Washington wine

Home to stunning mountain landscapes, sprawling national parks and a mix of Old and New World wine styles, Washington is a state to watch. The most northwestern state in the US, it’s second only to California in wine production. Washington State has over 1,000 wineries and over 60,000 acres of vineyards spread across its various American Viticultural Areas (AVAs).

With its diverse topography and a unique climate, Washington grows a wide variety of red and white international grapes, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Riesling, producing wines in a range of styles, from bold reds to crisp whites.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a fan of juicy reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec or fruity whites such as Chardonnay and Riesling – there’s a Washington wine for every wine lover.

Washington’s first vines were first planted at Fort Vancouver in the early 1800s, but it wasn’t until the arrival of German and Italian immigrants in the 1860s that they were cultivated and wines were produced. But when Prohibition began in 1920, all wine production stopped entirely until the ban on alcohol was lifted in 1933.

At the time, Washington was best known for its sweet fortified wines, and post-Prohibition growth was slow. It wasn’t until the 1960-70s that the modern Washington wine industry began to grow, with home winemaking operations turning into established commercial business. 

In 1984, Chateau Ste. Michelle made a significant move by inviting Robert Parker, a renowned wine critic also known as "The Pope of Wine," to taste Washington wines. This event marked a major milestone for the state’s wine industry, as it brought international recognition to the quality of Washington wines among critics and enthusiasts alike.

By the time the 2000s rolled in, wine grapes were the state’s fourth most important crop. Today, Washington is the second-largest wine-producing state in the U.S., with over 1,000 wineries and 14 American Viticultural Areas.

Washington State enjoys a variety of climates, soils and topography, making it the ideal location to grow over 80 different wine grape varieties.

A number of popular international grape varieties thrive in this region, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, Chardonnay and Riesling, but so do some less common varieties – Grenache, Sauvignon Blanc, Malbec, Viognier, Pinot Gris, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc to name a few.

Washington wines cover the entire spectrum of wine styles, from still to sparkling, fortified and unfortified, white to red. Even rare ice wine, made from frozen grapes, can be made in some years, depending on the weather. 

Although it’s on another continent, France has a large influence on Washington’s Old World-style wines. Despite being almost 5,000 miles away, both Washington and France have similar climates, making it easy to draw comparisons between Washington’s red and the reds made in Bordeaux and the Rhône Valley. What makes Washington’s Old World-style red wines stand out from the classics are its New World fruit flavours – boysenberry, blackberries and cherries. Washington’s white wines also differ from the French, the cooler North American climate creating zingy, highly acidic Riesling and Chardonnay grapes.

Washington specialises in rich Bordeaux-style red wine blends, made by blending Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, and small amounts of Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.

The result? Some of Washington’s best and most famous wines, bursting with lush red fruit flavours and firm tannins.

Out of Washington’s 11 designated AVAs (American Viticultural Areas), Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley and Walla Walla are the most important.

• Columbia Valley AVA: Columbia Valley covers one-third of Washington state and encompasses a number of the smaller, promising wine regions, including Horse Heaven Hills AVA and Wahluke Slope AVA. Washington’s largest wine region, Columbia Valley’s green slopes and continental climate with extreme weather changes with winemakers making juicy Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot wines, plus a refreshing Washington staple – Riesling.
• Yakima Valley AVA: Accounting for 40% of Washington’s entire wine production, Yakima Valley is the state’s oldest agricultural region. Its combination of warmer winters and light, sandy soil makes Yakima Valley the perfect home for winemakers looking to work with grapes at peak ripeness. Most of Washington state’s wineries can be found in this region, creating wines using Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Sangiovese grapes.
• Walla Walla AVA: This region’s wetter climate and variety of soils full of volcanic ash make it the perfect home for creating ripe, full-bodied reds from the Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot grapes that thrive here. Some of Walla Walla stretches south into Oregon.