Rick Small
Agricultural interests come naturally to Rick Small, raised as a part of an Eastern Washington wheat farming family. He attended Washington State University, holding a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from that institution as well as studying in the School of Architecture, before returning to Walla Walla and the family business. Beginning in the mid-70’s he developed a personal interest in winemaking with his friend Gary Figgins who was to found Leonetti Cellar.
In 1976, Rick began planting vines on former wheat ground on the family farm in Woodward Canyon. He and his wife Darcey Fugman-Small founded Woodward Canyon Winery in 1981. Rick is essentially a self-taught winemaker, reading numerous texts and learning by doing. His approach to winemaking is that of artisan and he believes that the key to even higher quality lies in the vineyard. With Kevin Mott’s employment in 2003 as Winemaker, Rick has turned his primary attention to his hands-on oversight of viticultural techniques at the Woodward Canyon Estate Vineyard as well as in contracted vineyards.
Rick was president of the Walla Walla Valley Winegrowers when the Walla Walla Valley appellation was applied for and received. Woodward Canyon is a founding member of the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance and Walla Walla Valley Vinea – the Winegrowers’ Sustainable Trust. He is currently serving as the Chair of the Washington Wine Commission.
