Moscow Food Co-op Producer Profile

Stu Scott and Camas Prairie Winery

by Jackie Molen, from the May 2003 newsletter

The first time I had been to the winery was when I first moved to town. And this time, it was just as I had remembered: wine bottles stacked on the wall, the white staircase leading up to the sitting area and, of course, Stu. The last time I saw him was when he was offering samples of his wine at the Co-op Taste Fair. He seemed sort of old-fashioned in a nice chivalrous way, and I was excited that I finally got to sit down and talk to him.

Before coming to Moscow, Stu lived in California. He was a civil servant with a winemaking hobby. He lived with his wife on a small vineyard that was composed of a few acres of land. Although they liked living there and business was good, they wanted to move to a place where it would be possible for them to spend more time raising their kids in a good environment. After looking around for a while they ended up here in Moscow. They opened shop in1983, which makes them the second oldest winery in the state.

Currently, Camas winery is in the process of changing their name to Camas Prairie Winery, but the name is the only thing changing. Mr. Scott still owns and operates it and it’s still located on Main Street in downtown Moscow.

Whenever I go inside Camas Prairie Winery I notice how relaxing the environment is. There is a sitting area that seats twenty-eight, where people can visit and enjoy the wine and maybe have a little conversation. Wine is sold by the glass here. (When I’m old enough I might just come back and enjoy the ambience over a glass.)

Stu makes all the drinks himself right there. He has a large array of drinks including wine, mead and sparkling wine—and all the ingredients to make them are locally bought. When talking to Stu about making wine I was shown so many aspects of wine including science, history, and culture, that he made it sound like a beautiful art. It’s an art he’s obviously good at: on display in the shop are fifteen commercial awards he has received for wine tasting contests. In his store he also sells all kinds of wine accessories including glasses, corks, and custom-made labels—anything to enhance the wine drinking experience.

When the Co-op decided to open a beer and wine department, they came to Stu Scott for many of their needs. Apparently, word of mouth goes far in this town. He was more than happy to sell his products there. Stu is a firm believer in buying locally. He feels that by buying locally, you’re making your community a better place.

Most of the time Stu doesn’t use distributors to sell his goods. By doing it himself he is making more profit and can keep his prices low. The most expensive bottle at his store is seventeen dollars for a bottle of sparkling wine.

Another way that he gives back to the community is by recycling. If customers bring back their empty bottles they receive five cents and a credit toward their next purchase. Camas Prairie Winery also buys used bottles from Palouse Industries. After sterilizing the bottles, they can use them again.

During our interview Stu gave me some good advice. He said that your life should drive your job and not vice versa. He also said that, though money is important, whom you love and who loves you is most important. I took that to heart.

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