Washington wine

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Washington
Muscat Canelli, Muscat Ottonel, Petit Verdot, Pinot blanc, Pinot gris, Pinot noir, Riesling, Roussanne, Sangiovese, Sauvignon blanc, Sémillon, Siegerrebe, Syrah, Viognier, Zinfandel[1]

Washington wine is a

irrigation and water rights of paramount interest to the Washington wine industry. Viticulture in the state is also influenced by long sunlight hours (on average, two more hours a day than in California during the growing season) and consistent temperatures.[8]

The early history of the Washington wine industry can be traced to the introduction of

Ancient Lakes AVA, Walla Walla Valley AVA, which encompasses Oregon's The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater AVA, Horse Heaven Hills AVA, the Wahluke Slope AVA, Lake Chelan AVA, Naches Heights AVA, and the Yakima Valley AVA, which in turn also encompasses the Rattlesnake Hills AVA, Snipes Mountain AVA, the Red Mountain AVA, Goose Gap AVA and the Candy Mountain AVA. The Columbia Gorge AVA is west of the Columbia Valley AVA. As of 2023, Washington's only AVA located west of the Cascades is the Puget Sound AVA[7] and a petition has been submitted to Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) proposing a new American Viticultural Area named "Mount St. Helens" covering parts of Clark County, Cowlitz County, Skamania County and Lewis County.[11][12][13]

History

Fort Vancouver in 1859

The earliest grape vines planted in Washington State were at Fort Vancouver in 1825 by traders working for the Hudson's Bay Company but it is not known for sure whether the wine was ever produced from these plantings.[14] Currently, a number of wineries and vineyards operate in the region near Fort Vancouver in Clark County, Cowlitz County, and parts of Skamania County and Lewis County. The first people who were definitely known to produce wine were German and Italian immigrants who planted their wine grapes in Washington during the 1860s and 1870s.

sweet wine production made from the Vitis labrusca variety Concord.[7] The Nawico and Pommerelle wineries were the most widely recognized producers, making millions of gallons each year of sweet jug wine made from Concord and other varieties.[15] In the 1950s, the planting of Vitis vinifera saw an increase spearheaded, in part, by the work of Dr. Walter Clore and Washington State University which conducted a series of trials on which grape vines could produce the best wine in various soils and climates of Washington.[14]

The roots of the modern Washington wine industry can be traced to the middle of the 20th century when a group of professors from the University of Washington turned their home winemaking operation into a commercial endeavor and founded Associated Vintners (later renamed Columbia Winery) and focused on producing premium wines. The Nawico and Pommerelle wineries were merged into a new winery that would eventually become Chateau Ste Michelle. With the hiring of André Tchelistcheff as a consultant, Chateau Ste Michelle and Associated Vintners became the driving force in premium wine production for the early modern Washington wine industry.[15] Grenache was one of the first Vitis vinifera grapes to be successfully vinified with a 1966 Yakima Valley rosé earning mention in wine historian Leon Adams's treatise The Wines of America.[17] The 1970s ushered in a period of expansion, with early vineyards being planted in the Columbia Gorge, Walla Walla and Red Mountain areas. The 1978 Leonetti Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon was featured on the cover of a national wine publication and touted as the best Cabernet of vintage. The 1980s saw further expansion with the opening of large-scale family-owned wineries such as Woodward Canyon, L'Ecole N°41, Barnard Griffin and Hogue Cellars that soon won many awards from both national and international wine competitions. In 1988, Chateau Ste Michelle was named "Best American Winery" and in 1989 five Washington wines made Wine Spectator's "Top 100 list" for the first time.[16]

The "Merlot craze" of the 1990s prompts dramatic growth in the Washington wine industry in the late 20th century.

Following the broadcast in 1991 of the

cherries. By 2007 the state had certified its 500th winery.[16] In early 2009, the state's 600th winery opened.[18]

Geography and climate

See also: Geology of the Pacific Northwest
Cascade Mountains keeps the wet, marine influence of the Puget Sound and Pacific Ocean from affecting the dry, desert-like conditions of Eastern Washington
.

The Cascade Mountain range is a defining feature in both the geography and climate of Washington state. It serves as a dividing line between the wet,

canopy quickly freeze which can cause the vine to literally burst open.[15] The severity of these conditions can wreak havoc on a year's harvest, as was the case in the Walla Walla AVA with the big winter freezes of 1996 and 2003.[7]

Today the

acidity.[8]

Viticulture

Riesling vineyard in the Rattlesnake Hills

Viticulture in Washington State is deeply influenced by the use of irrigation and the water rights associated with suitable vineyard land.

disease free.[20]

Until recently, there has been very little

mechanically harvested. To accommodate the machine harvest, vineyard rows are widely spaced and usually trained in bilateral cordons.[7] Harvest typically takes place from late September till the end of October.[5]

Irrigation sourced from major rivers such as the Columbia (pictured) are essential to the wine production in Washington State.

