Apr
12 2012
FEATURE
PAGE
7
WINE BUZZ SUSTAINS VALLEY ECONOMY
FROM PAGE 1
Wheat has been a staple crop in the Walla Walla Valley for more than 100 years. The Sweet Onion and the burgeoning wine industry, however, are two of Walla Walla’s most visible agricultural commodities because they draw tourism to the region. The impact of these industries is multilayered: sustaining a diverse economy, reinvigorating the community and remaining a source of pride for locals. Photo by Bergman
tries to show off Walla Walla’s ex- lot of money at risk,” Locati said. severe and succeed, with more going Broda even managed to conThe land where their vineyard ceptional onions by delivering an The risk lies in the strenuous for it than other onions. People seem vert her Vidalia onion loving sister is located was part of the ex- entire box of Walla Walla sweet work and time put into these on- to still appreciate the unique, amaz- and her husband from Southern Carpansive wheat farm that had be- onions to each newly admitted stu- ions, as the farmers of the Wal- ing taste of a Walla Walla sweet on- olina to Walla Walla Sweets lovers. longed to Sheri’s family for over dent who will be attending Whit- la Walla sweet onions do every- ion, and therefore still may choose “They tell others about them, 100 years. When the Derbys no- man in the following academic year. thing by hand. In contrast, other them over a common yellow onion. and since they can’t get them in ticed that the other few winer“In addition to being a nice wel- large farming corporations that proAndy Broda from Southern Southern Carolina, they just have ies were doing well, they decid- come gift and gesture, it was a way vide for grocery stores may use pes- California has specifically sought to listen to my sister rave about the ed to turn 127 acres of their exten- to highlight Walla Walla and cel- ticides to aid the onions in a quick- out the sweet Walla Walla onions sweetness of them,” said Broda. sive wheat fields into a vineyard. ebrate the famous sweet onion,” er growing process and use ma- since 1970 when she was introduced In contrast to the long-lasting “Wheat is a onion, a few crops commodity crop— have left the Walyou can’t say ‘this la Walla Valley, inwheat makes good itially putting strain pasta.’ Grapes are on the economy. a specialty crop,” Across from said Dean Derby. the current WalShepherd la Walla Farmagrees with Derer’s Co-Op used by’s opinion that to be a cannery. wine is more vendThey processed asible than grain. paragus and spin“The monach locally accordey is really in the ing to the Co-Op’s winery, in a good Agronomy managname and marketer, Stacy Beckman. ing your wine,” “It has taken Shepherd said. a lot of that market However, away from us here . Derby would ar. . but we have been gue that the wine able to rebound speaks for itself. from that and put in “Tourism has different crops that increased primarcan fill that void,” ily because of the said Beckman. premium wines beBeckman mening produced here,” tioned that other he said. “The tastcrops such as soying-rooms have beans, safflowjust made it more er and many othconven ient.” er types of beans In order to eshave been helped tablish a winery in sustain the market. the area, however, Walla Walone must be able to la is capable of suspay for water rights. taining its economy Vineyards must be through a diverse irrigated, but there array of crops, so is not enough wathat even with small ter in the area to be setbacks, the sweet shared freely. This onion has proven to necessity immedibe a large asset to ately sets up an ecothe economy. Ulnomic barrier for timately, it is well aspiring vintners. worth the farm“Water is beers’, like Locati, lacoming scarcer and bor and brain powscarcer,” said Sheper that goes into herd. “If there isn’t constantly makenough water to go ing the onion better. around, someone Although tourisn’t going to get it.” ism does seem Additionally, to spike from harvesting grapes wine in the Walis very labor intenla Walla valley, sive. And accord- Many farms in the area convert wheat land to vineyards in order to take advantage of lucerative opportunities in the growing wine industry. Beresan Winery, owned the onion has been ing to Derby, there by the Waliser Family, is an Estate Winery in the Walla Walla Valley appellation. Today, wheat and wine co-exist within the complex Valley economy. Photo by Bergman known to hold its is not enough local labor to fill the said Dean of Admission and Fi- chinery for packing. These prac- to them by a co-worker from Seattle. own, and is an ever-present dedemand, so workers are brought in. nancial Aid Tony Cabasco. “Peo- tices provide onions that are much “I was impressed and hooked fining characteristic of our town. When