fine dining restaurants, quaint cafés, upscale hotels and inns, and thriving arts and education communities all surrounded by scenic farmland and the stunning Blue Mountains.
Media Contacts:
For press information or images, please contact Elizabeth Martin-Calder, Executive Director, at emcalder@wallawallawine.com, or Jordan Small, Communications Associate, at 509-526-3117 or at jordan@wallawallawine.com.