Irrigation

See also: Irrigation in viticulture

While the use of irrigation is disparaged or even prohibited in many premium

sucker pruning, leaf striping and mildew treatment to control and tend to the leaf canopy. Applying a controlled amount of water during the ripening period following veraison encourages the grapes to ripen faster without a reductive loss in quality. One additional benefit of irrigation is frost protection. Following harvest, growers will soak the soil of the vineyard to moisten the soil down to two feet. As temperatures drop, this water can form a protective layer of ice that will give the vine a few extra degrees of protection from freezing temperature that may damage the roots.[21]

Wine regions

The Columbia Valley AVA covers more than a third of the state and contains several smaller AVAs within its boundaries.

Geographically and viticulturally, Washington is divided into sections separated by the Cascade Mountain chain. The cooler, wetter Western Washington which includes the population centers of

Ancient Lakes AVA in the north-central part of the state. On the westernmost side of the Columbia Valley in central Washington is the newest AVA, Naches Heights. West of the Columbia Valley is the Columbia Gorge AVA which, along with the Walla Walla AVA, is also shared with Oregon.[7]

Columbia Valley AVA

A red blend from the Columbia Valley AVA.

The large

heat summation. On average, the Columbia Valley sees over 300 cloudless days per year and experiences no more than 15 inches (380 mm) of rainfall.[14]

The Wahluke Slope AVA, located among the foothills of the Saddle Mountains (pictured), is one of the warmest and driest regions in the state. Sentinel Gap is in the distance.

The

phenols, and keep the vine's canopy dry which aids in disease control.[21]

The

wine labels.[21]

In April 2009 the

Wenatchee Valley and along the eastern foothills of the Cascade Mountains (in a region collectively called the Columbia Cascades) expected to seek federally designation.[21]

In 2012 the

Ancient Lakes of the Columbia Valley AVA
, located in the Columbia Valley was approved as an American Viticultural Area and contains more than 162,000 acres in total area and approximately 1,800 acres of currently planted vineyards.

Yakima Valley AVA

The Yakima Valley AVA was established in 1983 and is the oldest agricultural region in the state. The third-largest AVA, the area is responsible for more than 40% of the state's entire wine production. Located within the larger Columbia Valley AVA, the Yakima Valley AVA is further sub-divided into the smaller Red Mountain, Snipes Mountain and Rattlesnake Hills AVAs[7] Of the region's 665,000 acres (269,000 ha), nearly 11,120 acres (4,500 ha) were planted as of 2008.[5] Within the larger AVA are vineyards planted in some of the coolest regions in Eastern Washington[20] including Boushey Vineyard.[23] The boundaries of the AVA are framed from the foothills of the Cascade Mountains to the west and follows the path of the Yakima Valley to Red Mountain which shapes its eastern border. The Rattlesnake Hills and Horse Heaven Hills frame the AVA to the north and south, respectively.[15] The Yakima Valley is home to the state's highest concentration of wineries.[14]

The

Washington Department of Natural Resources released water rights for 600 acres (240 ha) of land suitable for vineyard development. The new developments are expected to increase the profile of the AVA.[21]

Pinot noir grapes in May in the Rattlesnake Hills AVA. The Rattlesnake Hills lie in the background.

The Rattlesnake Hills AVA was established in 2006 amidst some controversy about whether the terroir of the region was sufficiently different from that of the greater Yakima Valley AVA.[21][24] Of the region's 68,500 acres (27,700 ha), nearly 1,235 acres (500 ha) were planted as of 2008.[5] The appellation covers the northern expanse of the Yakima Valley and features the highest elevation in the valley ranging from 850 feet (260 m) to 3,000 feet (910 m). Regional temperatures are moderate during the peak growing season but are significantly warmer in winter when compared to other parts of the Columbia Valley (an average of 8-10 degrees Fahrenheit), limiting the frost danger in the appellation.[21]

The

aridisols. The viticultural area also includes Harrison Hill, which lies contiguously east of Snipes Mountain and has similar soil and topography.[26]

Walla Walla Valley AVA

The Walla Walla Valley generally receives more precipitation than the rest of the Columbia Valley.

