In celebration of its 25^th anniversary, the Auction of Washington Wines is joining forces with WSU’s former Celebrate Washington Wine event to create a collaborative fundraiser benefiting Seattle Children’s Hospital and the Washington Wine Education Foundation, which aims to strengthen the quality and reputation of the Washington wine industry by providing support for WSU’s world-class viticulture and enology research, extension, education, and training programs.

Washington State University has provided critical help with science-based solutions to grape-growing and winemaking challenges. “No world-renowned wine region is without a prominent university partnering in its success. The Northwest is no exception, says Ted Baseler, chair of WSU’s Campaign for Wine and president of the Auction of Washington Wines board of directors.  “In the 10 years of the Celebrate Washington Wine event, we provided over $1 million to the WSU Viticulture and Enology program, transforming it into one of the largest in the nation,” said Nancy Harnasch, past chair of the event. WSU will be represented on the Auction of Washington Wines Chairman’s Committee for the 25^th anniversary celebration.

The Auction of Washington Wines is comprised of five events including Revelry at Col Solare in the Tri-Cities area (May 26, 2012); Picnic & Barrel Auction at Chateau Ste. Michelle (August 16, 2012); the Winemaker Dinner Series at various locations across the Puget Sound region (August 17, 2012); and the Wine Gala at Chateau Ste. Michelle (August 18, 2012). This year’s event is chaired by the industry’s finest. Bob Betz of Betz Family Winery, and Stan Kruse, president and CEO of Holland America Line and chairman of Seabourn, are the 2012 Auction co-chairs.  Rick Holley, president and CEO of Plum Creek Timber Company, will the lead the efforts of rallying past chairs.

The grant, which was announced Wednesday at the 2012 annual meeting of the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers, will support the Washington State University Viticulture and Enology program, particularly the research efforts that drive innovations and technology to ensure Washington wines remain economically, competitive, environmentally sustainable and of distinct, premium quality.

Ted Baseler, president and CEO of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates and chair of the WSU Board of Regents, said research and education are key ingredients to success in the international wine market.

“Burgundy, Bordeaux, Tuscany – no great wine region in the world succeeds without the support of a strong research university,” he said. “This gift supports the Washington wine industry’s premier research university and aligns with our companies’ focus on investing in high-impact educational programs. The strength of the programs reinforces the need for expanded facilities, such as the Wine Science Center in Richland.”

The investment by Ste. Michelle and Altria follows a $7.4 million commitment by the Washington wine industry for construction of the Wine Science Center.

WSU President Elson S. Floyd said the gift, which adds to the $1 billion Campaign for Washington State University, will help WSU viticulture and enology scientists make a dramatic difference for the state’s wine industry from vineyard to glass.

“Washington’s wine industry has said it wants to triple its economic impact at the state and national level to $10 billion, employ more than 57,000 people statewide, and increase the number of wine tourists in Washington from approximately two million to five million,” Floyd said. “This investment aligns perfectly with these goals, and WSU is uniquely positioned to help address the trained personnel shortage and research challenges the industry faces.”

This investment will support the teaching, research and extension functions of the wine science program, including a new technology transfer model to expedite delivery of research and technology to producers across the state. Using this model, broadly relevant research questions will be identified, and WSU technology transfer specialists will work with industry to set up valid experimental designs in their vineyard or winery, collect and analyze data and present this data with recommendations back to industry members.

Thomas Henick-Kling, director of WSU’s viticulture and enology program, called the investment “a key commitment to filling the gaps we currently have in the program, and build our technology transfer capability to more quickly impact the success of the industry.”

“We’ll be able to do more of the research work in the winery and vineyards,” he added. “The growers will be able to see what works and use it.”

Another key component of the gift supporting research is a start-up package for the new analytical or “aroma” chemist WSU is hiring this year.

“The current lack of this expertise prevents complete analysis of the impact of various grape growing and wine making practices on wine flavor,” Henick-Kling said. “While state funds have been prioritized for this position’s salary and benefits, this support for the start-up package accelerates our ability to fill the position as soon as possible.”

The gift also will provide bridge support for the director of viticulture and enology, help fund a student challenge grant to build awareness of scholarship and graduate fellowship needs in the program, and provide for the development and implementation of a comprehensive marketing plan for WSU’s viticulture and enology programs to complement marketing efforts of Washington’s wine industry and WSU.

The state’s wine industry agreed late last year to generate the funds for the Wine Science Center through assessments levied on grape and wine production beginning with the 2011 harvest. The Washington State Wine Commission estimates it will collect the total amount over the next decade.

Addressing the 2012 annual meeting of the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers, Floyd called the $7.4 million commitment “a giant step forward to ensure that WSU and the industry have the facilities needed to engage in cutting-edge research and education to serve this important industry in the future.”

He also reaffirmed WSU’s role in supporting the industry. “Let me emphasize our long-term commitment to supporting the Washington wine industry from vineyard to glass with the very best teaching, research and extension we have to offer.”

Floyd noted the rich history of the WSU-wine industry partnership. “Together, we have made great strides in building one of the premiere viticulture and enology programs in the nation,” he said.

For example, a decade ago only a handful of faculty members were working on wine-related research and education. Today, more than 30 WSU faculty members dedicate a significant share of their time to wine research and education.

