Washington State

Washington is located in the same latitude as Burgundy and Bordeaux with average sunshine hours in Washington of 17.4 hours per day – two hours longer than in California.  Large temperature variation between day and night creates well balanced wines with good acidity and intense flavour. There are two large climatic zones on each side of the Cascade Mountains, which rise to an altitude of 4,000m. On the west side of the mountains, the maritime climate gives mild and humid weather with an average rainfall of 1,210mm per year. In contrast, on the east side, it is hot and dry with a continental climate and an average rainfall of only 203mm per year. Washington is the second-largest producer of wine in the country, across a wide range of styles and quality levels, which are defined by the distinctly different climates on either side of the Cascade Mountains Like many other New World wine regions, the initial winemaking style was largely geared around ripe, extracted, oaked expressions of well-known “international” varietals. While grapes like Chardonnay, Riesling, Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon still make up the bulk of the plantings in the state, grape growers and winemakers in Washington have a certain freedom that their neighbours on the West Coast envy. The first Vitis Vinifera grapes in the 1950’s and 1960’s were planted here, and much of the finest wine still comes from the highly regarded Walla Walla, Red Mountain, and Yakima Valley AVAs. Bordeaux and Rhone varieties are grown in abundance and to great effect here, along with a growing number of Italian and Spanish grapes. Of course, there are a few challenges that face the Washington wine industry as well. Since the eastern part of the state is extremely arid, most vineyards rely on irrigation for a large part of the water that reaches the vines. Controlled drip irrigation is normal, which allows for precise applications of water at the desired time.

The bigger challenge is finding a market for the wines outside of the state. Napa specifically and California in general have done an excellent job of claiming the bulk of the wine sales throughout the U.S. and overseas, while Oregon has the benefit of a specific varietal, Pinot Noir, as its calling card. Washington wines, though diverse and often of very high quality, tend to lack identity.