Have a hankering to taste 24 of the most acclaimed wineries from the state of Washington without traveling to the Pacific Northwest?
Lucky for you, Joe’s Wines & Liquors will host Taste Washington from 4:30-7 p.m., Thursday, April 24th, at the University Club of Memphis. Tickets cost $50 and are available now at the store or at the door the night of the event, if it isn’t sold out.
“I think it says a lot about the caliber of wine lover and food lover here in Memphis,” Joe’s Wines & Liquors general manager Michael Hughes says.
“Having [a tasting] of this scale has never happened before, and I think it’s the perfect opportunity to really showcase a lot of these wineries to a broader audience in the city of Memphis.”
Hughes stressed that this contingent of wineries from the state of Washington isn’t going anywhere else as a group — not St. Louis or Nashville or Atlanta. Joe’s owner, Hughes, and another staff member each have made multiple visits to Washington.
As a result, many of the wineries are sending a representative.
Will Camarda, the son of winemaker/owner Chris Camarda and the namesake of Andrew Will Winery, will be in attendance.
“He has never been to Memphis before so this is a real coup,” Hughes says. “Andrew Will Winery is one of the most respected wineries in all of Washington, if not the U.S.”
Sleight of Hand Cellars is sending winemaker Trey Busch, whom Hughes describes as a vibrant, approachable character.
Seven Hills, represented by vice president Erik McLaughlin, is one of the original founders of the state’s wine industry and has eschewed trends for decades, marching after their own unique flavor profiles and maintaining quality.
“I’m kind of a kid in a candy store with this lineup because there’s not one winery that’s coming that I’m not excited about,” Hughes said. “We’re a business. We run it as such. But we also do these events because we want to make Memphis a better place and give people an opportunity to experience things that they might only be able to experience in other cities.”
For tickets, call Joe’s Wines & Liquors (725-4252), stop by the store at 1681 Poplar, or take your chances at the University Club of Memphis the night of the event at 1346 Central.
