First MT Wine Festival

The very first Montana Wine Festival was sponsored by WAM in 2o21 in downtown Columbia Falls in August, with over 300 local and tourist visitors in the afternoon and early evening.  Nine (9) wineries participated from throughout the state, representing wines totally grown and made in Montana, along with wines imported by Montana wineries from the West Coast.

A Peoples' Choice competition was held, organized by Dan Vogel, sommelier and Wine Procurement Agent for Xanterra, the company that manages the lodges in Glacier National Park and many others in the US.  Both vinifera (European grape) wines and hybrid wines (European grapes crossed with Montana's wild grape) won awards.  More later.