YVC’s Vineyard & Winery Technology Program Wins Nine Awards at the 2018 Tri-Cities Wine Festival

wine award winners wine festival with medals

Best of Class and Double-Gold for 2017 Study Skills Chardonnay

Grandview, WA – Yakima Valley Vintners (YVV), YVC’s teaching winery, received nine awards for their student crafted wines at the 2018 Tri-Cities Wine Festival this month. YVV’s 2017 Study Skills Chardonnay earned Double Gold and Best of Class. The 2015 Dean’s List Primitivo received a gold medal. The 2015 Semester Abroad Sangiovese, 2015 Graduates Last Hyrah Syrah, and the NV Campus Red Blend each garnered silver medals. In addition, YVC earned three bronze awards.

All wines submitted were judged blindly by a panel of prominent wine professionals. YVC student wines were included with all other commercial wines during the competition. There were more than 75 wineries that competed this year, with 400 wines judged over a three day period leading up to the festival on Saturday.

These award-winning wines, submitted by Yakima Valley Vintners, were produced by students completing course work in YVC’s Vineyard & Winery Technology program. The wines are marketed through the program at YVC’s Grandview Campus, which houses a winery facility and tasting room. Students managed all aspects of producing these wines from grape to glass.

“For students to perform so well speaks to their passion and dedication to make quality wine.  These awards help validate their hard work and commitment,” stated YVC Vineyard and Winery Technology Instructor Trent Ball.

Guests can visit and taste the award winning wines at the tasting room on the Grandview campus. Hours of operation are located at www.yakimavalleyvintners.com.  In addition, groups are welcome to come for a behind the scenes tour of the winemaking process.  Call the tasting room at 509-882-7069 to schedule an appointment.

The Tri-Cities Wine Festival began humbly in 1979 as a fundraiser for a new copier for the Tri-Cities Visitor & Convention Bureau. The festival was modeled after the Seattle Wine Festival and was originally held in July during Water Follies. In 1990 the Tri-Cities Wine Society assumed sponsorship. In 2010 Tri-Cities Wine Festival moved to its current location at Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick. Over 70 wineries attend this annual event and more than 370 wines are poured to 1,200 visitors at the Gala Wine Tasting. A Silent Auction helps fund a scholarship to students in local viticulture programs.

For more information about Yakima Valley Vintners and the Yakima Valley College Vineyard and Winery Technology Program: www.yvcc.edu/wine or call 509.882.7007.

Press Release Contacts:
Jay Frank / 509.574.6870 / jfrank@yvcc.edu
Stefanie Menard / 509.574.4646 / smenard@yvcc.edu