Time is Running Out to Celebrate
the Excellence of the Northwest Harvest
at Our 32nd Annual Wine Festival

Results are in! See who won Gold, Silver and Bronze medals.
2006 Northwest Wine Competition Winners

Saturday, August 5, 2006
South Seattle Community College

Mark your calendar for an exciting Wine and Food Festival on Saturday, August 5, at South Seattle Community College. We plan to have even more wines this year, expanding the judging to 210 wines for you to taste and compare your ratings with the judges.

All viticultural areas in the state will be well represented, including our newest AVA, the Rattlesnake Hills. Save gas and map out your own wine trail through the Yakima Valley, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla, Chelan, Oregon, British Columbia, Idaho and beyond, without having to leave Seattle. The modest cost for this outstanding event is only $65 for Wine Society members and $75 for non-members and includes the wine tasting, a buffet dinner, fruit and cheeses, music for dancing, plus a commemorative wine glass.

Festival Menu
Salad
Mesclun and romaine lettuce, with diced peppers, chickpeas and feta cheese, tossed with a tomato vinaigrette

Entrée
Shrimp, marinated in butter and garlic and skewers of tender beef with a light mustard sauce, grilled in the courtyard
Roasted red potatoes and grilled vegetables

Dessert
White chocolate cheesecake with a chocolate cookie crust, drizzled with a raspberry coulis
Coffee for the Festival will be donated by Camano Island Coffee Roasters.

The Seminar — An Inside Look at Our 32nd Judging
The seminar before the Festival this year will be a rare experience. If you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at a wine judging, what it takes to be a judge or how your palate compares with that of the professionals who make those all-important determinations as to which wines are given Gold and which go home empty-handed, here’s your chance to learn more. This year’s pre-Festival seminar, “An Inside Look at Our Judging,” will feature all five of our judges, gathered together to discuss how they go about judging wines and how they responded to the Northwest wines entered in this year’s judging.

• Learn the details of how the judging is conducted, dialogue with the judges and receive express entry to the festival,
• Watch a presentation that shows, in detail, the complete sequence of activities and events involved in performing our judging. See how the “backroom” works and how the judges deliberate to award medals,
• Hear the judges express their reactions to and opinions about the wines they have evaluated,
• Participate in a moderated Q & A session with the judging panel,
• Be guided directly into the Festival at the conclusion of the seminar.

The Seminar begins at 3:30. The cost is only $12.00 and seating is limited to 150 attendees. Sign up on the Festival coupon. Purchase your admission with PayPal on this page.

Listen (or dance!) to live music from Palm Avenue Ensemble
There will be music for dancing at this event to remember — in celebration of the rapidly-growing Northwest wine industry and the excellence of the wine harvest. Taste the latest releases from established Northwest wineries and exciting new wines from some of the Northwest’s youngest wineries. And be present when the awards are announced at one of the nation’s most highly-regarded wine competitions.The announcement of the award winners is the highlight of our Festival.

The Festival Supports FareStart
We have also been talking with FareStart to include some of their chefs-in-training. As an added bonus, this year’s Festival will benefit FareStart, to support their work training the homeless for jobs in the food preparation industry. FareStart has been doing wonderful work in giving the homeless places to live and teaching them excellent food preparation skills to help them improve their lives. FareStart is a non-profit organization which successfully empowers men, women and their families to create new opportunities through food service training, life skills training and job placement. For more information on their program, restaurant and events, visit farestart.org.

Judges' Dinner August 3, 2006
You can also meet the judges at our always-popular Judges Dinner, held each year after the judging is completed, but before the Festival. At this sumptuous event, guests have an opportunity to taste through the Festival wines along with the judges over dinner. This year’s Judges Dinner will be held on Thursday, August 3, at Ray’s Boathouse (see page two for more information). Of course, at this point no one will know which wines have won awards. This is a closely-held secret until the winners are announced at the Festival. The details and menu appear on the Judges' Dinner page. Read the judges' biographies and learn more about the process.

Reserve Now Coupon
Admission includes a dinner, fruit, cheeses, fresh-baked bread and as many wines to sample as you might imagine. There will be music for dancing, wine-related art, and of course announcement of the winning wines from one of the nation’s most respected wine judgings. Attend the seminar, “An Inside Look at Our Judging,” for only $12 additional before the Festival to learn how the wine judges responded to some of the best wines of the Northwest.

The Festival will be $65 members, $75 non-members. Admission price includes: Wine tasting, Dinner, Commemorative wine glass, Souvenir program, Specialty food samples and the Award list. Use this coupon to purchase your reservations. Remember that reservations end on Monday July 31. Last minute questions about reservations? Call Paul Schumacher 360-301-6722. If using the PayPal option, please complete the form and mail according to the instructions. See you there!

Festival online reservations are now closed. All full-dinner tickets have been sold.

New option is a "No-Dinner" entrance ticket, which foregoes the three menu items but allows wine sampling. Price is $45. Vendor food samples, cheese, fruit and bread included. A credit card number holds your place for the "No-Dinner" option. Call Paul Schumacher at 360-301-6722. Walk-ins also welcome.

Note: Entrance to the Festival requires proof of age.

We Need Volunteers
Volunteers are expected to put in the time required to fulfill duties. Festival is 5-9:00 p.m. at South Seattle Community College. Some jobs will occur outside event hours. Volunteer acknowledgment will begin in May. You will be notified of assignments in July.

Please note required skills and capabilities before choosing jobs. Many jobs require standing for long periods. Volunteers will have breaks to enjoy the Festival.

Security: Provide hospitality and parking assistance for attendees, tend entrance/exit locations, use walkie-talkie communication on site.
Check-In: Greet and process entry of paid attendees, volunteers or winery reps.
Wine Pourer: Assigned to specific table to serve wine.
Food Handling: Assist with bread and cheese service, collect food line tickets.
Maintenance: Transport ice to tables, empty dump buckets, pick up trash, keep area clean.
Wine Handling: Requires lifting full cases of wine.
Facilities: Move tables and chairs, carry equipment and supplies before and after event.

Tasks are assigned based on coupon postmark or e-mail date. For more information contact Beverly Stieglitz, bgstieglitz@verizon.net. Complete this form (print please) and send to:
Beverly Stieglitz, Festival 2006 Volunteers
P.O. Box 5550
Everett, WA. 98206
E-mail: bgstieglitz@verizon.net

Use the above form to volunteer for the Northwest Wine & Food Festival. NOTE: All volunteers MUST be current members of the Seattle Wine Society (except where special skills may be needed).