A Toast to 2024 from Alveare Winery
As we look back on the past year, we’re overwhelmed with gratitude for the milestones we’ve achieved and the incredible community that has supported us every step of the way. This year marked a big turning point as we rebranded from Orenda to Alveare, embracing the spirit of collaboration, community, and the inspiration of the beehive—a symbol of everything we stand for.
Some of our proudest moments came with the recognition of our wines:
– Our 2020 Cabernet Franc earned a Platinum Award in Sip Northwest Magazine for its barrel driven aromas and vibrant expression of terroir.
– Our 2019 Spanish Dancer earned a Critic’s Choice Award from Sean Sullivan, while our 2019 GSM blend received 91 Points—both embodying the elegance and complexity we love to share with you.
– Our 2020 Syrah earned a Gold Medal SavorNW Wine award.
One of the highlights of our year was releasing Puddle Jumper, a wine inspired by our daughter Avalon. This blend of Pinot Gris and Riesling is as playful as it is refined—a celebration of family, creativity, and connection that lies at the heart of what we do.
We were thrilled to be named the 425 Magazine People’s Choice Winery of the Year again—an honor that reminds us how much we owe to this vibrant and loyal community.
On the production side, we harvested 30 tons of fruit, all from Rattlesnake Hills in the Yakima Valley, including:
– Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Tempranillo from Dineen Vineyards
– Sangiovese from Elephant Mountain
– Malbec, Syrah, and Cabernet Franc from Konnowac
– Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Porteus
In June we welcomed Anya Schoeld as our full-time cellar master and marketing manager. Anya led our community apple cider harvest and helped us manage our biggest grape ‘crush’ to date. Beyond the cellar, she has been instrumental in strengthening our connection with the Wine Club and our community through developing print and digital media.
Even with these big steps, we remain a small winery by Woodinville standards. With just 2,000 cases made in 2024, we still take a hands-on approach to every bottle. Crafting Puddle Jumper and Spanish Dancer was a labor of love, resulting in just 125 cases of each. Each wine is a reflection of precision and care; we still insist on 24 months in French oak and at least 12 months of bottle age for all our red wines to ensure they are fully developed and balanced at the time of release. To each bottle we hope our hands-on technique is apparent along with the vibrant acidity and varietal purity we see as the hallmark of our winemaking style.
As this year draws to a close, we raise a glass to you—our supporters, collaborators, and friends. You inspire everything we do, and we’re so grateful to have you as part of our story. Here’s to a future filled with promise, community, and many more glasses of extraordinary wine.
With Gratitude,
Samantha, Xander, and Avalon
The Alveare Winery Family