Lowden, WA — Woodward Canyon hit a milestone this year in celebration of the winery’s 40th anniversary. Among the Walla Walla Valley’s oldest wineries, it was founded in 1981 by Rick Small and Darcey Fugman-Small. Woodward Canyon has been family-owned and operated since its inception, and the second generation has been increasingly more involved over the years and now work full time in the family business.
“It doesn’t seem possible that Woodward Canyon is 40 years old. When Darcey and I started this, we never thought about time—just work and grapes and wine and the kids. Failure was never in our vocabulary, neither was longevity, just quality. Today, I feel exactly as I did in 1981. It’s been an amazing ride and fortunately, it ain’t over yet!” says Rick Small.
Today, Rick and Darcey’s grown children, Jordan Dunn-Small and Sager Small, are both co-owners and assuming positions of company leadership. Jordan, following in Darcey’s footsteps, is moving into the role of general manager, and like Rick, Sager is managing the vineyard and working on special wine projects in the cellar.
“We are excited to celebrate all the hard work our parents have done building our winery and creating wines of exceptional quality over the last 40 year,” says Jordan. “It’s very special to be part of a multi-generational family winery, and my brother and I look forward to leading our family business into the future with that same commitment to quality and integrity.”