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King County in Phase 1.5: As of June 5, King County moved into “Phase 1.5,” which allows some Phase 2 activities to begin. For wineries, means: indoor seating and service is permitted at 25% of capacity, and outdoor seating and service is permitted at 50% of existing outdoor capacity. All other restrictions would remain in place. If you would like to add or extend outdoor service, see this notice from the WSLCB with full details.
14 Counties Change to a New Phase: Several counties moved into Phase 2. If your winery is located in a county that has recently entered Phase 2, see below for information regarding specific requirements and guidelines.
Face Coverings: A new requirement was announced that starting June 8, all employers in Washington must post signage at their place of business strongly encouraging customers to wear cloth facial coverings. There is no directive on exactly what sign needs to be used, but you can find good options here, here and here.
Phase 2 Requirements & Guidelines
Governor’s Phase 2 Reopening COVID-19 Requirements
The Governor’s office is asking every business to adopt a written procedure for dine-in service that is at least as strict as the Phase 2 requirements, as linked above. The businesses must ensure strict adherence to all measures established by the State of Washington, DOH, DOL & L&I.
Phase 2 Reopening Guidelines, Best Practices, and Checklist
State leaders worked with Byron Marlowe, Professor of Hospitality Management at WSU, to put together a comprehensive list of guidelines and suggested best practices for wineries.
- Washington Winery COVID 19 Reopening Requirements Guidelines and Best Practices.
- Washington Winery COVID 19 Supplement Response Operations Checklist.
- Washington Winery COVID 19 Supplement Response Posters.
- Voluntary Customer Log Template.
FAQ
We worked with our industry partners to put together a FAQ with answers informed by state government officials. This will be updated regularly.
Phase 3: More to Come
Several counties moved into Phase 3 today. During this phase, on-premise activities may resume at 75% capacity and bar areas may open at 25% capacity.
We are working to provide additional context regarding Phase 3 and what it means for wineries, but in the meantime, Gov. Inslee released a template for business in Phase 3. Each business operating in Phase 3 must develop a written safety plan outlining how its workplace will prevent the spread of COVID-19. A business may fill out the template to fulfill the requirement or may develop its own safety plan.
Questions?
This is an unprecedented time and we understand there are a lot of questions. Our goal is to streamline the collection of questions and capture them all in one place so that we can share your questions with the appropriate authorities and create a helpful FAQ for all wineries to utilize. We have created this simple form for you to submit your questions through, but always feel free to email us directly as well.
We will continue to work with our industry partners to provide updates and information to best support you as you reopen your tasting rooms. We look forward to raising a glass in-person soon, but know that we are here for you virtually in the meantime.
To our current Washington Wine Institute members, thank you for your investment in our work with your dues renewals. WWI can only exist and do all we can in these challenging times for our WA wineries through your membership dollars and active engagement in our political and regulatory work for the industry. If you are not yet a WA Wine Institute member, please consider joining and being a part of your statewide trade association for Washington wineries. Learn more about WWI, membership benefits, and more by clicking here!