The Allen Shoup Memorial Fellowship was established in 2023 in honor of Allen Shoup, who believed deeply in collaboration and community, working his entire career to promote Washington wine around the world. Allen played a leading role in developing the Washington wine industry as the longtime head of the state’s biggest winery, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, and later as the owner of his own acclaimed winery, Long Shadows Vintners. Allen served on nearly every major industry board, and was instrumental in founding the Washington State Wine Commission and the Auction of Washington Wines.

To honor Allen’s legacy, the industry created a fellowship for writers and communicators interested in learning more about Washington wine. The goal of the Allen Shoup Memorial Fellowship is to grow consumer awareness and the perception of Washington wine by identifying and elevating emerging wine writers and communicators and making these new voices part of a community of lifelong ambassadors.

To accomplish this, the Fellowship will provide an opportunity annually for up to two emerging writers or communicators with a demonstrated interest in Washington wine to give them an individualized, immersive experience in the state. Recipients will subsequently communicate these experiences to others via their preferred medium – written word, audio, video, or a combination. They will also be given opportunity to participate in future events involving Washington wine.

An emerging writer and communicator may be toward the beginning of their career, or a more established writer who is relatively new to wine writing. As part of the criteria, each applicant should:

  • Be an excellent writer with proficient communications skills;
  • Have some experience publishing articles and pitching stories;
  • Be interested in Washington wine, with a thirst to learn more.

The itinerary for the Fellowship recipient(s) will be organized by the industry advisory committee and tailored to the recipient’s specific interests. The recipient(s) will receive:

  • Roundtrip airfare to Washington State.
  • 1-2 trips to Washington over the course of one-year, for a total of up to two weeks, dependent on the recipient’s geographic location and availability. Robust itinerary to include vineyard and winery visits, along with meetings with key growers, vintners, educators, and industry representatives.
  • All meals and accommodations.
  • Up to 5 cases of assorted Washington wine samples.
  • A stipend of $3,000.00

Apply

Applications for the 2026 Allen Shoup Memorial Fellowship will open in April 2026.

Selection Panel

2026 Selection Panel:

  • National wine writer seat: Patrick Comiskey
  • PNW-based wine writer seat: Sean Sullivan
  • Wine professional at large seat: Kristin Bacon
  • WA Wine industry seat: Freddy Arredondo
  • Shoup family representative: Ryan Shoup

2026 Industry Advisory Committee:

  • Laura Kleinhofs, Auction of Washington Wines
  • Sara Higgins, Washington Winegrowers Association
  • Heather Bradshaw, Washington State Wine Commission
  • Jenn Brunner, Washington Wine Industry Foundation
  • Katie Sims, Shoup family

All applicants will be considered equally. The Washington Wine Industry does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital/familial status.

Fellowship Recipients

“I’m so excited for this opportunity to further immerse myself in Washington wine. Allen Shoup was foundational to the story of wine in this state, and I hope my efforts will help to amplify his impact.”

2024 Recipient: Gwendolyn Elliott

Gwendolyn Elliott is a writer and editor based in Walla Walla, Washington. She has written about wine for Wine Enthusiast, Duckhorn, and the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin as well as Seattle Weekly, Seattle magazine, and other publications. See her work at gwendolynelliott.com.
Gwendolyn Elliott’s Website
“Washington presents insight about how a successful wine region defines and upholds regional identity while continuing to grow, informing the greater landscape of U.S. wine as it also evolves in new and progressive ways.”

2025 Recipient: Amy Beth Wright

Based in the New York City area, Amy Beth is a journalist and creative nonfiction writer, with a keen interest in domestic wine regions. She contributes regularly to Wine Enthusiast, SevenFifty Daily, The Vintner Project, and other outlets dedicated to food, wine, and travel.
Amy Beth Wright’s website

Donate

Please visit the donation page to contribute to this fellowship. All donors will be acknowledged on the Auction of Washington Wines and the Washington Wine Commission websites, listed in the Auction of Washington Wines Gala catalog and donations are tax deductible.

Donation Page

The Allen Shoup Memorial Fellowship is an industry-wide collaboration between the Washington State Wine Commission, Auction of Washington Wines, Washington Winegrowers, Washington Wine Industry Foundation, individuals, wineries and growers. Please email Heather Bradshaw at hbradshaw@washingtonwine.org with any questions.