A promising pairing of alumni and wine lands this October when the WSU Alumni Association unveils its limited edition Cougar I (pronounced Cougar One) wine.
Joining up with Gordon Estates Winery, the Alumni Association is offering bottles of a rich red blend to members of the Wine-By-Cougars club, those who attend a special release event in the Tri-Cities, and the lucky few who can find it at their grocery stores and wine shops.
Only about 300 cases are available, and the WSUAA expects the wine will go fast.
Gordon Estates is a Washington-rooted, Cougar-run operation. Founder/owners Jeff ’71 and Vicki Gordon, and their daughter Katie ’98 and her husband Marc Nelson ’98 make critically acclaimed wines at their Pasco-based winery from the grapes they grow in the Columbia Valley.
On October 12, the Gordons are hosting a special Cougar I release event at their wine bar in Pasco, where visitors can sample and purchase the 2010 vintage Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot-Syrah blend. The wine sells for $30 a bottle and the proceeds will support WSUAA initiatives, particularly scholarships for students in the Viticulture and Enology program.
Wine-By-Cougars members are guaranteed a bottle in the fall delivery of wine in early October. The remainder will be distributed to wine shops and grocery stores throughout Washington to be released for sale on October 13.
The Alumni Association plans this fall’s release to be the first of many, with the idea that collectors, aficionados, and Coug fans may all look forward to next year’s Cougar II and 2016’s Cougar III.
To join Wine-By-Cougars or find more information about the Cougar I release, visit the WSUAA website alumni.wsu.edu or call 1-800-258-6978.