Washington is often thought of as a white wine state, probably because we're famous for our Rieslings and Chardonnays. But, in fact, Washington has been a red wine state for a long time. The last time Washington produced more white wine than red was during the 1980s. And since 2001, winemakers normally harvest about twice as many red grapes as white grapes. This is because … [Read more...] about Washington, a red wine state, continues to focus on blends
Featured wines
Cabernet Sauvignon king of Washington wine country
The king of Washington wine is, unabashedly, Cabernet Sauvignon. The state's most famous wines are Cabernet Sauvignon, and now it's the state's most-planted variety and annually the biggest crop. Last year along, winemakers brought in more than 70,000 tons of Cab grapes alone. That's more than every single grape combined in the state as recently as 2008. Ste. Michelle Wine … [Read more...] about Cabernet Sauvignon king of Washington wine country
Cabernet Franc rising in the Northwest
Of the six classic red Bordeaux grape varieties, interest in Cabernet Franc seems to be rising in the Pacific Northwest. More is being planted, being used in blends, and more being bottled as a stand-alone wine. In 2016, Washington state winemakers brought in 4,300 tons of Cabernet Franc, that's up a bit from the previous harvest and up nearly 1,000 tons from a decade … [Read more...] about Cabernet Franc rising in the Northwest
Finding bargains in red wines
A question often asked is why red wine is so much more expensive than white wine. The reasons are many: Red wine grapes cost more. Last year, a ton of red wine grapes in Washington cost $1,157 a ton, compared with $883 a ton for white wine grapes. Red wines are often aged in oak barrels for a year or more before being released. A French oak barrel costs in excess of … [Read more...] about Finding bargains in red wines
Time to make room for new Northwest white, pink wines
The 2017 harvest has all but wrapped up. Walk into any winery in the Pacific Northwest and in the cellar there will be red and white wines happily bubbling away, with yeast happily converting the sugar to alcohol. It takes up to a few weeks for white wine grape juice to complete the magical process of becoming wine. That typically happens in stainless steel tanks, vessels … [Read more...] about Time to make room for new Northwest white, pink wines