The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

I did not know Mike Dunham well, but he made a lasting impression on me from the first day I met him a long time ago. I knew that I had met one of the good guys.

There is something both exhilarating and terrifying for those who are amid the first wave of anything. The siren call of that new challenge urging forward those adventurous souls who buck trends; those who start something new (and when told "you're crazy" tend to quietly agree and go ahead with it anyway) is not for the faint of heart.

We admire these forward-thinking iconoclasts because they accomplish things that seem insurmountable. Those who follow their example often reap rewards far beyond what those intrepid pioneers did, but as good as those second-wave adopters are, there is something lacking - that crucial vision - which is why we save a special place in our hearts and memories for those who took that initial leap of faith.

Our region has a long history of attracting that pioneering spirit - those hardy individuals (some would say foolhardy) who see opportunity where others only see toil, heartbreak and ruin. From the wheat barons of yesterday to the grape growers and wine makers of today - the process continues to unfold, marching us forward.

When I first visited Walla Walla, there were only a hand- ful of wineries dotting the landscape. Leonetti, L'Ecole, Woodward Canyon , Walla Walla Vintners, Spring Valley Vineyards, Bunchgrass Cellars, Cayuse, Reininger and Dunham Cellars. That was it. This small cadre was small and tightly knit - people who shared their passion for wine freely with each other, lending time, knowledge, equipment, bodies - whatever was required, whatever was needed to get the job done - it got done. Thus an industry was born.

Mike Dunham and his son Eric were among the first people I met upon coming out to Walla Walla. This dynamic father and son team exemplified the pioneering spirit of the valley. As a part of the early believers that the Walla Walla region not only could but would make world-class wine that would challenge the dominance of the California wine jug- gernaut and other regions of the world, the Dunham team proved that Washington, and Walla Walla in particular could make great wine right here at home. Since 1995 when the first Dunham Cellars Cabernet was released to high praise and accolades, they have continued to prove this time and time again. And not just with their higher-end Lewis Vine- yard wines - which always shine above many other wines of the same pedigree and caliber. The entire Dunham line-up has always shown great poise, focus and complexity year in and out.

For those of us who were lucky enough to cross paths with Mike Dunham in our lives, there are two things that stand out, seemingly remembered by everyone I've talked with recently. Mike was one of those guys with bright, smiling eyes and when he was talking with you he listened. Really listened. He was a gracious and funny man, an intel- ligent man, and above all a man who cared deeply about his family and friends.

On May 18, Mike Dunham, who had courageously battled cancer for four years, said farewell to us all - to those who knew him well and to those of us who were blessed to know him, even if just a little.

At the memorial service, as the valley closed a chapter on one of its true wine pioneers I fondly remembered a moment when I saw Mike on his scooter early on in his fight with cancer. We had not seen each other for a couple of years and as he rolled up to me with a smile in his eyes, he asked how I had been and what I had been doing. I will never for- get such a selfless moment, and as we caught up quietly to the side, the people I had come to the winery with were milling about inside the hanger learning about the wines that helped to define the Walla Walla wine scene. I didn't want to join them - I was right where I wanted to be.

Cheers and RIP Mike Dunham - you are missed.