Friday, Jan. 15, 2010

West Seattle wine community loses a Bear of a man

By Andy Perdue, Wine Press Northwest

I just heard through Paul Gregutt of the Seattle Times that Bear Silverstein passed away Thursday.

Bear was owner of West Seattle Wine Cellars. He had suffered through a series of strokes the past few years and died Thursday at Mount St. Vincent in West Seattle.

Bear purchased West Seattle Cellars in 2000 and was a strong part of the wine scene in that community. I met him a number of years ago while judging the annual Washington State Wine Competition in Yakima. I'm not certain why, but he and I ended up on the same judging panel a few times (perhaps because we were the same height and similar build). Bear had great knowledge of the Washington and international wine scenes, so I always learned great insights whenever our paths crossed.

He will be missed - and remembered - by the Washington wine community.

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