Located in Prosser, The Walter Clore Wine & Culinary Center was built to enhance the Washington wine experience for visitors and growers alike. Executive Director Abbey Cameron explains the center’s mission and offerings.
Q: Who was Walter Clore, the namesake for the center?
A: He was the father of Washington wine—officially. The state legislature gave him the honor in 2003. He wasn’t a grower and he didn’t make wine, but he was a horticulturist, PhD, and worked for the Washington State University irrigation research station.
He looked into wine and tested hundreds of varietals while there. He realized that wine grapes could grow in Washington the way they do in France, especially considering we’re on the same parallel. Then Dr. Clore went out and picked out the areas where some of the most acclaimed vineyards in the state are based on the sun, soil, slope, and the irrigation possibilities.
Q: How did the Clore Center come to be?
A: Late in Dr. Clore’s life, a group of his friends and supporters had the idea to build a central place to promote Washington wine. He was, by all accounts, a very humble man, so it’s not clear if he knew these plans were taking place. The idea to build the center started about 13 years ago, and we’re still building out toward future goals.
Q: What is the function of the center in the community and in the wine industry?
A: The industry is pretty well-established, albeit still young, in Washington. The center has grown to have a place for folks to get a sense of Washington wine. Folks from across the country and around the world are recognizing Washington more and more as a destination and force in winemaking.
The goals of the center are multi-faceted. We help visitors by enhancing their experience and in 2014, we had more than 10,000 visitors. And, we help wineries. We’re another outlet for them, especially for small producers who people may not find otherwise.
Our goal is to highlight local wineries, and one way we do that is by bringing in wine from a specific area or on a specific theme each month. Right now, we have wines from student programs. Next month, they’ll be Yakima wines. We have a tasting room on premise and a wine club as well.
Q: Who is involved in the project?
A: It’s a non-profit, since the main goal is education about this industry. Our board of directors includes Mike Hogue (Hogue Ranches/Mercer Estates), Jackie Cross (Tom Douglas Restaurants & Prosser Farm)… A lot of important people to the industry.
The staff is a growing team. I moved out from [Washington] D.C. four years ago and have been with the project from the beginning. We have a fantastic wine program director named April Reddout as well. She works with wineries outside of the center, but here she trains staff, brings in wines, leads wine education initiatives… It’s a great team.
Q: What kinds of future goals do you have for the Clore Center?
A: Next year, there will be exhibits at the center throughout the year. We’re focusing on historic, educational features. We want to give people a sense of history, the people involved in the industry, and the places that make Washington wine so special.