asked if this introduction of ple really enjoy receiving it, and cheaper, and therefore more ac- on them once I had some,” said Bro“You can talk to people across more low income laborers affect- our office receives many thank cessible, to many Americans. da. “I have Walla Wallas shipped the state and they’ll travel to Walla ed economic stratification in Wal- you notes each summer,” he said. Locati, however, still believes to me every year since then. Walla to pick up their bag of Walla la Walla, Derby explained the sitThese onions are provided by the Walla Walla sweet onion can per- Wouldn’t have it any other way.” Walla Sweet onions,” said Beckman. uation in the terms of capitalism. Locati Farms, a local family farm ADVERTISEMENT “The key to all successful that has worked hard to create these things is a free market,” said Der- exceptional onions since the onion’s by. “If a crop is doing well, but seed first came to the Walla Walyou need more people, you im- la Valley in 1905. But since then, port them. That’s the way things the onions have come a long way. go in this country. There’s always “Back 25 years ago, onsocial problems in that because ions were just onions; sweet onthey’re not local and don’t have the ions never really had a categosame values, but it’s needed. If the ry in the retail market place, and economy wants to stay stagnant, now, they are a category,” said Mithen we won’t bring people in.” chael Locati of Locati Farms. And so it goes for many laLocati Farms works hard to bor-intensive crops all over the bring in innovative techniques country. Not only is wine a source that most onion farmers and packof discussion for its tourism ben- ers do not use. This has develefits, but also for its possible ef- oped an entirely new kind of onion. fects on social class and economLocati Farm was the first farm ic status in the city. Whether or not to integrate farming and packing the industry is seen as good or bad rather than having the packers sepoverall, it is agreed upon that it has arate from the farmers. This ennot eclipsed the wheat industry. sures that the onions are packed in Said Shepherd, “Wine gets a the ideal conditions to produce more lot of attention, but I don’t think sugars and the unique sweetness it’s displaced wheat culture.” of the Walla Walla sweet onions. Like wheat, onions have been There is a colossal amount a defining crop of Walla Walla for of work that goes into growover 100 years since the first on- ing and producing Walla Walion seeds were introduced to the la sweet onions in order to make area; however, the quality of onions these onions an economically viain Walla Walla have come a long ble commodity in today’s economy. way and now make Walla Walla “I just don’t know where it’s sweet onions truly a specialty item. going to go. It’s a tough business Whitman College Admissions to be in. Economically, there’s a from ECONOMY, page 1
FEATURE
Apr
PAGE
8 Phuong Pham ’12 gains appreciation for wine industry, incites more student involvement 12 2012
by SAM ADLER Staff Reporter
F
or senior economics major Phuong Pham, Washington wine country doesn’t just serve as a backdrop to her liberal arts education; it has also served her an opportunity for work while pursuing her own interest in wine. Pham currently works at the tasting room for Charles Smith Wines (35 S Spokane St). “I never paid attention to wine before my [freshman] year,” she said. “In fact, Carlo Rossi was actually my first wine, but I started to branch out because I was interested in it and started researching, and drinking more wines. Then, last year, I had a housemate who was really into wine, and she introduced me to a lot of the Walla Walla wines here in town.” Then, at the end of last July, Charles Smith Wines hired Pham, thanks, in part, to a bit of serendipity. “I had an internship in Canada that didn’t go so well, so I decided to come back to Walla Walla and try to find a job . . . and I got involved with Charles [of Charles Smith Wines] through some contacts I had developed as an advertising associate for the Pio,” she said. Through her work, Pham has been able to cultivate a sense of the local wine community. “The stereotypical ideas of wine people being snobbish— I don’t think it’s like that at all in Walla Walla . . . We are all very connected to all of the restaurants and the events that come through town, and I’ve learned that everyone knows everyone. There really is no animosity between businesses. It’s more about [wineries] focusing on their own brand, while at the same time coming together to make Walla Walla wine more prominent.” “It’s where you will meet so many different types of people from every part of the world,” she said speaking about her work in the tasting room.
