September 8, 2017
CapitalPress.com
California grape grower
puts experience to work
By JULIA HOLLISTER
For the Capital Press
Fifth-generation Sonoma
County grape grower Steve
Dutton knows a lot about
stewardship of the land; his
family has been farming in the
county since the 1800s.
“My brother, Joe, and I
never wanted to do anything
else,” he said. “We have al-
ways wanted to be farmers,
we never had another job. We
both worked on the ranch as
teenagers, and started full
time in 1987.”
Dutton is a co-owner of
Dutton Ranch alongside his
brother, a business started by
their late father, Warren Dut-
ton, in the 1960s. Currently,
they farm 1,400 acres —
1,200 acres of winegrapes and
200 acres of organic apples.
He is also a partner in Dut-
ton-Goldfield Winery with
winemaker Dan Goldfield.
The Sebastopol winery pri-
marily produces Chardonnay
and Pinot noir.
“Our days are long,” he
said. “In the spring and sum-
mer we work 10 to 11 hours,
at harvest 13 to 15 hours, and
in the winter eight hours.”
All the grapes are hand-
picked. The Pinot noir grapes
are harvested at night, starting
at 2 a.m. and finishing most
days at 12:30 when the weath-
er heats up.
“The 2017 harvest looks
good so far,” he said. “It’s on
track to be a good year.”
Although he says Pinot
noir grapes are hardest to
grow, the varietal has gained
in popularity, and the demand
continues to grow, he said.
Grape growing has steadi-
ly evolved over the past 10
years because growers have a
better understanding of which
rootstocks and varietals grow
best in each American Viticul-
tural Area, he said.
He has some advice for
someone considering a career
Sonoma County Farm Bureau
Steve Dutton, a fifth-generation grape grower in Sonoma County,
Calif., has some advice for anyone considering a career in viticul-
ture: Pay attention to detail.
in grape growing: “Pay atten-
tion to detail and grow the
varieties that sell best from
your AVA,” he said. “For ex-
ample, foreign competition
is something we are aware of
but not a real problem. We are
fortunate to grow Chardonnay
and Pinot noir in the Russian
River Valley AVA. They both
have a lot of demand.”
He is also concerned about
agriculture in general, serving
as president of the Sonoma
County Farm Bureau.
“It’s important to me to
keep Sonoma County as open
space,” he said on the organi-
zation’s website. “It’s import-
ant to protect agriculture and
protect the right to farm. The
Farm Bureau is the only enti-
ty fighting for property rights,
farming rights, water rights
and to protect agriculture in
Sonoma County while repre-
senting all agriculture.”
He says challenges face
not only Sonoma County
grape growers but California
viticulture in general.
“In my opinion, there are
two challenges,” he said. “A
severe shortage of labor and
over regulation of the agricul-
ture industry.”
Dutton has served on the
county Farm Bureau board 13
years. For the last four years,
Dutton also chaired the mem-
bership committee.
In his “spare time” he
has served on the boards of
Sonoma County Farm Trails
and the Russian River Valley
Winegrowers
Foundation,
where he is currently presi-
dent.
15
Washington educates viticulturists
By SHERYL HARRIS
For the Capital Press
In Washington state, five
college or technical school
programs are available to
launch students into careers
in the wine industry. Once
prepared, students can enjoy
many careers in the industry.
Washington State Univer-
sity offers a bachelor’s, a mas-
ter’s and a doctoral degree in
viticulture and enology-related
fields.
Courses are taught at the
Pullman campus and at the
Richland campus, where WSU
has the largest research win-
ery in the Pacific Northwest.
WSU offers a major, minor,
and certificate in Wine Busi-
ness Management through
the College of Business. Pro-
fessional certificates are of-
fered in viticulture or enology,
each a one-year program with
hands-on camps at Richland or
Prosser.
Central Washington Uni-
versity’s program offers a
bachelor of science in Global
Wine Studies and a minor in
Wine, Trade and Tourism. Fac-
ulty-guided field experience
throughout Europe is required.
In the future, they hope to offer
a Wine Trade Certificate and a
Sommelier Certificate.
South Seattle College,
through its Northwest Wine
Academy, features Puget
Ridge Winery, the only com-
plete operating winery at a col-
lege in Western Washington.
Three professional certificate
programs are offered: Wine
Making, Wine Marketing &
Sales and Food and Wine
Pairing. The associates of ap-
plied sciences degree and the
transfer degree (associates of
applied science-T) cover the
same three major areas.
Yakima Valley Commu-
nity College offers degrees
in Agribusiness, Food Tech-
nology, Vineyard Technolo-
gy, and Winery Technology.
Transfer degrees are offered in
Associate of Applied Science
Agribusiness, Associate of Ap-
plied Science Vineyard, and a
Technology Transfer Degree.
YVCC currently offers a pro-
fessional certificate program
in Wine Sales, but is in the
process of adding two certif-
icates (Vineyard Technology
and Winery Technology) in
collaboration with South Se-
attle College and Wenatchee
College. Brad Smith, Certified
Sommelier II with the Yakima
program, says all classes are
available in the evenings, and
all resources are available on-
line.
He also says the program
has nearly 100 percent job
placement.
Walla Walla Community
College’s Institute for Enol-
ogy and Viticulture includes
a state-of-the-art winery at
College Cellars and 5 acres of
teaching vineyards. Students,
under the direction of the Di-
rector of Viticulture, take care
of these vineyards. Danielle
Swan-Froese says, “WWCC
is a Workforce Education pro-
gram well known for hands-on
experiences. We prepare stu-
dents to work in the industry.”
WWCC offers an AAAS
in Enology and Viticulture,
AAAS in Wine Business,
AAAS-T Enology and Viticul-
ture. An internship is required
where students experience
working in the college winery
and one other.
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