The

flood plain silt. The majority of Walla Walla Valley's vineyards are located on a combination of slackwater terrace and loess. The silt and volcanic ash that make up the region's loess soils contain remnants from the eruption of Mount Mazama (which also formed the Crater Lake nearly 400 miles (640 km) away in Oregon).[21]

Other regions

Due to the rain shadow effect of the Cascade Mountains (pictured in background), the Puget Sound AVA receives much more precipitation and is generally cooler than the drier eastern half of the state.

The Columbia Gorge AVA was established in 2004. Of the region's 179,200 acres (72,500 ha), nearly 445 acres (180 ha) were planted as of 2008.[5] Similar to the Columbia Valley and Walla Walla AVAs, this appellation also crosses over the southern Washington border into Oregon where Pinot noir and Pinot Gris are grown. Located along the Columbia River where it bisects the Cascade Range, parts of the AVA fall within a wind tunnel that is a popular tourist destination for wind surfing but can be too fierce for viticulture. Most of the vineyards planted on the Washington side of the appellation are located on southward facing slopes along the river where they can receive some protection from the winds. Depending upon the elevation, vineyards in the Columbia Gorge AVA receive anywhere from 18-30 inches (46-76 centimeters) of rain annually.[21]

The Puget Sound AVA is the only wine-growing region located in Western Washington. Of the region's 4.75 million acres (1.9 million hectare), only 200 acres (81 ha) were planted as of 2008 – mostly to cool weather varieties like Madeleine Angevine, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot noir and Siegerrebe.[5] Granted AVA status in 1995, the appellation extends from the foothills of the Cascades to the Olympic Peninsula and islands located in Puget Sound. The climate is greatly affected by the marine influences of nearby Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean which contributes to mild temperatures, wet winters and dry summers – all of which make it ideal for some cool-climate grape varieties. The region experiences more sunshine than Bordeaux and is drier in average precipitation than Burgundy.[14]

Grape varieties

Riesling grapes from the Yakima Valley
A late harvest Sémillon from the Columbia Valley

The early Washington wine industry focused predominately on white wines but in recent years, led by the "

Bonny Doon founder's Randall Grahm to open a winery focused solely on Riesling production. Experts like Jancis Robinson have noted that Washington state consistently produces white wines of exceptional quality, specifically mentioning those of the Sémillon variety. Merlot was one of the first major vinifera varieties to garner international attention for the state[7] with its distinctive earthiness and structure that can be very different from the softer, plusher styles found in California.[27] However the Merlot vine is very sensitive to frost and after significant damages during major winter freezes in 1996 and 2003, more vintners turned their attention to the hardier Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. This led to interest in Bordeaux-style blends. In the early 21st century, Syrah has emerged on the scene as a major player.[7]

Today there are over 80 grape

Petite Sirah, Pinot noir, Sangiovese, and Zinfandel.[28] Vineyard acreage dedicated to red varieties was 17,351 acres (7,022 ha) in 2006. The four most prevalent red varieties were Cabernet Sauvignon at 5,959 acres (2,412 ha), Merlot at 5,853 acres (2,369 ha), Syrah at 2,831 acres (1,146 ha), and Cabernet Franc at 1,157 acres (468 ha). Vineyard acreage planted to white varieties was 13,649 acres (5,524 ha). The four most prevalent white varieties were Chardonnay at 5,992 acres (2,425 ha), Riesling at 4,404 acres (1,782 ha), Sauvignon blanc at 993 acres (402 ha), and Gewürztraminer at 632 acres (256 ha).[29]

Washington State is one of the few major wine regions to have significant plantings of Lemberger (known as Blaufrankisch in Austria).

Washington State is also home to plantings of some lesser known Vitis vinifera varieties that are used in wine production for some experimental wines and blending. These include

hybrid grapes used in wine production include Aurore and Baco noir.[28]

Wines

A red blend from the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington State

The wines of Washington State are often characterized by their

cherries and raspberries.[15] The state is often described as combining New World fruit with Old World style.[30] Paul Gregutt, wine writer for The Seattle Times and Wine Enthusiast describes Washington wines as maintaining strong purity and typicity of varietal flavors with firm, ripe tannins and bright acidity. Gregutt says Washington wines have the potential to combine the structure and polish of French wines with the ripeness and fruit of California wines.[21]

Washington produces a full spectrum of wines ranging from mass-produced to premium boutique wines. It also produces nearly every style of wine including rosé,

Quilceda Creek Vintners using grapes from several Washington AVAs. Only 15 other American wines have ever been scored so highly by The Wine Advocate, all from California.[31] Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates (which owns the original Chateau. Ste Michelle label as well as several others) is the largest producer in the state, owning more than a third of all vineyard land in Washington.[7]

Challenges in the consumer market

Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates is the largest producer in Washington State.

