Washington State is a young wine region but has quickly become one of the most prolific in the United States. Wine producers have been sprouting like daisies in recent years. The state now hosts more than a thousand wineries and over 50,000 acres of vineyards. In this article, we’ll look at the people that have shaped the landscape of Washington wine. We will explore the exciting brands and wineries they have created, and the unique climate that makes Washington such a special environment for growing grapes.
Washington’s Terroir - Two Sides of a Coin
The nickname “The Evergreen State” did not come about for no reason. Lush greenery, the only instances of rainforest in the United States, and a decidedly Mediterranean climate. These are the state’s best-known natural features, and whichever way you look at it, they paint an image of a place far too humid for growing quality grapes.
However, Washington has another important natural feature, that splits the state into two. The mighty Cascade Mountain Range runs from north to south, forming a severe rain shadow on their eastern side. The result of this is a dry, desert-like climate in Washington’s eastern half - where the vast majority of wine-producing takes place. East Washington is so dry that viticultural areas rely on the region's rivers, the Yakima, the Columbia, the Walla Walla, and the Snake, for vital irrigation. Appellations are generally centred around these rivers, the Columbia Valley AVA and Walla Walla Valley AVA being the largest and most important.
Another aspect of the environment that makes Washington fascinating is its soil. The Cascades are full of active volcanoes, providing mineral-rich volcanic soil, which has mixed with the loose, sandy soils of the Columbia River Basin over time. Washington’s vineyards have never succumbed to phylloxera and consistently produce high-quality grapes.
The Faces Behind Washington State Wines
While Washington’s climate has been extremely important in the region's rise to prominence, entrepreneurs have helped to cement its place on the world stage. Innovators and risk-takers recognised the state's potential and defined its style. In terms of the volume of wine produced in the US, Washington has become second only to California.
Charles Smith
Although he was born in Napa, California, Charles Smith found his home in Walla Walla Valley and has become one of the frontrunners of Washington wines. His business, House of Smith, encapsulates several punchy wine brands. Due to its huge success, Smith's enterprise is not limited to any single terroir or region within Washington. As the House of Smith has a vast number of different labels under its umbrella, it can be difficult to make a choice. This article will break it down for you. You can also check out everything we have to offer from Charles Smith here.
Smith began with K Vintners in 2001, a Rhone Valley-inspired brand focusing on single-vineyard wines and field blends of Syrah, Grenache, and Viognier. From K Vintners, we recommend Motor City Kitty, a top-quality Syrah at a very reasonable price. Its fruits are sourced from the Boushey vineyard in Yakima Valley (one of the best sites in Washington) and it is a perfect bottle to start exploring the region with. For a collectable K Vintners Syrah towards the premium end of the scale, we recommend the The Hidden.
Charles Smith has had a longstanding business partnership with Rikke Korff, a Danish designer responsible for the striking, yet approachable style of Smith’s labels. After establishing the K Vintners brand, the pair began to look slightly further south than the Rhone for inspiration. ViNO CasaSmith is Charles Smith’s foray into Italian varietals, grown on Washington soil. It was founded in 2010. The entire range from CasaSmith is delicious, but if you can only choose one, it is difficult to go wrong with a red-blooded Primitivo. Porcospino Primitivo is a potent, full-bodied red, sourced from Northridge Vineyard in the Columbia Valley AVA, one of the largest appellations in the US.
Approximately 60% of the wine produced in Washington is red, but there are some truly excellent white wines up for grabs. Sixto is another label from Charles Smith, founded in 2014 and based around Chardonnay. Due to the hot, dry climate, Chardonnay is slightly overlooked in Washington. Sixto seeks to correct that by producing a refined range of four wines sourced from cooler climate vineyards within the Columbia Valley AVA. Three of the range are single vineyard wines - Frenchman Hills, Moxee and Roza Hills. The fourth is a combination of all three, called Substance, which we highly recommend - it's a luscious Chardonnay, and one of Washington’s greatest cool climate offerings.
Last but not least in the House of Smith, Substance was founded in 2015, originally as a vehicle for making fantastic but affordable Cabernet Sauvignon. The brand has since expanded into other Bordeaux grapes, proving that Washington soils are suitable for producing some truly high-class wines. For a taste of the original idea behind Charles Smith’s Substance, this Cabernet Sauvignon is a great option. It’s a blend of several vineyards from Columbia Valley. If you want to try a more pure, origin-specific expression, take a look at the Powerline Estate Cabernet. The grapes for this powerful Cab were sourced from the Powerline Estate Vineyard in the House of Smith’s home region, Walla Walla Valley. Its vines are planted on well-drained soils with a cobblestone foundation, in the foothills of the Blue Mountains.
Allen Shoup
Allen Shoup is another figure who has played a significant role in building Washington’s reputation, from the ground up. From 1984 to 2000, Shoup acted as CEO of Chateau Ste. Michelle, the oldest winery in Washington. He took the winery from a small business to one that makes 200 million dollars per year. Although he has now stepped down from the role, Chateau Ste. Michelle’s stature in the international wine scene is largely credited to Shoup, a savvy marketer and Washington wine legend.
To get a feel for Washington’s oldest and most prestigious winery, look no further than their Dry Riesling, a beautiful golden wine bursting with citrus fruits and honey. This wine was harvested from vineyards all over Columbia Valley AVA. If you feel like a bottle of red wine, we recommend Chateau Ste. Michelle’s Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a blend of 90% Cabernet and 10% Syrah. The majority of the grapes for this wine are sourced from Chateau Ste. Michelle’s own Cold Creek vineyard, an old, sun-scorched site with arid, loamy soils.
Since stepping down as CEO of Chateau Ste. Michelle, Shoup has continued his quest to elevate Washington wines on the world stage. His most recent endeavour is Long Shadows Vintners based in a winery in Walla Walla Valley. Long Shadows employs an all-star cast of winemakers, gathered by Shoup from across the world, all of whom have created an ultra-premium Columbia Valley wine.
So far, we have not recommended a Merlot from Washington, so here it is. The Pedestal Merlot was designed by Michel Rolland, a wine-maker and consultant from Pomerol in Bordeaux. The grapes for this Merlot were grown on Wahluke Slope, one of Columbia Valleys' warmest areas. It's a beautiful take on the Bordeaux staple, made all the more complex and unique for growing on Washington soil.
Jeanette, Alex, and Paul Golitzin
Jeanette and Alex Golitizin are Washington’s long-standing power couple and the founders of Quilceda Creek winery. When they founded Quilceda Creek in 1978, it was only the 12th winery formed in the state after the Prohibition. The pair, along with their son Paul, has been quietly creating some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignons that the United States has to offer. The Golitzins take a slightly different approach to viticulture from the two prominent Washington wine-makers that we have discussed already. Quilceda Creek’s wines are sourced from a small portfolio of vineyards, in the Horse Heaven Hills and Red Mountain sub-regions of Columbia Valley. Their winery is closely tied to the land, and they have a strong sense of terroir and place.
For a taste of one of Washington’s most consistently excellent wineries, try a Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon. It is created with grapes from Quilceda’s Mach One and Champoux vineyards. This is a delicious Cabernet and highly collectable, right at the pinnacle of what Columbia Valley and Washington have to offer.
Washington is a place to keep an eye on - it continues to grow and become more of an exciting wine region year by year. The people mentioned in this article are just a few of the most influential wine-makers in Washington. There are countless others to explore. You can view our entire range of Washington wines on the 8wines website.
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