Washington State’s Irrigated Wine Grape Industry
Riesling grapes at Bonair Winery in the Yakima Valley.
W
ashington State has become well known as a producer of high-quality, good-value wines. With thousands of acres of wine grapes across the state, predominantly in the irrigated high desert of central and eastern Washington, the wine grape industry is a major player in the state’s agricultural landscape. Much of this is thanks to the state’s irrigation infrastructure. The irrigation districts and Reclamation projects in the Yakima and Columbia River basins play a major role in providing valuable water to Washington’s fertile lands—including its vineyards. In this interview, Vicky Scharlau, executive director of the Washington Winegrowers Association, speaks with Irrigation Leader Editor-in-Chief Kris Polly about the organization and the irrigated agriculture it represents.
3½ years there before being hired by the Washington State Apple Commission. I worked there for about 10 years in many capacities and then worked as president of the Washington State Horticultural Association. In fall 1999, after I left that position, a member of the wine grape industry called and asked me what I was doing next. I was starting consulting, and he said, “That’s great, because the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers [now the Washington Winegrowers Association] is looking for a part-time executive director.” That’s where it started. I have served as the organization’s executive director since then.
Kris Polly: Please tell us about your background and how you came to be in your current position.
Vicky Scharlau: The Washington Winegrowers, which adopted its current name about 3 years ago, was created in the early 1980s, when the Washington wine industry started finding its feet. The association has since grown to about 1,000 members, including vintners and winegrowers. With the changes in the wine industry, many growers now also have wineries, and many wineries also own their own acres. The industry, which was previously more strictly divided into two separate categories, has become homogenous and
6 | IRRIGATION LEADER
PHOTO COURTESY OF BERNT ROSTAD.
Vicky Scharlau: I grew up in Wisconsin on a dairy farm and graduated from the University of Wisconsin (UW) with a degree in agricultural journalism and a minor in agricultural economics. I moved to Washington State, where I had family friends. I started working with the Washington State Department of Agriculture and spent
Kris Polly: Would you give us an overview of the Washington Winegrowers and its history?