In his book Washington Wines and Wineries: The Essential Guide, Paul Gregutt, a wine writer for The Seattle Times and Wine Enthusiast, found that there is a common perception that Washington does not excel with any particular flagship variety or blend, as is common in most of the world's notable wine regions such as Napa Valley with Cabernet Sauvignon, the Mosel with Riesling, Australia with Shiraz, Chablis with Chardonnay and Pomerol with Merlot-based blends. There is also a perception that Washington wines are more expensive than other New World wine regions despite the fact that the state's two largest producers (Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columbia Winery) focus primarily on value wine production.[32] This may be partly due, as Gregutt noted, to the fact that many consumers think that Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columbia Winery are California wine producers.[33] While some wineries in Washington are large corporate-run businesses, many Washington wineries are small family-run businesses, with production often less than 25,000 gallons per year. Smaller wineries typically sell much or even a majority of their production direct to consumers through tasting rooms.

Despite producing significantly more wine than neighboring

Klickitat
and Mt. St. Helens AVA in SW Washington (2023).

References

  1. ^ a b "Washington: Appellation Profile". Appellation America. 2007. Archived from the original on July 13, 2009. Retrieved November 14, 2007.
  2. ^
    Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury: 44895–44899. November 13, 1984.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain
    .
  3. ^ "State Area Measurements and Internal Point Coordinates". United States Census Bureau. U.S. Department of Commerce. 2010. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
  4. ^ Columbia Valley Winery Association (2007). "Washington Grape Acreage and Winery Survey Results Final: April, 2007". Retrieved November 16, 2007.
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-0841602977
    .
  6. ^ "Washington State Wine". Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  7. ^
    ISBN 0-19-860990-6."TTB Approves New AVA: The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater"
    (Media Relations). Oregon Wine Board. February 5, 2015.
  8. ^
    ISBN 1-74048-050-3
    .
  9. ISBN 0-9719258-5-2
    .
  10. ^ "Regions & AVAs". Washington State Wine Commission. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  11. ^ "List of Pending AVA Petitions". Alcohol and Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau.
  12. ^ "Proposed St Helens AVA". Sip Magazine.
  13. ^ "List of Pending American Viticultural Areas Petitions". TTB.gov. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  14. ^
    ISBN 0-7566-1324-8
    .
  15. ^
    ISBN 1-56305-434-5
    .
  16. ^
    ISBN 978-0520261389
    .
  17. ^ Gregutt (2010), pp.67-68.
  18. The Associated Press
    .
  19. ^ Broberg, Brad (April 1, 2007). "Water rights central to negotiating price for premium wine-growing land". Seattle Business Journal.
  20. ^
    ISBN 978-1845333010
    .
  21. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Gregutt (2010), pp.30-48.
  22. ^ Perdue, Andy (April 28, 2009). "U.S. approves Lake Chelan AVA". WinePress Northwest. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011.
  23. ^ Gregutt (2010), pp.85-86.
  24. ^ Meyer, Harris (May 2, 2008). "Lake Chelan area wineries await federal American Viticultural Area designation". Puget Sound Business Journal.
  25. ^ Stegemoeller, Ingrid (January 22, 2009). "Washington's Snipes Mountain AVA among oldest wine regions". Wine Press Northwest. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011.
  26. ^ "Establishment of the Snipes Mountain Viticultural Area (2007R–300P)" (27 CFR 9 [Docket No. TTB–2008–0003; T.D. TTB–73; Re: Notice No. 82] RIN 1513–AB51 Final Rule). Federal Register. 74 (12). Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau {TTB), Treasury: 3422–3425. January 21, 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 18, 2023.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  27. New York Times
    .
  28. ^
    ISBN 0-9650834-9-7
    .
  29. ^ Washington Vineyard Acreage Report 2006 compiled by USDA National Agriculture Statistics Office, Washington Field Office. This is posted on the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers Website. Retrieved July 10, 2008.
  30. ^ "The differences between Washington, Oregon, and Illinois wine". Seattle DINING!. 2010.
  31. ^ Allison, Melissa (May 5, 2006). "Cup of cheer overflows for Snohomish vintners". Seattle Times. Archived from the original on May 24, 2011.
  32. ^ a b Gregutt (2010), pp.269-298.
  33. ^ Gregutt (2010), p.24.

External links

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