CLOVERDALE, Calif. – The 2019 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition generated more critical acclaim for the Pacific Northwest, and much of it stems from College Cellars of Walla Wallaand alumni of the community college’s vaunted winemaking program. Leading the Northwest highlights at the largest wine competition in North America was Aaron Peet, winemaker for Cellardoor Winery in Linconlville, Maine. Peet, who graduated from Walla Walla…
Washington State has seen explosive growth over the last 15 years, ballooning from 200 wineries to more than 940 today. With this growth has come an influx of talented winemakers, all with their own ideas about what Washington wine is and how it should be made. Though young, many of them have diversified the style and increased overall quality statewide. The…
KENNEWICK, Wash. – College Cellars of Walla Walla, the winemaking program for Walla Walla Community College, remained at the head of the class for the Tri-Cities Wine Festival by using a 2016 Barbera to claim the title of best of show in 2018. A year ago, College Cellars topped Washington state’s longest-running wine competition with a semi-sparkling Muscat grown at Inland Desert Vineyard near Red…
ONE SURE SIGN that the Washington wine industry is reaching another level of maturity is that we now have four schools providing winemaking and viticulture education. Before this development, Washington relied on other regions — typically California — to provide education and training to our winemakers. The dominant university on the West Coast has been the University of California at Davis,…
By Andy Perdue Special to The Seattle Times SHANE COLLINS was in a perfect position to see the apple industry failing in the Lake Chelan region, having grown up on a 50-acre apple orchard in Manson, a village on the north shore of the lake. His folks grew Red and Golden Delicious, planted by his grandfather. The farm went bankrupt a…
Bergevin Lane Vineyards, located at 1215 West Poplar Street in Walla Walla, Washington, has promoted Sean Smith to the role of winemaker for the brand, which was co-founded in 2002 by fifth generation Walla Walla native, Annette Bergevin. Read More
The Washington Wine Industry Foundation (Foundation) is pleased to announce the 2018 Powers Sabbatical award to Marcus Rafanelli. Marcus is the Instructor of Applied Winemaking at Walla Walla Community College and Cellarmaster for the institution’s College Cellars. The Powers Family Sabbatical awards up to $5,000 each year to cover travel expenses for a mid-level industry professional to travel abroad, expand…
The first community college in the nation to include a working commercial and teaching winery. Read more…
WALLA WALLA, Wash. — Ask anyone in the Walla Walla Valley wine industry to name its brightest lights and you’ll hear familiar names: Gary Figgins, Rick Small, Christophe Baron, Marty Clubb, Myles Anderson, Stan Clarke, Norm McKibben. Read more…
