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Wine produced in the U.S. state of Washington has a long and continued history. The state ranks 2nd in the US in the production of varietalwine
with over 31,000 acres (125 km² or 48.5 square miles), as of 2006, of vineyards, a harvest of 120,000 tons of grapes (2006), and exports going
to over 40 countries around the world from the 500 wineries located in the state. Washington produces premium and superpremium wines - in
2006 The Wine Advocate rated two perfect scores on cabernet sauvignon vintages from Washington's Quilceda.
The glaciers resting upon what is now Washington State retreated 16,000 years ago, leaving behind a free-draining gravel bed up to 250 ft in
some places. The topsoil is sandy and stone studded which is ideal for low vigor vine growing. Persistent lava flows created basalt-based soil
foundation.
The rain shadow of the Cascade Range leaves the Columbia River Basin with around 8 inches of annual rain fall. Vignerons take advantage of
long sunlight hours (on average, two more hours a day than in California) and a consistent growing season. The fruit attains optimal ripening
while the cool nights help the vine to shut down and lets the grape maintain natural levels of acidity.
Washington shares the same latitude as the prime wine producing areas of Europe, which is felt by many to contribute to the quality of the
grapes.
The early history of the Washington wine industry can be traced to the introduction of cinsault by Italian immigrants to the Walla Walla region.
In the 1950s & 1960, the precursors of the states biggest wineries Chateau Ste Michelle and Columbia Winery were founded. Throughout the
rest of the 20th century the wine world discovered a new aspect of Washington wines with each passing decade starting with Rieslings and
Chardonnays in the 1970s, the Merlot craze of the 1980s and the emergence of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah in the 1990s.
Article from www.wikipedia.com.
with over 31,000 acres (125 km² or 48.5 square miles), as of 2006, of vineyards, a harvest of 120,000 tons of grapes (2006), and exports going
to over 40 countries around the world from the 500 wineries located in the state. Washington produces premium and superpremium wines - in
2006 The Wine Advocate rated two perfect scores on cabernet sauvignon vintages from Washington's Quilceda.
The glaciers resting upon what is now Washington State retreated 16,000 years ago, leaving behind a free-draining gravel bed up to 250 ft in
some places. The topsoil is sandy and stone studded which is ideal for low vigor vine growing. Persistent lava flows created basalt-based soil
foundation.
The rain shadow of the Cascade Range leaves the Columbia River Basin with around 8 inches of annual rain fall. Vignerons take advantage of
long sunlight hours (on average, two more hours a day than in California) and a consistent growing season. The fruit attains optimal ripening
while the cool nights help the vine to shut down and lets the grape maintain natural levels of acidity.
Washington shares the same latitude as the prime wine producing areas of Europe, which is felt by many to contribute to the quality of the
grapes.
The early history of the Washington wine industry can be traced to the introduction of cinsault by Italian immigrants to the Walla Walla region.
In the 1950s & 1960, the precursors of the states biggest wineries Chateau Ste Michelle and Columbia Winery were founded. Throughout the
rest of the 20th century the wine world discovered a new aspect of Washington wines with each passing decade starting with Rieslings and
Chardonnays in the 1970s, the Merlot craze of the 1980s and the emergence of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah in the 1990s.
Article from www.wikipedia.com.
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