Washington Hills Is Toast Of Festival

Washington Hills, the upstart winery that grew into a giant in just a few years, walked away with five medals this weekend at the annual wine festival sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Enological Society. The awards were more than any other winery won this year and included a gold medal for its 1990 chardonnay.

Harry Alhadeff, owner of Washington Hills, his winemaker Brian Carter and Carter's wife, Susan, had to take turns stepping up to receive the medals during the festival at South Seattle Community College.

"We might just as well have stayed up there," said a smiling Alhadeff.

Interestingly, the winery took two medals in the chardonnay category. In addition to the gold for the Washington Hills, a silver went to Apex Chardonnay (the newest label by the same winery). Woodward Canyon, a small family winery in Walla Walla, made history by winning three silver medals in the chardonnay portion for wines made from different vineyards.

The awards were given out before 1,700 wine lovers who gathered Saturday night at the campus to sip wines, dine on elegant picnic fare and listen to music. It was the 18th year the festival has been presented. It also marked the second year in a row no grand award was given.

In fact, judges were quite stingy this year. Only eight gold medals were presented. Two of those were won by Columbia Winery for its 1989 Wyckoff Vineyards Chardonnay and its 1988 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Here are this year's awards:

GOLD

Columbia Winery 1989 Wyckoff Vineyards Chardonnay, Gordon Brothers 1990 Chardonnay Reserve, Washington Hills Cellars 1990 Chardonnay, Snoqualmie Winery 1990 Muscat Canelli, Kiona Vineyards 1989 Chenin Blanc Ice Wine, Columbia Winery 1988 Cabernet Sauvignon, Leonetti Cellar 1988 Seven Hills Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and Elk Cove Vineyards 1989 Wind Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir.

SILVER

Apex 1989 Chardonnay, Silver Lake Winery 1989 Reserve Chardonnay, Woodward Canyon 1990 Chardonnay, Woodward Canyon 1990 Reserve Chardonnay, Woodward Canyon 1990 Roza Berge Chardonnay, Eola Hills 1990 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, Hogue Cellars 1990 Fume Blanc, Hyatt Vineyards 1990 Sauvignon Blanc, Washington Hills 1990 Semillon-Chardonnay, Rex Hill Vineyards 1990 Pinot Gris, Kiona Vineyards 1990 Chenin Blanc, Worden's Winery 1990 Chenin Blanc, Amity Vineyards 1989 Dry Gewurztraminer, Bridgeview Vineyards 1990 Vintage Select Dry Gewurztraminer, Hoodsport Winery 1990 Gewurztraminer, Worden's Winery 1990 Suncrest Gewurztraminer, Amity Vineyards 1990 Dry Riesling, Chateau Ste. Michelle 1990 Dry Riesling, Latah Creek 1990 Dry Johannisberg Riesling, Montinore Vineyards 1989 Late Harvest White Riesling, Mount Baker Vineyards 1990 Madeline Angevine, Hoodsport Winery 1990 White Lemberger, Columbia Crest 1988 Cabernet Sauvignon, Portteus Vineyards 1988 Cabernet Sauvignon, Stewart Vineyards 1988 Cabernet Sauvignon, Gordon Brothers 1989 Merlot, Hogue Cellars 1989 Merlot, Waterbrook Winery 1988 Merlot, Cameron Winery 1988 Reserve Pinot Noir, Elk Cove Vineyards 1989 La Boheme Vineyard Pinot Noir, Evesham Wood Vineyards 1989 Pinot Noir, Hood River Vineyards 1988 Pinot Noir, Lost Mountain Winery 1989 Pinot Noir, Oak Knoll 1988 Pinot Noir, Sokol Blosser 1989 Redland Vineyard Pinot Noir, Hoodsport Winery 1989 Lemberger, Oakwood Cellars 1989 Lemberger, Whidbey's 1987 Vintage Port and Amity Vineyards 1990 Gamay Noir.

BRONZE

Bridgeview Vineyards 1989 Barrel Select Chardonnay, Latah Creek 1990 Chardonnay, Oak Knoll 1989 Chardonnay, Rex Hill 1989 Chardonnay, Ste. Chapelle 1988 Reserve Idaho Chardonnay, Bellfountain Cellars 1990 Sauvignon Blanc, Rex Hill 1990 Sauvignon Blanc, Snoqualmie Winery 1990 Fume Blanc, Tagaris Winery 1989 Fume Blanc, Washington Hills 1990 Fume Blanc, Hinman Vineyards 1989 Semillon, Columbia Crest 1990 Semillon-Chardonnay, Bookwalter Winery 1990 Chenin Blanc, Bellfountain Cellars 1990 Dry Gewurztraminer, Tyee Wine Cellars 1990 Gewurztraminer, Arbor Crest 1990 Dry Riesling, Covey Run 1989 Dry Riesling, Worden's Winery 1990 Johannisberg Riesling, Silver Lake Winery 1989 Riesling Ice Wine, Petros Blanc de Noir Sparkling, Apex 1988 Cabernet Sauvignon, Arbor Crest 1988 Cabernet Sauvignon, Hood River 1988 Cabernet Sauvignon, Petros 1985 Cabernet Sauvignon, Barnard-Griffin 1988 Merlot, Columbia Crest 1987 Barrel Select Merlot, Livingstone Winery 1989 Merlot, Quarry Lake Vintners 1988 Merlot, Bethel Heights 1988 Pinot Noir, Latah Creek 1990 Lemberger and White Heron 1988 Chantepierre

Wine by Tom Stockley appears Wednesday in the Food section of The Times.