14 Hands Winery Celebrates One-Year Anniversary of Winery & Tasting Room

Prosser, Wash.

14 Hands Also Named a 2014 Impact Magazine “Hot Brand”

14 Hands Winery is marking an important milestone in April 2015 - the one-year anniversary of its winery and tasting room in Prosser, Washington. To celebrate, 14 Hands will be hosting an anniversary party at its tasting room on April 18th. To secure a ticket to the event, please visit: 14hands.com

The tasting room, located at the gateway to the Horse Heaven Hills appellation, reflects the rich story and heritage of 14 Hands wines and the region. Featuring indoor and outdoor seating areas, a large tasting bar, and a unique working barrel room, 14 Hands Winery is a tribute to eastern Washington’s homesteading, grape-growing and winemaking traditions. An exhibit made of reclaimed barn wood from local farms and ranches in the area are displayed in the tasting room to pay homage to the people who paved the way for agriculture and grape-growing in and around the Horse Heaven Hills.

“The 14 Hands tasting room in Prosser has exceeded our expectations,” said Cary Kloster, Marketing Director at 14 Hands. “It has become a destination for our loyal fans to visit from around the world, and we are thrilled to offer our customers the opportunity to enjoy 14 Hands wine in the surroundings of the picturesque landscape of the Horse Heaven Hills.”

In addition to opening the new facility, 14 Hands celebrated several other milestones in 2014 including the release of several new limited production wines for its “The Reserve” collection. This included varietals such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Malbec and Syrah, which are exclusively available at the 14 Hands tasting room and online at 14Hands.com. 14 Hands also launched a wine club, Cellar 14, that offers member discounts and access to exclusive events, as well as the opportunity to hand-bottle seasonal release wines right out of the barrel in the tasting room itself. In addition, 14 Hands celebrated a fantastic and unprecedented year of acclaim with ten 90-plus scores on its “The Reserve” wines in 2014.

Impact “Hot Brand” Achievement:
Adding to its list of recent milestones, 14 Hands Winery was also named an Impact “Hot Brand" for 2014. This is the seventh consecutive year that 14 Hands has received the Hot Brand award.

In total, 20 domestic wine brands earned Hot Brand honors for 2014, down from 26 brands last year. Almost all of this year’s winners are from California, however 14 Hands Winery from Washington State is once again the list’s sole non-California honoree.

To earn Hot Brand status, wines must have achieved double-digit growth in each of the past three years, or they must be established brands with at least 15% growth, or top-10 volume leaders with at least 5% growth in 2014 and at least 15% growth since 2011. Significant new products also can qualify. The minimum volume requirement is 250,000 cases. The full list and analysis of Impact's wine Hot Brands can be found in the magazine’s March 1&15 issue.

More About 14 Hands Winery:

• 14 Hands Winery debuted in 2005, available exclusively in fine-dining establishments. Today it is available nationally and is exported to 24 countries.
• 14 Hands has received seven consecutive (2008-2014) ‘Hot Brand' awards from Impact magazine.
• • 14 Hands is among the top 10 premium wine brands in the U.S. and is the #1-selling wine in Seattle and Portland since mid-2011 (AC Nielsen).
• 14 Hands has proudly sponsored the Kentucky Derby® for the past three years.
• 14 Hands opened a dedicated winery and tasting room in April 2015 at the gateway to the Horse Heaven Hills in Prosser, Washington, near where grapes for 14 Hands are sourced.

About 14 Hands Winery
14 Hands wines are inspired by the spirit of the wild horses that once roamed the arid landscape of eastern Washington. It was here that these special horses – measuring a scant "14 hands" tall – developed their legendary endurance, strength, and tenacious spirit. Like these wild horses, the vineyards struggle in the same harsh conditions of eastern Washington. It is their ability to thrive in this environment that produces the world-class quality fruit that goes into each bottle of 14 Hands. Learn more at 14hands.com.

About Ste. Michelle Wine Estates
Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, located in Woodinville, Washington, has a long and distinguished history that dates back to 1934. Wines under the Ste. Michelle label were first introduced in 1967, and since that time the company has expanded its winery and vineyard holdings to more than 3,700 acres in Washington, Oregon and California. The company is also the exclusive U.S. importer for acclaimed wine portfolios produced in Italy, France and New Zealand. Learn more at smwe.com.

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For further information:
Renae Kochel
Renae.Kochel@smwe.com