News
A $1.1 million Walla Walla Building Helps Startup Winemakers
A progressive new facility gives budding wine entrepreneurs a chance to get going
By Alyson Davis
(08/11/08) It’s no secret that booming Walla Walla is becoming a hot destination for young wine entrepreneurs. To give budding wineries and graduates of Walla Walla Community College’s (WWCC) enology and viticulture program a boost, the Port of Walla Walla opened the $1.1 million Walla Walla Regional Airport Wine Incubator Complex (310 A St., Walla Walla; 509.525.3100; portwallawalla.com) in February 2006. The facility rents out three 1,600-square-foot climate-controlled spaces over a one-time six-year lease—enough time for leasers to grow and market their product—and two more spaces will be finished this month. Tenants are chosen based on their business plan, knowledge of the industry and level of experience (the program is for a startup winery or a graduate of the WWCC wine program only). Winemakers have access to the shared wine lab, crushing area and dry storage area, but must supply their own wine barrels, press, tanks, pumps and crusher.
“We want to make sure they have a true entrepreneurial experience, and to achieve that, they need to put some risk forward, which is an essential element to success,” says port executive director Jim Kuntz. Current Incubator tenants, siblings Andrew Lodmell and Kristie Lodmell Kirlin, and her husband Randy Kirlin, of Lodmell Cellars released a 2005 Merlot in May, available on site; a 2006 Syrah crafted by Devin and Debra Stinger of Adamant Cellars (adamantcellars.com) was released in May; and Rieslings from Denise Slattery, Steve Michener and Tim Boushey of Trio Vintners (triovintners.com) are available at Esquin Wine Shop in Seattle.
Slattery enjoys and benefits from the communal facility. “Having neighbors allows us to be an open source and we’re always asking questions, even if it’s asking for the quintessential cup of sugar. We want each other to succeed, and without this place we wouldn’t have been able to get it off the ground.”