Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/1538101
SUMMER / FALL 2025 21 taste world of wine Doug Frost is one of only a handful of people on the planet to achieve the titles of Master Sommelier and Master of Wine. He became only the second person to do so more than 20 years ago. Frost will bring his expansive knowl- edge to the WAC's World of Wine series on Wednesday, September 24. Frost will guide attendees through a tasting of five wines craed at his Walla Walla winery, Echolands, which opened in 2018 and has won numerous awards for its Bor- deaux- and Rhône-style wines. WAC Wine Club Cellar Master Liz Wilson recently sat down with Frost for a discussion about his long career, opening Echolands, and his favorite wines. You might be surprised! Q. Tell us about your winery. A. Echolands is seven years old, but we opened our new facility in March of 2024. It's a beautiful, 340-acre, high- elevation site that is organically farmed. Currently, we produce up to 108,000 bottles annually. Q. How did you get into Washington wines? A. I was selling Ste. Michelle wines in the mid-1980s, and whenever I was in Seattle for meetings, I purchased all the Washington wines I could. I began representing all the top-tier Washington wines I could find. Q. Why did you choose Walla Walla for Echolands? A. I visited the area frequently to taste new wines and get to know people. My parents are from Washington, and I wanted to plant a flag in the Pacific Northwest. When a piece of land became available in 2017, I jumped into the deep end of the pool. RSVP for September World of Wine event Doug Frost will lead a tasting of vintages from Echolands, his Walla Walla–based winery, on Wednesday, September 24, as part of the WAC's World of Wine series. See page 22 for more World of Wine series events and page 23 for details on a special October Winemaker Dinner. Doug Frost brings wine expertise to the WAC Master Sommelier and Master of Wine to lead fall World of Wine tasting C O U R T E S Y P H O T O Q. What can attendees expect at your World of Wine tasting in September? A. We'll begin with a welcome splash of the recently released Echolands Poét- Nat. Sommelier Shelly Fitzgerald will join me, and we'll share our insights and experiences with the audience. I'll talk about my personal evolution alongside Washington wines and cover climate and terroir's influence on flavor and charac- ter. You'll get to taste five wines, among them a Riesling, Cinsault, Sauvignon Blanc, and more. Q. Knowing what you know about wines of the world, what are your favorites? A. My roots are as a distributor and importer of wines in the Midwest, where German wines were easy to sell and real- ly easy to drink. I love German Riesling but also Burgundy, both red and white. Reserve on the WAC app.