Fries family departs Washington wine industry with Desert Wind sale
Fries family departs Washington wine industry with Desert Wind sale By Eric Degerman on May 14, 2021
Greg Fries, and his father, Doug, and their family recently sold Desert Wind Winery and 470 acres of vineyards to a group led by Columbia Valley growers Josh Lawrence and Tom Merkle. (Photo by Lynn Howlett Photography/Courtesy of Desert Wind Winery)
PROSSER, Wash. – Less than three years ago, the Fries family owned a combined 1,017 acres of grape vines in Washington state and Oregon while producing 120,000 cases of wine under brands in each state.
This week brought news that the Fries family has sold all of its holdings in Washington Desert Wind Winery in Prosser and 470 acres of vineyards on the Wahluke Slope to a group led by acclaimed Columbia Valley growers/vintners Josh Lawrence, Tom Merkle and their families.
Washington Winegrowers Honors Industry Leaders April 15, 2021
The Washington Winegrowers Association (Winegrowers) recognized three industry leaders in March for their achievements during their virtual annual meeting. Sadie Drury, North Slope Management/Seven Hills Vineyard, was honored as the Erick Hanson Memorial Grower of the Year; Tom Judkins, Inland Desert, received the Industry Service award; and Brian Carter, Brian Carter Cellars, was awarded the Grand Vin.
Grower of the Year
Sadie Drury, general manager of North Slope Management/Seven Hills Vineyard, received the Erick Hanson Memorial Winegrape Grower of the Year Award for demonstrated viticultural skills that provide impact in the vineyard and in the bottle. Sadie Drury is a Walla Walla native who has been passionate about agriculture since her first job of picking strawberries at the age of 12. In 2007, Sadie decided to combine her passion for agriculture with her love for quality wine by attending t
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