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VINEYARD NORTHWEST WATCH C o n t i n u e d Idaho). Her resume includes stints at Stags' Leap Winery, Saintsbury and Clos du Bois. Preston's support for winemaking at Boise's Fraser Vineyard was invaluable, according to owner Bill Fraser. Despite the influx of talent, Ida- hoans acknowledge that future suc- cess pivots on promotion. Unless consumers learn about Idaho wine and are willing to try it and buy it, the industry can't attract the resources necessary to achieve any critical mass. DRIVING DEMAND Enter Moya Shatz, executive director of the Idaho Wine Commis- sion. She was hired in 2008, after working as event manager for the Washington State Wine Commis- sion. If the responsibility for indus- try promotion rests with any one person, it's Shatz. She is acutely focused on the task. that brings together 25 wineries, multiple restaurants and 900 con- sumers. Other events include the Sun Valley Wine Auction in July, the Festival at Sandpoint in August, and a new November event in Boise called Sippin' in the City. RISING TIDE Despite its recent advances, growing Idaho's wine industry requires the support of Ste. Cha- pelle. Idaho's first winery produces more than two-thirds of the state's wine, yet many locals are reticent about the brand's influence, based on its multiple ownership changes. Even so, a most recent change may infuse new enthusiasm. Maurine Johnson became wine- maker at Ste. Chapelle just in time for the 2011 crush – but she's not new to the company. "I've worked here for 24 years," she said. "I started in the lab, and I served as assistant winemaker for 13 years, so I'm very ready to move ahead." One significant component of that forward motion, said Johnson, is industry relations. "Idaho wine has always been a little divided – the small guys ver- sus the big behemoth," she said. "So I'm hoping that as winemaker, I can improve the situation. Unlike my predecessor, I'm from here. I know all of these people personal- ly. Some of them I've known since before I was in the wine industry, and some of them came here and worked with me before becoming winemakers themselves. So I want all of these little guys and all of our wine events to succeed. If they are successful, that makes all of Idaho wine more successful. And I really want that to happen." Comments? Please e-mail us at feedback@vwm-online.com. Idaho Wine Commission executive director Moya Shatz is focused on rais- ing awareness of Idaho wines within the state. "We' re not yet known by enough local consumers," she said, "so our efforts are focused on winning market share in Idaho." Toward that end, Shatz launched the Savor Idaho event shortly after her arrival – a one-day festival in June at Boise's botanical garden 36 VINEYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT JAN - FEB 2012 WWW.VWM-ONLINE.COM