“More often than not, these people are the ones who love wine and the ones who love talking about wine. You have to love people in order to work in the wine industry.” Pham’s experience of working with customers also speaks to the vitality of Walla Walla’s wine scene. “It amazes me every single day I work in the tasting room,” she said, “and I find people from Scandinavia and Latin America, and here we are in a tiny little town in the middle of nowhere.” Yet while the wine industry is a boom to Walla Walla’s economy, it can also be beneficial to Whitman students. “Within the Whitman community, the wine industry helps expose us to Walla Walla, and it creates a lot of part-time jobs for students. I know a lot of Whitman graduates who still work in the wine industry because they got a part-time job [at a winery] in college,” she said. And in regards to students trying to pursue an interest in wine on a non-professional basis, Pham also had some advice. “Wine is just booze— just drink it! Don’t think that you have to smell a certain smell or anything, because when you first start out, you probably can’t smell anything [but the alcohol] . . . Wine is an acquired taste, and it will take you a while to actually smell anything, but in the meantime, just think of it as booze and nothing out of the ordinary,” said Pham, partially quoting one of Charles Smith Wines’ slogans. At the end of a follow-up email interview, Pham shared what she’s currently sipping on. “I am a cab-girl [meaning Cabernet Sauvignon],” she wrote, “and Charles made a killer Shield 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon. As for white, my favorite for this past year has been Cadaretta’s 2008 Cabernet Blanc/Semillon Blend. [And] for the sweet tooth and more affordable wine, [I would recommend] Long Shadow 2010 ‘Leap Poet’ Riesling.”
Walla Walla local Phuong Pham ‘12, never paid attention to wine before her first year at Whitman College. Since working at Charles Smith Wines she has developed a love of Cabernet Sauvignon and local wine culture. Photo by Bergman
Beyond grapes: L’Ecole No 41 extends influence to community
Walla Walla Stat Sheet
Data courtesy of WA Employment Security Dept.
AGRICULTURE FORESTRY, HUNTING & FISHING AVERAGE
13%
OF WALLA WALLA EMPLOYMENT.
AGRICULTURE REPRESENTS LESS THAN
10% OF WALLA WALLA EMPLOYMENT. (IN SUMMER THIS RISES TO 17%)
POVERTY RATES 10.6%
WA STATE
UNITED STATES
WALLA WALLA COUNTY
Feature Editor
Founded in 1983, L’Ecole No 41 is one of the oldest wineries in the Walla Walla Valley. The familyowned winery is located in the historic Frenchtown School in Lowden. Next year will be the 30th anniversary of L’Ecole. Marty and Megan Clubb, the current owners of L’Ecole, have built on what Megan’s parents, Jean and Baker Ferguson, set in place. Jean Ferguson was L’Ecole’s first winemaker, while Baker’s primary role was the varietal selection, marketing and sales. L’Ecole has a strong connection to Whitman. Baker Ferguson was a student, faculty member, a longtime governing board member and Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Megan also attended Whitman, as did she and Marty’s son Riley who graduated in 2009. L’Ecole even released L’Erudite, or the scholar; a special 2008 release of a wine honoring family connections to Whitman and with the profits going directly to the Whitman Institute for Scholastic Enrichment.
