The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

OLYMPIA — Lawmakers are considering legislation to allow university students between ages 18 and 21 to taste alcohol in the classroom.

But don’t plan a celebratory high-five unless you’re an aspiring winemaker.

“It’s imperative that someone learning to make wine has the requisite palate to recognize the nuances that are inherent in the product that they are making,” said Rep. Larry Springer, D-Kirkland, wine merchant and co-sponsor of House Bill 1004. “This is a product that you don’t just talk about: you smell it and you taste it. It would be like building a racecar and...