At the Washington Winegrowers Association’s annual meeting Nov. 11, board members shared highlights of how the association is navigating the challenges the wine industry currently faces.
The list includes scaling back its annual convention, WineVit, to make the event more affordable and focused on industry priorities, as well as more collaboration with partner organizations on policy and advocacy issues.
“We are dividing and conquering,” said Freddy Arredondo, vice chair of the association board and vice president of operations at Cave B Estate Winery. More direct collaboration with the Washington Wine Institute, for example, can make advocacy work more efficient.
Board member Nicole Arnold, winemaker at RM Wineries, shared updates on how WineVit, the convention that will be held Feb. 10–11 in Kennewick, Washington, is adapting to the industry’s present challenges.
“This looks shorter, more intimate, and more affordable,” she said.
The event will be two days instead of three, with a single-day trade show. Session topics will include sustainability, temporary idling of vineyard operations, the trend toward low-alcohol wines, and exploring exit strategies.
Anthony Neal, the board treasurer and director of planning and analysis at Four Feathers Wine Services, said trade show booths and registrations were both down in 2025, a sign of the industry’s economic woes. But, due to reserves, the association remains on stable financial footing and set its 2026 budget to reflect industry priorities.
“We know times are hard, but together we are advancing a sustainable future,” Neal said.
Board member Patrick Rawn, co-owner of Two Mountain Winery, shared an update on the growing Sustainable WA program, which has now certified nearly 15,000 acres.
“It’s a great example of what we can do in our state through collaboration,” Rawn said. “In the challenging times the industry is in, it’s a lesson in what we can accomplish.”
For more information on the WineVit convention, head to: winevit.org.
