THE FACILITY

WSU’s V&E research, extension, and education programs are enhanced by state-of-the-art facilities and resources. Each center and facility is home to extraordinary faculty and researchers, and high-tech tools and equipment.

Built in a sagebrush landscape along the mighty Columbia River in the heart of Washington wine country, the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates WSU Wine Science Center is a hub for innovation, education, and collaboration.

The state-of-the-art Wine Science Center was developed in close partnership with the wine industry. This teaching, research, and extension facility is among the most technologically advanced wine research and education facilities of its kind in the world, transforming the Washington wine industry with cutting-edge science in the tradition of its forefathers, Dr.Walter Clore and Dr. Charles Nagel.

This 40,000-square-foot facility includes an open atrium with a wine library, research and teaching laboratories and winery, and classrooms and meeting spaces. The $23 million building now features high-tech equipment and is home to faculty and researchers who are educating future wine industry leaders and rolling out research that improves the grape-growing and winemaking process.

More than 200 wine grape vines were planted in June 2007, to create a training vineyard at Washington State University Tri-Cities.

Six different varieties are part of the first block of the vineyard, which provide hands-on experience for students in the Viticulture and Enology program.

The quarter-acre section has about 30 vines each of three red wine varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah) and of three white wine varieties (Chardonnay, Gewürtztraminer, and Riesling). They were planted in 12 rows, each about 100 feet long.

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