The Washington wine industry named Dennis Fraley of Florence, South Carolina, as the recipient of the 2026 Allen Shoup Memorial Fellowship for Writers and Communicators. Fraley was selected out of a talented pool of applicants by a committee composed of writers and industry leaders.
Fraley is a wine writer, educator, and judge. He writes “The Bottle Talk,” a monthly column in its third year at The Post and Courier, with bylines in Food & Wine and Vinum. He holds the WSET Diploma, chairs the American Wine Society National Tasting Project Committee, and has judged the International Wine Challenge in London and the Winemaker Magazine International Amateur competition, among others. He is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist by trade.
The fellowship was established in 2024 in memory of Allen Shoup, who played a pioneering role in developing the Washington wine industry as the longtime head of the state’s largest winery, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. He later became the founder and owner of the acclaimed winery Long Shadows Vintners. Shoup passed away in 2022.
The fellowship awards one or two recipients annually with an immersive trip to Washington’s vineyards and wineries, a collection of wine samples, and a stipend. Funded entirely through donations, the goal is to grow and to shape media awareness and the perception of Washington wine by identifying and elevating the wine writers and communicators of tomorrow. It is an industry-wide collaboration that brings together the Washington State Wine Commission, Auction of Washington Wines, Washington Winegrowers Association, Washington Wine Industry Foundation, individuals, wineries, and growers.
The 2026 selection panel was composed of Patrick Comiskey (national wine writer seat); Sean Sullivan, Northwest Wine Report (PNW-based wine writer seat); Kristin Bacon, SIP, (wine professional at large seat); Freddy Arredondo, Cave B Winery (Washington wine industry seat); and Ryan Shoup, Long Shadows Vintners (Shoup family representative).
The 2026 fellowship received applications from around the world. Applicants were evaluated based on writing samples, an essay, story pitches, and other factors. Applications for next year’s fellowship will open in spring 2027 at washingtonwine.org.