Washington wine country has only been producing premium wines for some 50 years, no time at all compared to many of the world’s winemaking regions. Yet in that half-century, Washington has become the United States’ second-largest wine producer, behind California. And each year, Washington winemakers deliver an ever-more-impressive portfolio of world-class wines.
It’s not easy. Washington state wineries face serious obstacles, most notably the region’s climatic extremes.
On Washington’s western coast, a tiny percentage of wine comes from the cool, rainy Puget Sound region. Most of the state’s vines are planted in semi-desert conditions in the eastern half of the state, where the Cascade Mountains cast a massive rain shadow that shields the valleys from summer rain. In this area – primarily the Columbia Valley, Washington’s largest American Viticultural Area (AVA) – summers are hot and winters are bitterly cold.
But Washington state vineyards also have several advantages that help produce the area’s excellent wines. Their northern latitudes let grapes benefit from long days during the growing season, and south-facing slopes further maximize sunlight hours. Temperatures drop considerably (as much as 40 degrees) at night, so the grapes can rest and ripen gradually. The grapes can also stay on the vines longer, developing greater complexity while retaining refreshing acidity. Irrigation is available from the Cascades’ melting snow and the local rivers, especially the mighty Columbia.
On Washington’s western coast, a tiny percentage of wine comes from the cool, rainy Puget Sound region. Most of the state’s vines are planted in semi-desert conditions in the eastern half of the state, where the Cascade Mountains cast a massive rain shadow that shields the valleys from summer rain. In this area – primarily the Columbia Valley, Washington’s largest American Viticultural Area (AVA) – summers are hot and winters are bitterly cold.
But Washington state vineyards also have several advantages that help produce the area’s excellent wines. Their northern latitudes let grapes benefit from long days during the growing season, and south-facing slopes further maximize sunlight hours. Temperatures drop considerably (as much as 40 degrees) at night, so the grapes can rest and ripen gradually. The grapes can also stay on the vines longer, developing greater complexity while retaining refreshing acidity. Irrigation is available from the Cascades’ melting snow and the local rivers, especially the mighty Columbia.
A significant proportion of the vineyards are controlled by large wine companies, including Chateau St. Michelle, one of the area‘s pioneering wineries in 1967. But the state’s wine regions and winemaking activity have expanded in large part because of innovative small winemakers. Some focus on particular appellations in the state; others source grapes from a variety of good locations and label their wines Columbia Valley or Washington.
Washington has 13 AVAs: Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley, Columbia Gorge, Columbia Valley, Horse Heaven Hills, Lake Chelan, Naches Heights, Puget Sound, Rattlesnake Hills, Red Mountain, Snipes Mountain, Wahluke Slope, Walla Walla Valley and Yakima Valley. All but Puget Sound and Columbia Gorge lie within the Columbia Valley AVA. With numerous small climate zones within the Columbia Valley, regulators have continued to carve out specific AVAs within this larger area, designating Naches Heights as recently as 2011.
Despite the harsh climate, Washington is hospitable to a wide range of grape varieties. Its most-planted white grapes are Chardonnay and Riesling; reds are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.
A significant proportion of the vineyards are controlled by large wine companies, including Chateau St. Michelle, one of the area‘s pioneering wineries in 1967. But the state’s wine regions and winemaking activity have expanded in large part because of innovative small winemakers. Some focus on particular appellations in the state; others source grapes from a variety of good locations and label their wines Columbia Valley or Washington.
Washington has 13 AVAs: Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley, Columbia Gorge, Columbia Valley, Horse Heaven Hills, Lake Chelan, Naches Heights, Puget Sound, Rattlesnake Hills, Red Mountain, Snipes Mountain, Wahluke Slope, Walla Walla Valley and Yakima Valley. All but Puget Sound and Columbia Gorge lie within the Columbia Valley AVA. With numerous small climate zones within the Columbia Valley, regulators have continued to carve out specific AVAs within this larger area, designating Naches Heights as recently as 2011.
Despite the harsh climate, Washington is hospitable to a wide range of grape varieties. Its most-planted white grapes are Chardonnay and Riesling; reds are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.