Expect Perfect Pairings
Scampi and crisp Chardonnay.
Brie and perfectly chilled Gewürztraminer.
Beef Wellington and spicy Pinot Noir.
Washington State University and the Washington state wine industry.
Some things just belong together. They complement each other’s best qualities to create something greater than the sum of their parts. The result? A perfect pairing.
Combine WSU’s world-class viticulture and enology research program with a climate and country perfect for growing grapes, and you end up with the Washington wine industry and its international reputation for quality. The fruit of the university’s 70-year partnership with the state’s wine industry is bottled every year by the state’s more than 500 wineries. Washington is the second largest producer of premier wines in the country, and growing.
Combine WSU’s world-class, face-to-face educational offerings—graduate, undergraduate, and certificate programs—with budding scientists, and you end up with the next generation of fine winemakers. And since the wine industry isn’t just about wine, WSU also is training future leaders in hospitality, business, and marketing.
Combine WSU Extension’s in-the-field expertise with real-world winemakers facing real-world challenges and you end up with a partnership that puts identifying and solving industry problems first and foremost.
At WSU, we do the science, so wine lovers can call the result art. WSU and the Washington wine industry? A perfect pairing in every way. Expect no less.
A History of Success
In the early 1940s, WSU bought an orchard and vineyard in Wenatchee from a certain Mrs. Mihelich. As part of the deal, WSU personnel would harvest the fruits of the land, sell them, and give her the money. In 1948, the orchard superintendent wrote Mrs. Mihelich an apologetic note: WSU could not sell her abundant crop of Zinfandel grapes because “there has been no demand for wine grapes.” Fortunately, the superintendent was able to enclose a check for sales of other of Mrs. Mihelich’s fruit, including apples and pears. Read more »
In the Heart of Washington Wine County
The Pacific Northwest's Most Sophisticated Research Winery
Upcoming Events
June 22–26 - American Society for Enology and Viticulture Annual Meeting, Napa, CA. More information
June 29 - Maximizing Malolactic Fermentation for Wine Quality and Style. A workshop with Sibylle Krieger-Weber and Thomas Henick-Kling. 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.; lunch 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. WSU Tri-Cities. For more info, download the flyer; RSVP or call Sara at 707-765-6666.
July 1 - Maximizing Malolactic Fermentation for Wine Quality and Style. A workshop with Sibylle Krieger-Weber and Thomas Henick-Kling. 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.; lunch 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Januik Winery (14710 Woodinville-Redmond Road NE), Woodinville. For more info, download the flyer; RSVP or call Sara at 707-765-6666.
September 12 - Viticulture Best Fall Practices, WSU Mount Vernon. More information
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Leafroll Virus
WSU research Naidu Rayapati has been investigating the prevelance of wine-industry threatening viruses. "It's time to face reality," he says. Learn more »