Woodward Canyon Winery

Woodward Canyon Winery was bonded in 1981 by Rick Small and his wife Darcey Fugman-Small, making it the second commercial winery in the Walla Walla Valley after Leonetti Cellar. The winery takes its name from the canyon where Rick's family farmed for multiple generations and where the Estate Vineyard now stands. Rick had planted the first vines on his family's dryland wheat ranch in 1977, beginning what would become the Woodward Canyon Estate Vineyard. From the outset, quality was placed above quantity, a philosophy that has guided the winery for over four decades.

• Bonded in 1981 in Lowden, Washington, on U.S. Highway 12; second winery in the Walla Walla Valley after Leonetti Cellar
• Named for the canyon where the Small family farmed for four generations; Estate Vineyard first planted in 1977 on the family wheat ranch
• As of 2023, founders Rick and Darcey stepped back from daily operations; daughter Jordan Small serves as General Manager and son Sager Small as Vineyard Manager
• Winemaker Kevin Mott joined in 2003 and was made a partner in 2011, ensuring continuity in the winery's quality-first approach

Woodward Canyon holds a defining place in Washington wine history. Rick Small, as President of the Walla Walla Valley Winegrowers Association, submitted the petition that secured federal approval of the Walla Walla Valley AVA in 1984, the second AVA in Washington after the Yakima Valley. Darcey Fugman-Small, working as a Walla Walla County planner, wrote the application and prepared the maps. The winery's early wines drew immediate critical praise, and in 1992 Wine Spectator named Rick Small its Winemaker of the Year, placing Walla Walla firmly on the national fine wine map alongside Leonetti Cellar and L'Ecole No. 41.

• Rick Small served as President of the Walla Walla Valley Winegrowers Association and was instrumental in securing AVA approval on March 7, 1984
• Walla Walla Valley AVA was the second in Washington State, following Yakima Valley (1983)
• Wine Spectator named Rick Small Winemaker of the Year in 1992; his wines also featured on Wine Spectator's cover
• Woodward Canyon, Leonetti Cellar, and L'Ecole No. 41 formed the founding trio that established Walla Walla Valley's fine wine identity

Woodward Canyon consistently produces age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignons, Bordeaux-style blends, Merlots, and Chardonnays. The flagship Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon, launched in 1992, is sourced from some of Washington's oldest and most renowned vineyards, including the Estate, Weinbau, and Sagemoor, with typical vine age around 35 years. The blend varies by vintage but is Cabernet Sauvignon dominant, often incorporating Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. The Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon sources from Sagemoor Vineyard's 1972 plantings in Blocks 3 and 9. Artist Series bottlings regularly earn scores in the 91 to 95-point range from major critics.

• Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon launched in 1992; sourced from Estate, Weinbau, and Sagemoor vineyards; features a rotating West Coast artist label each vintage
• Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon sources from Sagemoor Vineyard's 1972 plantings, among the oldest vinifera vines in Washington State
• Typical Artist Series blend is Cabernet Sauvignon dominant with Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc; aged in French and Hungarian oak
• Wines are built for extended cellaring; critics frequently recommend 15 or more years of aging potential for the Artist Series

The Woodward Canyon Estate Vineyard is the westernmost vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley AVA, situated roughly 15 miles west of the city of Walla Walla at 750 to 850 feet elevation. Soils are Ritzville silt loam over fractured basalt. The Estate is Salmon Safe certified, and the Smalls have experimented with organic and regenerative farming practices. The winery is also a co-owner of Champoux Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA, a site first planted in 1972 that is among the oldest and most acclaimed in Washington. Sagemoor Vineyard, founded in 1968, provides additional old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon fruit, with 1972 plantings still producing grapes for the Old Vines program.

• Estate Vineyard: first planted 1977, located at 750 to 850 feet elevation in Woodward Canyon; Ritzville silt loam over fractured basalt; Salmon Safe certified
• Champoux Vineyard: first planted 1972 in Horse Heaven Hills AVA; Woodward Canyon became co-owner in 1996 alongside Quilceda Creek, Andrew Will, and Powers Winery
• Sagemoor Vineyard: founded 1968; 1972 plantings in Blocks 3 and 9 supply the Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon program
• Walla Walla Valley Estate Vineyard is the westernmost in the AVA; annual rainfall on the west side averages around 7 inches, requiring irrigation

Woodward Canyon's wines have appeared on Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, and Wine and Spirits Top 100 lists dozens of times. In 1992, Wine Spectator named Rick Small its Winemaker of the Year and featured him on the cover, a watershed moment for Washington wine. In 2014, Wine Press Northwest named Woodward Canyon the Washington Winery of the Year. Rick Small also received the Honorary Vintner recognition at the Annual Auction of Washington Wines. The Artist Series continues to earn consistent critical acclaim, with recent vintages receiving scores of 91 to 95 points from Vinous, James Suckling, Jeb Dunnuck, and Wine Enthusiast.

• Rick Small named Wine Spectator Winemaker of the Year in 1992, featured on the magazine's cover
• Wine Press Northwest named Woodward Canyon Washington Winery of the Year in 2014
• Rick Small received the Honorary Vintner award at the Annual Auction of Washington Wines
• Artist Series scores regularly range from 91 to 95 points across Vinous, James Suckling, Jeb Dunnuck, and Wine Enthusiast

Woodward Canyon is an essential reference point in wine education for understanding the development of Washington State wine, regional AVA formation, and the role of small, family-owned producers in establishing quality benchmarks. Rick Small's self-taught approach, learning through UC Davis coursework materials and hands-on practice, is a documented example of how Washington's pioneer generation built expertise outside formal enology programs. The winery illustrates how early critical validation, vineyard partnerships, and quality consistency can anchor a regional identity, and the Artist Series serves as a practical teaching example of old-vine viticulture, multi-vineyard blending, and extended aging potential in Washington Cabernet Sauvignon.

• Case study in AVA formation: Rick Small as President of the Walla Walla Valley Winegrowers Association drove the successful 1984 AVA petition
• Illustrates self-taught winemaker success: Rick used UC Davis curriculum texts and WSU agricultural science as foundational resources
• Artist Series demonstrates old-vine sourcing from vineyards with average vine age of 35 years, drawing on Sagemoor (1972 plantings) and Champoux (1972 plantings)
• Reference producer for Washington Cabernet aging potential; critics have documented 15 to 20-plus years of development for top vintages