The Washington Winegrowers Association, which recently changed to this name from the former Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers, also announced a range of honors and recognized work in the field. We run down the details below.

Honoring top growers
The Washington Winegrowers Association gave its annual awards for Grower of the Year, Industry Service, Lifetime Achievement and a new award — the Grand Vin. Here's a rundown of the honorees.

Grower of the year. Marshall Edwards, vineyard operations manager of Quintessence, received the Erick Hanson Memorial Wine Grape Grower Award for demonstrated viticultural skills that provide an impact in the vineyard and in the bottle. Edwards played a significant role in some of Washington’s largest vineyards — notably for Ste. Michelle, where he found success in the challenging terrain at Canoe Ridge Estate in the Horse Heaven Hills. He is a great influence in the way a vineyard is planned and planted, and has had a huge impact on technology in the area. Edwards was the first to use GPS technology to plan new vineyards.

Industry Service. Joy Andersen, winemaker at Snoqualmie Vineyards, received the Industry Service Award for her pioneering spirit in the wine industry. Andersen was one of the first women in Washington’s fledging wine industry in the 1980s and helped pave the way for women in the Washington wine industry. With a degree in chemistry from the University of Washington, Andersen is known for her scientific approach to winemaking and never shelters her knowledge from others. With her passion for research and learning, Andersen has become the go-to person for questions about organic winemaking. She has taken primary leadership in drawing awareness to, and encouraging improvement of, sustainable practices in Washington wineries, an initiative that bore fruit in 2012 when the website winerywise.org was launched.

Lifetime Achievement. Norm McKibben, managing partner at Pepper Bridge Winery, received the Lifetime Achievement Award to recognize work as a pioneer of the Washington grape and wine industry. McKibben is one of the state’s most respected vineyard experts, with over 30 years of experience. He is credited for the boom of Walla Walla Valley’s growth from 40 acres to an acclaimed appellation with more than 2,800 acres of premium grapes today. He is known for his endless energy and drive, and is widely recognized as an innovator. As a forward thinker, he is a champion of sustainable viticulture — all of his vineyards are certified sustainable by Vinea and Live. McKibben has chaired the Washington State Wine Commission, was co-founder of Vinea, founder of Quality Compost, founder of W2U (an annual wine trade visit with wineries in the Walla Walla Valley), and co-chairman of the Auction of Washington Wines.

Grand Vin. Bob Betz, Betz Family Winery, was awarded the Grand Vin Award, a new award honoring winery employees or owners who have made a significant impact on the winery, the wine, the brand or the process. Betz has done it all. He has been an integral part of the Washington wine industry for nearly 40 years. Due to his interest in details and continued knowledge, he is constantly challenging his team and studies the latest science on enology and viticulture — he even runs experiments in the vineyards and winery every year based on leading-edge thinking. In the mid-1990s, Betz earned a master of wine degree, one of the highest recognitions in the industry. His strong verbal and written communication skills have made him known for his excellent judgment and insight. It is said he can explain complicated concepts in a way that anyone can understand.

New leaders elected
The association also elected new leadership, including Patrick Rawn, Two Mountain Winery as chairman; and James Mantone, Syncline Wine Cellars, as a newly elected member of the board of directors. Rawn, on the board since 2009, and past vice chairman, owns and operates Two Mountain Winery and Copeland Vineyard in Yakima Valley with his brother. He is general manager of Two Mountain and serves as vineyard manager for 130 acres, including Copeland and other area vineyards.

Mantone is the winemaker, vineyard manager and co-owner with his wife, Poppie, of Syncline Wine Cellars in Lyle, Wash. Originally from the Midwest, Mantone graduated with a degree in microbiology and organic chemistry before moving to Oregon to pursue winemaking.

Additional officers were also elected, with Shane Collins of Tsillan Cellars as vice chairman and Ken Lewis of Trail View Farms as secretary-treasurer.

The board includes: Todd Newhouse, Upland Vineyards: Julia Kock, Klipsun Vineyards; Scott Williams, Kiona Vineyards; Mike Means, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates; and John Derrick, Mercer Canyons.

Recognizing research
The association also held a poster session where students, educators and researchers could share cutting-edge information and discuss their work in the industry. Posters were judged by industry stakeholders, and prizes were awarded in three categories: graduate, undergraduate and professional. Here are the top posters in each category

Undergraduate
First place: Ashley Boren, Washington State University. Topic: Virus and Nematode Management in Grapevine for Replant Preparation.
Second place: Corydon Funk, Washington State University. Topic: Analysis of Statistical Relationships Between Bioclimatic Indices and Wine Grape Harvest Qualities.

Graduate
First place: Margaret McCoy, Washington State University. Topic: Assessing Sprayer Technology in Washington Vineyards.
Second place: Ben-Ming Chang, Washington State University. Topic: Surprise! Water Stress Increases Grape Berry Splitting.
Third place: Caroline Merrell, Washington State University. Topic: Impact of Berry Maturity and Wine Alcohol on Phenolic Content in Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah during Simulated Aging.

Professional
First place: Lynn Mills, Washington State University. Topic: The WSU Cold Hardiness Program: Providing Grape Growers with Critical Temperatures and a Prediction Model during Winter.
Second place: Sridhar Jarugula, Washington State University. Topic: The Complete Genome Sequence Analysis of Grapevine Leafroll-associated Virus 1 for Practical Applications in Vineyards.
Third place: Prashant Swamy, Washington State University. Topic: Double-Whammy: Impacts of Grapevine Leafroll and Red Blotch Diseases in Commercial Vineyards.

Source: Washington Winegrowers Association