Sales of ‘Up River Red’ Cabernet Sauvignon to benefit three salmon organizations, debut at inaugural Saving Wild Salmon Soiree
SEATTLE (April 21, 2023) – Duke’s Seafood has partnered with Damsel Cellars and Train’s Pat Monahan to help protect and restore Pacific Northwest wild salmon populations with a new wine called Up River Red. With fruit sourced from Candy Mountain, one of Washington’s newest and most exciting AVAs, the first Up River Red vintage is a 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon.
Up River Red will debut at the inaugural Saving Wild Salmon Soirée fundraiser, after which it be will sold at all seven Duke’s Seafood locations. Collectively, the group will donate proceeds from the event and a portion of the sales of the wine in the restaurants to three non-profits focused on salmon restoration, research and policy creation: Wild Fish Conservancy, Save Our Wild Salmon, and Long Live The Kings.
“We came together through a love of good food, wine, music and sustainability… and soon realized the potential we had to save local salmon together,” said Duke Moscrip, founder of Duke’s Seafood. “We created a remarkable wine to bring people together for the good of Pacific Northwest salmon restoration.”
A report published in 2020 by the World Fish Migration Foundation found that populations of migratory freshwater fish have declined by 76% between 1970 and 20161. And, in a recent test conducted by nonprofit marine conservation organization Oceana, the DNA of 82 samples of salmon collected from restaurants and grocery stores in numerous U.S. cities concluded that nearly 70 percent of fish labeled ‘wild-caught’ were really farmed fish2.
“Until my friendship with Duke and John Moscrip began, I didn’t realize the many problems humans have created for wild salmon. After learning something this profound, you can’t look away. A partnership with the Moscrips and Heather Anderson with Damsel began almost as soon as we spoke about what we could do to turn it around for Northwest wild salmon and for our community, while preventing even more issues. We’re off to a very good start, but the road is long,” said Pat Monahan, lead singer, Train.
Contributors to the salmon population challenge include dwindling of free-flowing rivers through damming, commercial overfishing, river and spawning habitat loss, water pollution, chemical runoff, increasing water temperatures, and predator proliferation at human-made boundaries, to name a few.
“As co-owners in Damsel with Founder/Winemaker Mari Womack, we were honored to be asked to collaborate on a wine with Duke’s and Train, and have the proceeds go towards preserving and restoring wild salmon. Great wine depends on healthy vineyards, which rely on thriving ecosystems – so the mission really comes full circle,” said Heather Andersen, co-owner of Damsel Cellars with husband Mike Cowden. “Wild salmon are a keystone species, they play a critical role in the PNW ecosystem. Salmon nurture everything from bears and orcas to healthy streams, rivers, and foliage. Ensuring their survival is critical to a habitable and healthy Northwest.”
The government has enacted programs that are helping, such as the Magnuson-Stevenson Fishing Conservation Act and the National Fish Passage Program. Idaho Senator Mike Simpson’s dam removal proposal would bring additional help. Many national and local nonprofits raise funds to help with restoration, research, and policy creation, but more effort is needed to steward the salmon populations for future generations.
Up River Red will be released on Thursday, April 27th at the Saving Wild Salmon Soiree, a private fundraising event to support Wild Fish Conservancy, Save Our Wild Salmon, and Long Live The Kings. Hosted at Dockside at Duke’s in South Lake Union, the event will feature a seated dinner, wine release and tasting, live auction, and private, acoustic performance by Train. Beginning Wednesday, May 3, Up River Red Cabernet will be available to purchase at all seven Duke’s Seafood locations with proceeds being donated to the same three organizations.