N
IN WINTER,
15.1%
by ALYSSA FAIRBANKS
12.4% INFOGRAPHIC BY BERFIELD
amed one of Wine Spirits Magazine’s top 100 wineries 10 years in a row, L’Ecole has truly become a unique Walla Walla Valley destination. “When people come to visit, people stop on the way in and they stop on the way out,” said Marty Clubb, Owner and Managing Winemaker. “We really built our name—built a destination.” Yet, L’Ecole winery is much more than just rave reviews in wine magazines. As one of the pioneering wineries in the region, it has helped build the wine industry, while promoting community and sustainability. The job description of a winery owner encompasses a wide array of tasks. “Every day is different,” said Clubb. “We grow grapes. So in some sense, we’re a farmer. . . but of something that ultimately turns into a bottle of wine.” Clubb is also a winemaker, which entails everything that goes into production, making sure the wines are stable, balanced and will have longevity. He is also a marketer and a purveyor of wine. “You’re building a brand,” said Clubb. “You’re building an identity for your winery, and that comes with patience, perseverance and consistency.” The work depends on the day and the season—slower in the winter, and busy during the spring, following not only the life cycle of the wines, but also the life cycle of the barrel and the bottling. Beyond this, Clubb and his team have created an artisan winery that promotes environmental sustainability.
As a brick and mortar winery, L’Ecole is considered traditionalist in that they grow all their own fruit and produce and bottle and sell all their own wine. Clubb notes that in today’s increasing complex economy, their approach is also more complex but ultimately important. “When we say brick and mortar, what me mean is come see us,” he said. “Because we’re engaged in growing our fruit, we grow for the quality we want to make. When you control every aspect of what ultimately lands in the bottle, you become the artist.” L’Ecole competes in the national market because it comes from a unique valley with a distinct cultural identity, which produces family-owned artisan brands. This control extends towards efforts to farm and make wine sustainable. The climate of eastern Washington is distinctive because it’s relatively dry, has low rainfall and has harder winters. This climate reduces both mildew problems and pest pressures. Because of this there has been an effort in the wine industry to farm organically and bio-dynamically. Clubb notes that L’Ecole uses organic practices and composts in the vineyards to create a healthier environment for the vines that result in less human input. Sustainability also expands to the winery itself with recycling programs. L’Ecole is part of Vinea, the wine growers’ sustainable trust, which includes 75 percent of the vineyards in Walla Walla, and most of the key wineries. “I won’t even say that we’re at the forefront of this,” said Clubb. “There are others such as JeanFrancois at Pepper Bridge that really push [sustainability.] But we are an advocate for the program.” L’Ecole’s Walla Walla wines now highlight their sustainable efforts on the label. “We are a collective part of a group of passionate, committed viticulturists and winemakers that are trying to encourage growth and sustainable practices,” said Clubb. Clubb also emphasized the importance of community in the wine industry, and the relationship between the industry and the Walla Walla community. One example of this, is Clubb’s
participation in creating the Center for Enology and Viticulture at Walla Walla Community College. The vision to create a teaching winery began in around 2000 as a collaboration between the Community College Foundation Board and the College’s President, Steven VanAusdle. “When I say a teaching winery, it’s more than just creating a teaching program,” said Clubb. “It’s a facility that would really teach classic, commercial wine making. They actually make wine there.” Clubb emphasized the need for education and research to support the growing wine industry in Walla Walla. “Without a work force to funnel into that industry we are crippled,” he said. Clubb argues that because Washington State has such a unique climate and faces such specific viticultural issues, the need for Washington specific programs is of the utmost importance. “The people that have come out of this program are now in the industry in some form or fashion, whether it be in Walla Walla, or Woodinville; they are supporting Washington State winemaking,” said Clubb. “This is a really important program to nurture our expertise and to train people to really help us build a world class industry.” This growing world class industry has shaped the Walla Walla community in important ways. Clubb notes that in 1990, downtown was dead. “A synergy of a growing wine community brought tourists to town, [along with] a commitment of the business to reinvigorate downtown,” said Clubb. This, along with a burgeoning art and education culture, worked to create what is today the unique destination of Walla Walla. There has been a noticeable increase in the number of hotels, restaurants and bed and breakfasts. While this is not due solely to the arrival of the wine industry, viticulture has had its impact in the region. “The wine industry has had a significant impact on that because it created the energy to build tourism off of,” said Clubb. “I mean Walla Walla is still a cool town, but what would people have been coming to see?”
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