This week, in a lengthy email to their list, Cayuse Vineyards once again demonstrated to the industry and their patrons just how independent they are. After 13 releases on the first full weekend in November, they have cancelled this November’s release date and will move their release party to April 2011. According to the email, the Frog’s libido needs the rejuvenation that comes with spring’s warmer weather therefore, this move is permanent.

For those who are on the vaulted list, the Cayuse weekend is THE reason to travel to Walla Walla to taste the next vintage release and to pick up this year’s allocation as it is the only time that the winery opens up to its customers.

Yes, there is the Provence-yellow store front on Main Street near Merchant’s Deli (recently sold to T. Maccarones, and soon to will reopen as Olive Café). Hopeful visitors often comment that they stopped by the Cayuse tasting room only to see the note on the door, “Sorry, we are sold out.” It takes a local to tell them that that sign has been a permanent fixture throughout this past decade and that the only way to sip the famed Bionic Frog is to get on the list.

Yes, the Frog does things his way. And it appears that while most pricey wines have taken a battering in the snapping shut of consumer’s wallets, he remains just as cheeky.  He does it his way or one imagines no way at all.

In a state with recognized industry leaders such as Leonetti, Quilceda Creek, Woodward Canyon and a handful of others, Cayuse and its iconic frog remain the single most creative (and successful) brand we have. Even the usually irreverent and innovative Charles Smith bows to conventionality when it comes to his tasting room experience. Perhaps this aspect of the business bores Charles and he feels assured that “they will buy.”

What does this change mean? In the past number of years, many wineries have adopted the November Cayuse weekend as their fall release date. We don’t see this changing. The first full weekend in November is a perfect time for Walla Walla wineries to host their harvest celebration. The weather is usually good, if a bit chilly, the mountain pass on I-90 from Seattle is clear and there are no competing industry events. It is a few weeks before the Thanksgiving weekend wine events for Yakima, Prosser and Red Mountain region and a month before St. Nick’s in Woodinville.

No, the real impact will be felt at Spring Release, which got its start from Leonetti when they established the first full weekend in May as their release date. The dilemma will be for those fortunate to be on both lists, “which weekend do I pick if I can only do one?”

Cayuse’s change is great news for our hotels, B & B’s, restaurants and other businesses driven by wine visitors as this will jumpstart our wine season by three weeks.

Did the Frog think about all of this when he made his decision? Probably not! More likely, it was the sheer logistics of hosting his growing list inside the winery that made this decision necessary. By moving the date to April, they can move the party outside.

And what a party it is; great wines, tasty morsels, beautiful people pouring wine for equally attractive tasters and a ribbon of expensive automobiles waiting to pick up their allotted yellow boxes, make Cayuse releases happenings.

Or maybe it is as the Frog said, he needs the warmer weather to be randy!