William Pollard Jr | aka: Wild 4 Washington Wine

"Do I still work in the wine industry?" Like many of you, the Covid pandemic altered my life trajectory. Today, I am going to re-cap where I am in the wine industry. My story will bounce back and forth for context. Remember, I like to connect the dots. The Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center in Prosser, Washington. First, everyone asks me, what happened to the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center (Clore Center)? Good question. The Clore Center, located in Prosser, Washington, birthplace of Washington wine, opened in 2014 as a not for profit. The primary mission of the Clore Center was to promote " Washington state wine ." I began working at the Clore Center in October 2015. My last title was, Wine Education Coordinator . We finally, sadly, closed our doors in November 2020.  It was my sincerest pleasure to work at the Clore Center for five years. I made many friends in the industry and in the community. I met many people from around the country and from around th...

Growers and Makers Blending Talent and Passion.  International group of wine writers visit future vineyard site of Force Majeur Winery. Wine touring in my backyard. There’s a corner of the wine world which is already beginning to enter the next phase of its maturation. Its the place where I live, a place where my grandfather lived and the place where some of my favorite makers and growers live. All this within minutes of my front door. Sometimes proximity leads to myopia. This past week, my vision was adjusted for the better. See this events many social media posts from myself and other wine writers by searching: #wbc18  #wallawalla  @wwvalleywine  @tricitieswa International group of wine bloggers and media in attendance at Marcus Whitman Hotel, Walla Walla, Washington. 2018 Wine Bloggers Conference Eight years ago I attended my first Wine Bloggers Conference in Walla Walla, Washington. Last week, I was again in Walla Walla, this time attendin...

This time of year gets away from me. Whoosh, like the horse I was riding the summer I spent working with my grandfather when I was 16 years old. One moment all was fine, then I was struggling to stay saddled while the horse tried to scrape me off with tree branches! I'm hanging on. And enjoying the thrill of the ride as I do. Cheers! 8th Anniversary + Milestones Last week marked the 8th anniversary of this blog - 12 December 2006 was my first post . Admittedly, I've been most serious about this blog since summer 2010 after attending the Walla Walla, Washington Wine Bloggers Conference . Thank you Zephyr Adventures . I needed that infusion. I'm gradually improving my photography efforts. A better camera, a fetish for lenses and slowly adding more lighting equipment. And trying to take more time for image composition. My photography friends remain an inspiration. Thank you all. The last couple of years, infused by wine blogging friends, industry connections, w...