College Cellars of Walla Walla

“What do you hope to do with your degree?” I asked as my pourer offered me a sample of cabernet sauvignon. She was a second-year student at the Institute for Enology and Viticulture at Walla Walla Community College and with graduation on the horizon, she had some choices to make. I suspect she will have many opportunities to choose from.

When you visit Walla Walla’s wineries, I encourage you to make a point of chatting with the tasting room staff and discovering their backgrounds. Chances are that many pourers you encounter are students at the institute. In addition, many other members of local winemaking staffs are graduates of the program, including Matt Huse of Five Star Cellars, Ryan Raber of Castillo de Feliciana Vineyard and Winery, and Denise Slattery and Steve Michener, who began Trio Vintners, to name a few. East of the college is Walla Walla Vintners, created by Dr. Myles J. Anderson, a founder of the Institute for Enology and Viticulture.

Open to the public only on Friday afternoons, College Cellars of Walla Walla offers students of all ages and backgrounds an intensive hands-on experience in crafting wines, with most of their first year devoted to fieldwork in the vineyards. During their second year, students round out their education with additional exposure to the science associated with winemaking. One-quarter of the students come from outside the state of Washington, and many end up finding work in Walla Walla, attracted to its small-town feel and the opportunity to apply their freshly gained knowledge.

During my visit at College Cellars, I particularly enjoyed my sample of “Governor’s White,” a Bordeaux blend of sémillon and sauvignon blanc, in part because the grapes came from the college’s Stan Clarke Teaching Vineyard. Stan Clarke was a founding member of the viticulture program and a key instructor at the school before his premature death in 2007. Despite his busy schedule, he spent considerable time with me during the research of my first book, WineTrails of Washington. I owe him much. As I swirled and sipped, I couldn’t help but glance heavenward in appreciation.

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  College Cellars of Walla Walla was featured in WineTrails of Walla Walla as part of the Walla Walla WineTrail East on page 496!

• 

  Order the book!

  College Cellars of Walla Walla was featured in WineTrails of Washington as part of the Walla Walla WineTrail East on page 496!