A question often asked by lovers of Northwest wine is how Red Mountain got its name. After all, it's not much of a mountain, and it's brown. In fact, the nearby town of Kiona is a native word for "brown hills," which appropriately describes the nearby Rattlesnake and Horse Heaven hills. But "Brown Hill" isn't nearly as marketable a name as Red Mountain. From a wine … [Read more...] about Red Mountain is red for many reasons
Featured wines
Walla Walla rising with reds
As much as any region in Washington, perhaps none is as famous as the Walla Walla Valley. This because of a number of factors, including history, reputation, quality, density of tasting rooms as well as other factors, including natural beauty, culinary scene and overall vibe. With more than 130 wineries calling the valley home, Walla Walla is only rivaled by Woodinville for … [Read more...] about Walla Walla rising with reds
Merlot retains star power in Washington wine country
With nearly 33,000 tons harvested in Washington last fall, Merlot, one of the noble red grapes of France's Bordeaux region, particularly on the right bank of the Gironde River, where it is most prevalent, remains popular in Washington wine country. Merlot has been famous in Washington for many years, and was, in fact, Washington's No. 1 grape until about a decade ago, when … [Read more...] about Merlot retains star power in Washington wine country
America’s favorite wine well-represented in Northwest
Chardonnay is, and continues to be America's favorite wine. Of course, California leads the way, with 675,000 tons crushed in last fall's harvest, Chardonnay made up a full 16 percent of the state's total. In Washington, while Chardonnay is the No. 1 white grape and No. 2 overall, winemakers crushed about 45,000 tons in fall 2016. This is a number that has steadily risen in … [Read more...] about America’s favorite wine well-represented in Northwest
Oregon retains focus on Pinot Noir
A singular varietal focus gives Oregon a tremendous advantage in an ever-more crowded wine market. When any wine lover around the globe says "Oregon wine," "Pinot Noir" almost always comes to mind immediately. This is thanks to a singular focus dating back to the 1960s, when folks such as David Lett, Dick Ponzi and Dick Erath arrived and helped found the Oregon wine … [Read more...] about Oregon retains focus on Pinot Noir