“I get the opportunity to meet all sorts of interesting people every day.”

Olivia Arellano (OA): Can you please update me on some basic information: date of EV graduation, current employer and position, social media handles, preferred contact details?
Derrek Vipond (DV): Graduation 2007, Walla Walla Vintners, Winemaker

OA: How did you get into wine?
DV: My parents got me into wine.  I was a teenager when they caught the wine bug, so they started having me try wines around the dinner table.  I realized at a young age that I could taste and smell things the adults in the room could not. I always had a fondness to big and rich flavors, wine was no exception.  The beautiful thing about wine is that it is a perfect blend of art, science, blue collar hard work, a trade job (with lower pay) and white linen service.  Kinda unique that way.

OA: Is there someone in the EV world that you admire, including fellow EV alums?
DV: Admire? No; I do not like to use that word much.  I follow some legends I never met, such as David Lake; his wines, attitude, and quest to push the boundaries of what was possible put WA into the position it is in. Their wines age amazingly; something I aspire to make.  The other person that has been a great mentor to me is John Abbott at Devona.  He has always been gracious and accepting of me, even when others around me didn’t see my full potential.  He has turned into someone that I regularly talk to about things I am seeing in the vineyard, take wines to get another opinion, or just sit down and have a glass of wine with. I have many friends that I spent my 2 years at WWCC with that we forged lifelong friendship, rivalry, and respect for.  We all came with a goal, and many of us achieved it.

OA: What’s special to you about working in the wine industry?
DV: It is special because you get to be creative, to build something natural that reflects the place and the person who makes it.  It is a science-driven field that allows for constant intellectual growth.  It is never the same.  Some days you are a waiter, some a plumber, some an electrician, some a salesperson, some a landscaper, sometimes a purchaser, and the list could go on.  You also get to eat and drink fancy things that are well above your pay grade.  We often joke that when we pull out a cheap bottle it is $35+ dollars, which seems weird.

OA: What is your favorite part of your job?
DV: My favorite part of the job is the human element.  I get the opportunity to meet all sorts of interesting people every day.  I get to work out the challenges of managing different personalities on my team; everyone needs a different style.  Cookie cutter ideas do not work.  Managing up is difficult and rewarding.  It’s not always easy to manage expectations of those around you or who sign your paycheck. I think the other part that I love is getting dirty, whether it be dusty boots in the field or being sticky from head to toe from sorting fruit.

OA: What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in the industry?
DV: Early on I was very young and raw.  A lot of people around me told me that I would not make it in this business.  I was not polished enough (I may not be still).  But it lit a fire under me to make changes and do better at the expectation of the people I worked for.  Another big one was having to take a lot of classes over again at university, because at the time they did not transfer. Difficult to downright terrible bosses along the way, rough crews, and difficult vintages ( I am looking at you, 2011) were all challenging but rewarding at the end of the day.

OA: What do you think differentiates and excites you about Washington wine?
DV: Washington is unique because we can grow almost anything.  We have so many cool microclimates.  There are random gravel bars, sand boxes, and deep loam everywhere.  I think we excel in the world of Merlot, if the world ever accepted Merlot.

OA: How do you foresee climate change or social issues affecting the local industry in the next few years?
DV: The world is definitely changing around us.  I see water becoming a major issue for most of the west and southwest.  This will cause places that were historically fertile to dry up.  I think we will and already are moving to higher elevations closer to natural rainfall zones.  The zero-proof or “re-think the drink” movements are gaining steam among a younger demographic, as much for health reasons as it is for a need for social change.  I think that will be a great challenge in the next 5 to 10 years.  Who is going to drink our beautiful wines?

OA: What are some up-and-coming trends in wine that you’re following?
DV: I am curious to see if anyone locally can crack the nut on well-made sparkling wine. There is a huge market out there; we just need to perfect the sites and methods.  Canned wine and high-end bag in box wines with more sustainability and a better shelf life are an interesting trend I see coming for more wines.

OA: What advice can you share with future EV graduates?
DV: Keep your head down and eyes open.  Work hard, taste as much as possible, ask lots of questions. Do not work for people that do not give you the respect you deserve. Do not work for jerks! Seek out people to taste with. Harvest abroad; spend all your money doing so.