Walter J. Clore (July 1, 1911 – February 3, 2003) was a pioneer in

wine growing Viticulture (from the Latin word for ''vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ran ...

and

agricultural research Agricultural science (or agriscience for short) is a broad multidisciplinary field of biology that encompasses the parts of exact, natural, economic and social sciences that are used in the practice and understanding of agriculture. Profession ...

Washington state Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first U.S. president—the state was formed from the western part of the Washington ...

and has been formally recognized by the Washington State Legislature as the "Father of Washington Wine". Among his contributions to wine growing in Washington state was his extensive research into what areas of the state that premium wine grapes (particularly ''

Vitis vinifera ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, is a species of flowering plant, native to the Mediterranean region, Central Europe, and southwestern Asia, from Morocco and Portugal north to southern Germany and east to northern Iran. There are curr ...

'') would most thrive in.Terrace Da
Walter Clore, Wine Grape Pioneer Dies
Feb. 3rd, 2003

Early life

Born in

Tecumseh, Oklahoma Tecumseh ( sac, Takamithîheki) is a city in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 6,457 at the 2010 census, a 5.9 percent increase from the figure of 6,098 in 2000. It was named for the noted Shawnee chief, Tecumseh, ...

, Clore studied botany and agriculture in high school in

Tulsa Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...

before attending Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College (Today known as

Oklahoma State University Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...

). While majoring in

horticulture Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and no ...

, Walter Clore also lettered in football as a lineman and was president of the agricultural fraternity Alpha Gamma Rho and elected to honorary membership to another agricultural fraternity Alpha Zeta. In the summers, he did survey work in

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

and

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

for the

United States Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...

Research and work

In 1934, Walter Clore married Irene Welsh and accepted a horticultural

fellow A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

ship at Washington State College (now

Washington State University Washington State University (Washington State, WSU, or informally Wazzu) is a public land-grant research university with its flagship, and oldest, campus in Pullman, Washington. Founded in 1890, WSU is also one of the oldest land-grant uni ...

) in Pullman, Washington. One of his first studies there was to measure the effect of "Bordeaux Sprays" (a sulfur and lime based mixture) on the

photosynthesis Photosynthesis is a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy that, through cellular respiration, can later be released to fuel the organism's activities. Some of this chemical energy is stored i ...

red Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondar ...

and golden delicious apples. In 1937, Clore became assistant horticulturist at the Irrigation Branch Experiment Station (now known as the Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center) in Prosser. There he oversaw the experimental plantings of nearly 20 ''

Vitis labrusca ''Vitis labrusca'', the fox grape, is a species of grapevines belonging to the ''Vitis'' genus in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The vines are native to eastern North America and are the source of many grape cultivars, including Catawba, C ...

'' hybrids and 7 ''Vitis vinifera'' grape varieties. In the years that follow, under Clore's direction the plantings at the Experiment Station would expand to include 45 hybrids, 71 ''Vitis vinifera'', and 10 interspecies ''Vitis'' hybrid rootstock. By 1974, Clore had overseen the plantings of 312 grape varieties. His work laid the foundation for the rebirth of the Washington State Wine industry as it conclusively proved that premium quality vinifera wine grapes could be grown in the rich

volcanic soil The soil composition of vineyards is one of the most important viticultural considerations when planting grape vines. The soil supports the root structure of the vine and influences the drainage levels and amount of minerals and nutrients that the ...

and warm climate of the Columbia River Valley. His test of trellis designs helped to promote the widespread adoption of modern

mechanical harvesting Mechanical may refer to: Machine * Machine (mechanical), a system of mechanisms that shape the actuator input to achieve a specific application of output forces and movement * Mechanical calculator, a device used to perform the basic operations of ...

techniques.

Awards and recognition

* 1967 ''"Mr. Asparagus"'' given by the Washington Asparagus Growers Association for his pioneering work in diversifying

asparagus Asparagus, or garden asparagus, folk name sparrow grass, scientific name ''Asparagus officinalis'', is a perennial flowering plant species in the genus '' Asparagus''. Its young shoots are used as a spring vegetable. It was once classified in ...

varieties as part of harvest management. * 1977 ''"Man of the Year"'' by the Washington State Grape Society * 1988 ''Governor's Award'' for his service to the Washington Wine Industry * 1990 ''Award of Service'' from the

Gamma Sigma Delta Gamma Sigma Delta (), or more fully, the Honor Society of Agriculture, Gamma Sigma Delta, is an honor society for Agriculture students and those in related fields. Founded in 1913, it is the oldest and largest such society for its academic discip ...

Honor Society of Agriculture * 1992 ''"Alec Bayless Prize"'' for viticultural contributions to the wine industry * 1993 Washington State University establishes the ''Walter J. Clore Scholarship'' for students in agriculture and

home economics Home economics, also called domestic science or family and consumer sciences, is a subject concerning human development, personal and family finances, consumer issues, housing and interior design, nutrition and food preparation, as well as texti ...

* 1995 ''Merit Award'' from the American Society for Enology and Viticulture * 2001, the Washington State Legislature passes a resolution to officially recognize him as the ''"Father of the Washington Wine Industry"'' * 2001 Columbia Crest winery introduces the ''1999 Walter Clore Private Reserve'' Bordeaux style blend in his honor. The winery has continued to honor him with additional wines in this series.Columbia Crest Winer
Reserve Wines
/ref> * 2014 The Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center in Prosser, WA opens its doors after a decade of vision and hard work. The non-profit center honors Dr. Clore's legacy through tastings of featured wines from the state's 14 AVAs, interactive displays showcasing the history of wine and agriculture in Washington, and educational wine and culinary classes and experiences aimed at increasing consumers' knowledge and enjoyment of Washington wine and food. The location was chosen to reflect Dr. Clore's impact and how his work positioned Prosser as the birthplace of Washington wine.

References

External links

Walter Clore Wine & Culinary Center

Walter J. Clore Scholarship For Viticulture and Enology
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clore American winemakers Washington (state) wine 1911 births 2003 deaths People from Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma People from Prosser, Washington Oklahoma State University alumni Washington State University

Early life

Research and work

Awards and recognition

See also

References

External links