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Rick Small, Owner, Director of Production:
Agricultural interests come naturally to Rick Small, raised as a part of an Eastern Washington wheat farming family. He attended Washington State University, earning 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 Mott's employment in 2003, Rick has turned his primary attention to 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 Wine Growers Association, the precursor to the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance, when the growers petitioned and received approval from the federal government for the Walla Walla Valley appellation in 1984. Rick was a member of the Washington Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation and served on its Board of Directors as well as the Washington Wine Institute. He is currently Chair of the Washington Wine Commission. Anyone who has attended Holiday Barrel Tasting knows that Rick is an avid baker. He is also an avid bike rider and enjoys making the summer commute to the winery with Kevin and Thomas.
Darcey Fugman-Small, Owner, General Manager:
Darcey became General Manager of Woodward Canyon Winery in June of 2000.
Previously, she was employed by the Walla Walla County Regional Planning Department for twenty-two years, beginning as an Associate Planner and rising to Planning Director. It was the job with the County that brought her to Walla Walla from the Puget Sound in 1978. With no intention of staying in Walla Walla, she met Rick and helped him bottle homemade chardonnay in his basement on their second date. The die was cast and they married in 1980.
It was her background in planning that enabled her to prepare the original petition for the Walla Walla Valley appellation, along with Becky Hendricks, the then co-owner of Seven Hills Vineyard.
Darcey has been very involved in the community serving on a number of boards and advisory committees, including the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation, Planned Parenthood of Walla Walla, the American Association of University Women, United Way of Walla Walla and the Walla Walla Public School District’s Facilities and Math Curriculum committees. She is currently serving as Secretary of the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance and as Chair of the Carnegie Art Center Trustees.
When not in her office or in a meeting, she can often be found in the winery garden which she designed and planted.
Darcey and Rick have two grown children.
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Lowden, Washington 99360
