By Visit Seattle
Seattle’s premier wine and food festival will take place March 23-26, 2017 at various venues throughout the city.
Those with “The Connoisseur” tickets in hand will be able to jump to the front of the line at all of Taste Washington’s signature events, including the Red and White Party on Thursday, The New Vintage on Friday, seminars and grand tastings on both Saturday and Sunday, as well as secure reserved seating at the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Chef’s Stage and a Connoisseur gift bag valued at $200. The Connoisseur ticket price is $570.
In addition to the flagship events, organizers have added fresh venues for Friday’s “On the Farm” lunch series, and a brand new Taste & Savor Tour at Pike Place Market on Saturday and Sunday mornings. The Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Chef’s Stage returns with live cooking demonstrations throughout the two-day event with Bravo’s “Top Chef” Season 10 winner and co-host of the Travel Channel’s show “36 Hours,” Chef Kristen Kish and Top Chef Alum and Spokane native Chef Chad White. Other top local and nationally known celebrity chefs will be announced soon.
“For the past 20 years, Taste Washington has showcased our region’s impressive wines and culinary talent,” said Tom Norwalk, President and CEO of Visit Seattle. “Over that time, Taste Washington has grown in all respects, beginning as a one-day tasting to, now, a four-day festival with more wineries, more restaurants and more attendees each year. The growth of this event is a terrific reflection of the partnerships between Visit Seattle, Washington State Wine and all of the participants involved.”
“Washington State Wine has a lot to celebrate this year, with the 20th Anniversary of Taste Washington and another successful harvest,” said Steve Warner, President of Washington State Wine. “Taste Washington is an exciting time to celebrate our industry’s continued growth and the Pacific Northwest’s local purveyors. We couldn’t be happier to be celebrating the 20th anniversary of this great festival.”
The Taste Washington experience takes place over four days, and in 2017 will feature the following:
Thursday, March 23: Epicurean festivities begin at the Red & White Party, a special party showcasing Washington State wineries and delicious food from AQUA by El Gaucho at the restaurant’s Seattle waterfront location. Guests are invited to arrive in style for this upscale evening in their best red and white attire. The ticket price for this event is $175.
Friday, March 24: Taste Washington on the Farm, a series of multiple unique daytime excursions led by local chefs, farmers and Washington State winemakers. Tickets for this event go on sale in January 2017. On Friday evening, The New Vintage event will feature celebrity chef tasting stations, more Washington State wines, and music at the elegant Four Seasons Hotel Seattle in downtown Seattle. Tickets to The New Vintage are $75 and are expected to sell quickly.
Saturday, March 25 and Sunday, March 26: The flagship two-day event of Taste Washington 20th Anniversary weekend is a culmination of all that is Washington food and wine. Educational seminars led by top wine industry experts at the Four Seasons Hotel Seattle start the morning off and are followed by the Grand Tasting of more than 235 Washington wineries and nearly 70 Pacific Northwest restaurants at CenturyLink Field Event Center. New this year: tasting hours have been extended by 30 minutes on both days of the Grand Tasting.
For a more intimate and comfortable tasting experience, Alaska Airlines Visa Signature cardholders are invited to the exclusive VIP lounge at the Grand Tasting featuring Washington winemakers and delicious bites. Ticket prices for the seminars range from $48-$89 depending on the session.
Grand Tasting ticket prices are as follows: two-day VIP passes are $210 and two-day general admission passes are $145, single-day VIP passes are $165 and single-day general admission passes are $95, VIP passes include an extra hour of tasting, a VIP swag bag and access to VIP Barrel Room presented by Muckleshoot Casino. New this year: The Taste & Savor Tours with exclusive access to Pike Place Market will take place in the morning prior to the seminars on both March 25 and 26. Tickets for the tour are $75.