Seattle Wine Society Review

Seattle Wine Society...
Northern Wine Lovers Paradise

With a self-denomination as a "volunteer non-profit organization", the Seattle Wine Society remains true to the tradition of the oldest Wine Societies in the world. Namely, those which had no other purpose but to pass on knowledge and wine culture between their members.

Servicing the Puget Sound region, this Wine Society seems to be everything you could ask for as a local wine lover.

Formerly the Enological Society of the Pacific Northwest, this 1975-born Wine Society was created following the region's 1960's wine production boom. So if you are looking for a wine tasting club with respectability and reliability, the Seattle Wine Society's tradition will certainly be the ticket.

Though it acquired its reputation through a famous annual wine judging Award, this has at present been discontinued. In its place, the Society has created the Stars of Washington program, which presents a large number of acclaimed local wines every year.

In spite of these minor changes, you will find that the general wine selection at the SWS remains impeccable to this day.

Inside the Society

As it is the case with the bulk of wine societies, the main benefits you will obtain with membership are price reductions on wine tasting event tickets, as well as discounts offered by affiliated merchants.

The SWS has a rather busy calendar, so be sure to enjoy their numerous extraordinary events throughout the year. Their most popular past events have included their Annual Holiday Parties, Viva L'Italia, Sunshine and Wine, and the very well received Seattle Women in Wine.

Membership fees go for $25 for singles and $45 for couples. Individual events cost between $25 and $35, and regular monthly food wine pairing events are held from October through June.

Other benefits of being inside the Society include further learning opportunities as well as a monthly subscription to the Enographic Wineletter.

Volunteering for Wine

If you are an enthusiastic wine lover with free time (and lots of passion) on your hands, you will be delighted by the Society's volunteer program.

From joining their wine-pouring, food-serving, and kitchen-helping teams for events to serving on the board of directors, there are many exciting volunteering opportunities available.

If you enjoy Washington wines and want to experience and learn about wines from other countries, you will find that the Society has an excellent reputation with customers, industry players and the press. I don't know about you, but that looks like a selling combo to me. :-)

The only mildly negative comment I have about this wine tasters club is that although their events seem to be great, they lack the originality and variety of other similar club events. The thing is that, in a way, when you join the SWS, you relinquish a little bit of trendiness and modernity in favor of solid tradition and reliability.

If this is what you are looking for, the Seattle Wine Society is where you should be, tasting rich Washington wines and enjoying the conversation of those who really know about it.

Our Rating

Quality of Selection:
Value for Money:
Customer Service:
Our Overall Rating: