Washington is the second largest premium wine producer in the United States (after California), and August is Washington Wine Month – two good reasons to begin tasting these wines now.
But unless you’re a Washington wine enthusiast, you may not know that the state’s rainy reputation only applies to the area west of the Cascades.
Eastern Washington is dry, with a scant six to eight inches of rain on average. Large glacial river systems, including the Columbia River, and underground aquifers provide ample irrigation sources for Washington’s farming industry. And it’s sunny! Grapes enjoy as much as 300 days of sunshine. Summer sunlight averages 16 hours per day, about one hour more than in California’s prime growing region.
Here’s another tidbit for those unfamiliar with Washington wine: Vineyards are huge. Wineries, on the other hand, tend to be small (with exceptions) – and many are located far from the vines.
Winemakers purchase grapes from these big vineyards. Some vineyards hold contracts with up to 30 different wineries. If you like certain wines, look for others made with grapes from these same vineyards.
So where are the wineries, you ask?
Winemakers locate their cellars near major markets – like Seattle, for instance – where they can sell directly to customers. By not being tied to a single source, producers can experiment with blends from vineyards throughout the state and protect themselves from seasonal variations caused by the state’s occasional spring and fall frosts and winter freezes.
Things are changing, though. More of the state’s larger wineries are building close to vineyards, and some big California wineries are moving into Washington to lower their operating costs. The Walla Walla wine region, which was just voted America’s Best Wine Region in the 2020 USA TODAY 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards, has 120 wineries you can visit.
Washington state wine by the numbers:
- Number of wineries: 1,000+ (compared to just 19 in 1981)
- Number of wine grape growers: 400+
- Varieties produced: 70+ (including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, and Syrah)
- Number of American Viticulture Areas (AVAs): 14
- Ratio of red to white: 59% red to 41% white
- Annual wine production: Approximately 19.4 million cases
- Wine grape acreage: 60,000+ acres (compared to 11,100 acres in 1993 and 43,000+ in 2013)
- Record harvest: 2016 with 272,000 tons
- Most recent harvest: 2019 with 201,000 tons
- Total economic impact: $8.4 billion
Fun fact: Washington vines never suffered the devastating effects of phylloxera, the pest that decimated vineyards in Europe and elsewhere. Grapes are grown on original rootstock as opposed to phylloxera-resistant grafted plants. Experts say this lends a certain authenticity to the resulting wine.
Get thee to Woodinville
“Go to Woodinville,” advised Carol, co-owner of a wine shop in Tacoma, Washington. “That’s where you’ll find wineries.”
Many of the more than 130 tasting rooms in Woodinville, northeast of Seattle, are open with restrictions in place to protect customers from the pandemic. But Carol recently offered a shortcut to one of those wineries – a virtual tasting via Zoom with Jerry Riener of Guardian Cellars.
A chemist turned cop, Jerry was known around Woodinville as that guy you could almost always count on for volunteer wine work. In November 2007, after about four years of volunteering, Jerry decided to start his own winery. Though still a cop and now a father of two, Jerry remains Guardian’s lead winemaker. His reporter-wife, Jennifer Sullivan, handles the winery’s tasting room, events, staff, and wine clubs.
Guardian Cellars produces 16 wines under two labels and more than 5,000 cases per harvest. They bottle mostly blends with grapes from older vines under the Guardian label; their Newsprint line consists of fruit-driven, single varietals from vines up to 10 years old.
On the Zoom event, Jerry sought to change any preconceived notions listeners might have about Washington wines. Washington’s still at that “how cute” phase in the minds of many consumers, he acknowledged. But he doesn’t find anything cute about Washington wines.
“We make rich, beautiful wines that are approachable,” he said.
3 wines from Guardian Cellars
2019 Guardian Angel Red Mountain AVA
Jerry’s made this 100% Sauvignon Blanc since 2007. Grapes are from the Klipsun vineyard and grow at the hottest spot for Sauvignon Blanc in the Red Mountain AVA. Red Mountain soil is sandy loam at the bottom and rockier as you go further up the hills. This desolate land is just what winemakers want and growers keep it this way – no fertilizers, no nutrients. “We want these vines to suffer,” he said.
Jerry ferments 80% of the grapes in new French oak and the rest in stainless steel. After about seven weeks, the two batches are blended together to finish fermenting. The result? Texture. “By fermenting in oak, we get to pucker faster.”
My tasting notes: Yellow in color. Just a whiff tells me we aren’t in New Zealand. A boatload of ripe tropical fruit attacks the nose, along with some nectarine, too. On the palate, I get more tropical fruit, including a touch of banana, followed by vanilla and toast. Stops short of Fumé Blanc oakiness, but a bit of tannin still coats the gums long after tasting. Medium+ acidity. Medium+ finish. Beautiful with poached salmon and roasted corn. Alcohol: 14.1%. Price: $20.
2017 Guardian Chalk Line Red Blend Columbia Valley AVA
At nearly 11 million acres, the Columbia Valley AVA encompasses a third of the state. This vast region – Washington’s largest by far – ranges across central, south central, and southeastern Washington, with a part spilling over the border into Oregon.
Jerry calls the Chalk Line red blend, his top seller, “my take on what Washington wine is.” The 2017 vintage is 55% Cabernet, 26% Merlot, 18% Syrah, and 1% Petit Verdot, and brings together grapes from all of his vineyards: Klipsun, Obelisco, Quintessence, StoneTree, and Conner Lee. Majority of the fruit is from Red Mountain. Usually he adds a little more Petit Verdot to the blend for acidity and strength.
My tasting notes: Opaque garnet, almost purple in color. Earthy nose of blackberry and black cherry with hints of violet and tar. The palate is herbaceous and smoky with some ripe bell pepper. Medium acidity. Medium+ finish. Jerry calls Chalk Line his “Tuesday night tacos and pizza wine.” That sounds about right to me. Drink now or age for a few years. Alcohol: 14.3%. Price: $25.
2017 Newsprint Petite Sirah Columbia Valley AVA
“Dark, brutal, and strong as can be” is how Jerry describes his Petite Sirah single varietal wine. Tannin is the name of the game with Petite Sirah – it’s in the grape’s DNA. By the way, Petite Sirah is unrelated to Syrah. There would be a lot less confusion if Petite Sirah were known by its original name – Durif.
Grapes are grown primarily on the gently sloping StoneTree vineyard in the Wahluke Slope AVA, a subregion of the Columbia Valley AVA. The name of the vineyard derives from the number of petrified tree fossils found in the surrounding hills.
My tasting notes: Deep dark purple in color. Dark berry (boysenberry, blackberry, dark cherry) and plum aromas greet the nose. I get plum and black cherry on the palate upfront, followed by vanilla, spice, and black pepper to round out the medium+ finish. Medium acidity. Age-worthy, especially to smooth out the tannins. Alcohol: 14.4%. Price: $21.
This big bad boy was too strong for mild-mannered turkey cheeseburgers. I recommend heavy-duty protein to bind with the tannins – bacon cheeseburgers, cured meats, hard cheeses, and roasted or grilled Portabella mushrooms.
Ready to hear more about Washington wines? Stay tuned for further forays in upcoming posts.
Sources for this post: Washington State Wine, Wine Folly.