Women Winemakers in Washington Pt1

Women Winemakers in Washington Pt1

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
With today's Fruit Grower Report, I'm Bob Larson.

Washington winemakers are making quite a splash producing high quality wines recognized around the world. But, while it's been a slow transition, there does appears to be some notable winemakers who have broken through the 'wine-glass ceiling.'

Ashley Trout, of March Cellars and Vital Wines in Walla Walla, found her way into the business after the Washington D.C. native went looking for a small-town college experience ...

ASHLEY TROUT ... "So, I looked for colleges that people had good things to say about in small towns and wound up at Whitman, and my motto while I was there was, 'when in Rome, try everything, do it.' And a week after I started college I saw an opportunity to be the nighttime punch-down person at a winery which, was Reinenger Winery, and that was '99."

I asked Ashley when she realized winemaking was her calling ...

ASHLEY TROUT ... "From the first millisecond that I did the job I was, granted I was 18, but I was drawn to the job more than I was to wine drinking. The job very much fits my personality and there's something about getting my hands dirty and creating something tactile and being physically exhausted and having it be a process that you have to come back to over and over and over again to complete. There's something about that sort of long-term artistic mulling over and getting dirty and physical that I just can't stay away from."

Listen tomorrow for more of my conversation with winemaker Ashley Trout and find out how creating quality wines became her passion.

Previous ReportCherry Outlook for 2017 Pt 2
Next ReportWomen Winemakers in Washington Pt1