Viticulture

‘Our new normal’: WA confronts another year of drought

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 21:00:00 -0400

West Richland winery declares bankruptcy

ty@tcjournal.biz — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 21:00:00 -0400

A West Richland winery that has sold most of its wine to an Italian wine producer for the past 15 year plans to liquidate its inventory over the coming months to pay back its creditors.

Soaring diesel prices hit WA family farms' bottom line

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 21:00:00 -0400

The conflict in Iran has caused fuel prices to soar and Washington State farmers said it hits them hard when they are putting crops in the ground.

Mercer acquires four wine brands, grows winemaking team

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 21:00:00 -0400

One of the Mid-Columbia's oldest wineries is growing its portfolio and pool of expert winemakers.

Ste. Michelle announces leadership changes

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 21:00:00 -0500

The top leadership of Washington state’s largest wine producer is being tweaked roughly a month after it was bought by a longtime lower Yakima Valley farm family.

Walla Walla winery expands partnership with distributor

ty@tcjournal.biz — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 21:00:00 -0500

One of the Walla Walla Valley’s oldest and most recognizable wineries is growing its distribution network with a national distributor both in its home state and in California.

Longtime farm family acquires state’s biggest winery

ty@tcjournal.biz — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 21:00:00 -0500

Washington state’s leading wine company is in the hands of Washingtonians for the first time in 50 years.

Prosser wine company acquires Wahluke Slope winery

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 21:00:00 -0500

A Prosser-based wine company is rounding out its family of labels by adding another from the Wahluke Slope to its portfolio.

Bledsoe Family Winery to open new tasting room

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 21:00:00 -0500

The winery of NFL quarterback and Walla Walla native Drew Bledsoe is growing its footprint.

Kennewick winery closing tasting room

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 21:00:00 -0400

The first wine grape vineyard to be USDA-certified organic in Washington state is closing its tasting room as it adapts to customer trends and other challenges facing the wine industry.

Ste. Michelle CEO departs

ty@tcjournal.biz — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 21:00:00 -0400

Three people are taking on top roles at Ste. Michelle Wine Estates with the recent departure of its CEO.

Study: Multimillion-dollar center would be a modern hub for ag innovation

ty@tcjournal.biz — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 12:00:00 -0500

Tri-City leaders are pushing forward with a bold vision for a multimillion-dollar agricultural-focused facility that could include a business incubator, wet and dry laboratories, meeting space and a test kitchen.

Longtime Red Mountain winery lists for $3M

ty@tcjournal.biz — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 12:00:00 -0500

A winery established 18 years ago is looking for new owners to continue its legacy on Red Mountain.

Candy Mountain becomes state’s newest wine grape region

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 18:15:30 -0400

By Eric DegermanSpecial to the TCAJOBThe sweet news about the establishment of the Candy Mountain American Viticultural Area gives the Washington state wine industry its 16th AVA.Candy Mountain, a portion of which is in the Richland city limits, recently became the tiniest AVA in the state at 815 acres. Its...

Q&A with Thomas Henick-Kling

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 18:03:38 -0400

Thomas Henick-KlingWSU Viticulture & Enology ProgramDirector, WSU Viticulture & Enology ProgramNumber of employees you oversee: 11 faculty, 4 staffBrief background ofyour organization:The WSU Viticulture & Enology (V&E) Program provides educational opportunities for those interested in grape growing and winemaking.We offer undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees as well as online certificate...

Grant helps support WSU Wine Science Center teaching lab

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 17:45:36 -0400

A gift from the Paul Lauzier Charitable Foundation is delivering much-needed space and equipment for hands-on student learning at Washington State University’s Wine Science Center in north Richland.Named for the late Washington farmer and entrepreneur Paul Lauzier, the foundation, which supports a range of causes including community development, education, health,...

Want to save your piece of paradise? These legal strategies can help

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 17:40:18 -0400

Think of a unique piece of property.Maybe it’s a plot of land you own that is situated perfectly to be added to the Badger Mountain trail system.Maybe it’s a charming house or commercial building in downtown Kennewick. Maybe it’s a vineyard in the heart of Red Mountain.If your ultimate goal...

Paterson farmer making water from wine

Thu, 13 Jun 2019 18:05:59 -0400

Sandpiper Farms creates Water from Wine nonprofit to fund clean water workBy Arielle DreherIn a way, the family behind the local nonprofit Water from Wine is bringing the first miracle of Jesus turning water into a wine into a modern-day context, leveraging the rich wine-growing potential in the vineyard at...