A decade ago, there was no undergraduate degree in viticulture or enology, and only a very few facilities were dedicated to wine research. Today, a stand-alone viticulture and enology major is offered at Pullman and WSU Tri Cities, and nearly 50 students are enrolled. One hundred twenty students are enrolled in the two-year certificate programs WSU offers in both disciplines, and approximately 35 graduate students are working with researchers at Prosser, Pullman and Tri Cities. WSU also has added critical research vineyards and wine research facility at its Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center at Prosser.

The president promised to use new dollars from the industry with care and intention.

”We will make every effort to make certain that this contribution by the growers and wineries of our state will have the maximum impact into the future,” he said.

Kent Waliser, chair of the Washington State Wine Commission and general manager of Sagemoor Vineyards, said “The Washington State Wine Commission is thrilled to commit our industry’s support for this critically important project.” He continued, “Years from now, today will be seen as a significant milestone in the evolution of our industry.”

A collaboration between the Port of Benton, the City of Richland, and Washington State University, this new state-of-the-art research and teaching facility will house the university’s rapidly expanding Viticulture and Enology program.

Ted Baseler, president and CEO of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates and chair of the Board of Regents for Washington State University, said “All of the world’s great wine regions have a benchmark institution that conducts research and education in the growing of grapes and winemaking.” “The Wine Science Center will enable us to properly educate our industry’s future leaders,” he added.

The Wine Science Center is the culmination of several years of work by industry leaders, dating back to the results of an industry research task force formed in 2006.

Lynne Chamberlain, chair of the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers and owner of Spofford Station Vineyards, said “As demand for Washington wine grew, we started to build our future, and WAWGG initiated the task force that identified necessary research to expand our economic impact here and around the world.”  She continued, “Our currency is the raw resource, starting literally on the ground, and as we continue to find better tools and resources to meet our future, the newly-forming task force will address our long-term research needs, and the Wine Science Center will provide a home for our research.”

Once constructed, the new building, situated on land donated by the Port of Benton and developed by a Public Development Authority created by the City of Richland, will be turned over to Washington State University.

Elson Floyd, president of Washington State University, said “Washington State University is fully committed to our statewide, pioneering Viticulture and Enology program.” “Under the leadership of Dr. Thomas Henick-Kling, we believe this facility in the Tri-Cities will become a magnet for industry leaders, researchers, and students from around the world,” he added.

The Wine Science Center will facilitate research tailored to the specific needs of the Washington State wine industry in areas such as improving winter hardiness, increasing vineyard and winery productivity, and enhancing grape and wine quality.

Marty Clubb, president of the Washington Wine Institute and owner of L’Ecole Nº 41 Winery, said “The research that will take place at the Wine Science Center will help ensure the continued growth of our industry in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.”

With over 700 wineries and more than 40,000 acres planted statewide, the Washington State wine industry contributes more than $3.0 billion annually to the state economy and $4.7 billion annually to the national economy.

John Fox, mayor of Richland, Washington, said “The wine industry is a major economic force in our community and region, and also a welcome addition to our quality of life.” He continued, “This center will assure that Washington wines and WSU-Tri-Cities will be internationally prominent in the decades to come.”

For general information on the Washington State wine industry, please visit http://www.washingtonwine.org.

Phil DiPofi, president and CEO of Northwest Farm Credit Services, and Dan Bernardo, dean of the WSU College of Agriculutral, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences.

Northwest Farm Credit Services Offers Significant Boost

By Investing $500,000 in WSU’s wine and tree fruit research and education programs, Northwest Farm Credit Services is preparing to bolster the long-term success of many of its customers.

During the next five years, half of the donation will help fund programs at WSU’s proposed Wine Science Center facility located adjacent to the WSU Tri-Cities Campus in Richland. The other half will help fund two new field laboratories at WSU’s Sunrise Research Orchard outside of Wenatchee.

The gift currently is the lead donation supporting wine and tree fruit research and education, major components of The Campaign for Washington State University. Phil DiPofi, president and CEO of Northwest Farm Credit Services, says the lending association is “pleased to partner with WSU as well as with the tree fruit and wine industries in this capital campaign. The amount of money being raised within the industry is impressive, and we are proud to participate.”

This donation will help strengthen WSU programs in both tree fruit and viticulture/enology, significant industries in a state that currently is the second-highest in the nation for wine production and the number one producer of fresh apples, pears, and sweet cherries.

“As a primary provider of the financial support services for farmers throughout the region, Northwest Farm Credit Services sees firsthand the challenges their customers face and the competitive advantage that that science-based information can provide,” says Dan Bernardo, dean of the WSU College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences.

“WSU is the perfect vehicle for the education and research needed in the Washington state wine industry. We need to educate our future wine industry colleagues right here in Washington.”

- Tom and Anne-Marie Hedges

Tom and Anne-Marie Hedges rely on WSU researchers, students, and graduates for the expertise required of a successful family-owned winery. Their wine-exporting business soon expanded into wine making, which led to the development of an estate vineyard on Red Mountain. Their 110-acre vineyard produces distinctive wines reflecting the unique qualities of the Red Mountain AVA.