More students set sights on WSU degrees to launch wine industry careers

Wed, 14 Feb 2018 15:28:30 -0500

120 students now enrolled in viticulture, enology undergraduate programSeven years ago, Becca DeKleine was the lone College of Agriculture student walking at Washington State University’s Tri-Cities campus commencement.She carried the department’s banner by herself.She and three others graduated together with an emphasis in viticulture and enology in 2011. The others...

Prosser bulk winemaking operation poised to expand with growing demand

kristina@tcjournal.biz — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 15:21:02 -0500

Four Feathers Wine Estates processed 15,000 tons of grapes last yearThe winemaking happening inside Four Feathers Wine Estates in Prosser is no small operation.The more than 100 towering silver tanks can store three million gallons within the 50,000-square-foot warehouse and process some 15,000 tons of wine grapes a year.Four Feathers’...

Long-awaited Columbia Gardens opens, second phase beginning soon

Wed, 14 Feb 2018 15:18:44 -0500

Public plaza, space for food trucks to be completed this summerNow that wine is being made and poured at Kennewick’s waterfront wine village, the community can look forward to the next ribbon cutting, as the second phase is set to get underway this summer.A larger-than-expected crowd gathered for the Feb....

Richland winery making one of best rosés in country

Wed, 14 Feb 2018 15:16:29 -0500

By Andy Perdue and Eric Degerman, Wine News ServiceWhen Rob Griffin arrived in Washington wine country from his native California in early 1977, he never dreamed he’d be most famous for making pink wine.Yet today, the owner/winemaker of Barnard Griffin in Richland may be making the best rosé in America....

Nevermind those wine grapes, Concords yield sweet juices

Wed, 14 Feb 2018 15:14:05 -0500

By Marilou SheaZeb’s Vineyard produces mighty fine grapes.But they typically aren’t found in an award-winning bottle of wine. Marilou Shea,Food Truck AcademyUnlike the vinifera primarily grown on the West Coast that have ties to European heritage, Zeb’s grape varietals harken from good ole America.The juicy Concord is named after its...

Port of Benton to break ground on $2 million development in Prosser

Tue, 14 Feb 2017 18:51:46 -0500

The Port of Benton plans to kick-start a new 21-lot development with a $2 million building in Prosser designed to attract boutique businesses to complement the neighboring Vintner Village.Construction on the new building, which will include three bays for businesses, as well as an adjacent office building for a nonprofit,...

Wine Science Center a boon to state viticulture, enology industry

Tue, 14 Feb 2017 16:07:29 -0500

The region’s wine leaders realized several years ago that an investment in students and research would ultimately lead to a more lucrative statewide industry.The students have come and the research is underway with the opening of the Washington State University Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Wine Science Center in Richland.“Industry leaders...

Washington’s wine production shifts firmly into reds

Tue, 14 Feb 2017 15:47:59 -0500

By Wine News ServicePolitically, Washington’s Columbia Valley has been the red part of a blue state for decades. And when it comes to wine, Washington has shifted firmly to being a red wine-producing state.The last year Washington produced more white wine than red was in 2012, and it’s likely to...

Cities build wine waste treatment plants to lure wineries

Tue, 14 Feb 2017 15:33:25 -0500

By Sean BassingerEven the sweetest wine has waste.That’s why two Eastern Washington cities have invested in special wastewater treatment facilities to handle wine effluent.It’s not a glamorous piece of the wine industry, but it’s a critical part of a continued multimillion-dollar effort to draw more wineries to the Tri-City area.The...

State legislators keen on supporting state’s growing wine industry

Tue, 14 Feb 2017 15:24:47 -0500

Wine growlers, wine at movies among proposed bills in OlympiaThe state’s wine industry — with the Mid-Columbia at the center — is in great shape and getting better as several state legislators push bills to improve sales in Washington.The state has about 900 wineries — compared to about 300 in...

New clean plant center director hired to protect Northwest crops

Tue, 14 Feb 2017 15:20:05 -0500

The top priority for the new director of Clean Plant Center Northwest in Prosser is to increase the region’s supply of virus-free fruit trees, vines and hops. Scott Harper“The front line of the battle against viruses is clean material,” said Scott Harper, who was hired Jan. 3 to run the...

Symposium to focus on how climate extremes affect wine industry

Tue, 14 Feb 2017 15:10:10 -0500

Heat and cold extremes can be damaging to grapevines and affect fruit and winemaking decisions.A research symposium, “Climate Extremes: Is the Pacific Northwest Wine Industry Ready?” will take a closer look at the issue from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 17 in the East Auditorium at Washington State University...