The concept of a single vineyard that stands above its peers dates all the way back to Roman times.

The vineyards on Mount Falernus – now known as Monte Massico and situated near Campania’s northern border with Lazio – were even designated into separate growths, or ‘crus’ in today’s terminology.

Such was their reputation that these Falernian wines were mentioned by the poet Horace and in the 1st-century work of Latin fiction Satyricon.

No place has shaped the concept of vineyard expression, however, like Burgundy, where the clos system developed as stone walls were built to protect exceptional vineyards, closing them off from access to animals or passersby (clos as an adjective meaning literally ‘enclosed’).

The first such site, Clos de Vougeot, was established in 1336, in the heart of the vines just outside the village of Vougeot in Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits.

America took a while to come around.

Scroll down for notes and scores of 20 excellent, single-vineyard US Pinot Noirs

Burgundian inspiration

With the 1966 bottling of Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa’s Heitz Cellars released the first wine in the US to specify a vineyard on its label.

These days, with the development of American wine, the concept of place is paramount – those Burgundians were on to something, as no grape seems to show where it’s from the way Pinot Noir does.

‘Pinot Noir is a great storyteller,’ says Marcus Goodfellow of Oregon’s Goodfellow Family Cellars. ‘It shows you everything: the vineyard, certainly, the clone and even how warm our fermentation was. Its transparency can be a blessing and a curse.

The hand of nature

With that, many of America’s great Pinot Noirs are vineyard- or block-designate wines (specifying the source).

These allow winemakers to celebrate a particular set of growing conditions that make for a unique wine that stands alone as a snapshot in time – a picture of a vintage and a very particular place.

Familiarity with a place allows winemakers to further understand what a site gives their wines and how they can learn either to shepherd that process or get out of the way.

‘I think a lot of intuition comes from experiencing seasons within a vineyard from start to finish,’ says Jason Drew of Drew Family Cellars in Mendocino, California.

‘That’s one of the things about living on the property where we’re growing grapes and making wine. You become so in tune with the weather and how a given vintage will impact the wines from this place.’

Whereas blending allows a winemaker to enhance or conceal a wine’s traits, a single-vineyard bottling is an unadorned display of a singular expression.

‘Mother nature is going to win every time,’ says Ernest Vineyards’ winemaker Joseph Ryan. ‘And so there’s a lot of humility. You have to embrace the chaos and the variability, because that’s the only way you’ll make a wine like this.’

‘A single-vineyard wine is about transporting someone,’ says Tracy Kendall, one half of Folly of Man in Willamette Valley, Oregon. ‘It’s as if your feet are in the soil. You’re experiencing the wind that created the tannin structure, the volcanic soil that built a sort of softer mouthfeel, the elegance of that and the red, purple and blue fruits.

‘It’s about experiencing something wholly unique.’

20 excellent, single-vineyard US Pinot Noirs

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For winemakers in the US, in a region like the Columbia Valley, or throughout the West Coast, crafting wines that provide a good value at an approachable price can seem challenging.

From the consumer side, quality wines and those that receive high scores seem to come with a price tag that gets closer and closer to the US$100 number each time we go to the speciality wine retailer.

‘There is absolutely a range of wiggle room that a winery has in setting prices,’ says Kelsey Albro Itämeri of Walla Walla‘s Itä winery. ‘Pricing your wines is a difficult decision to make when you are just starting a business. Even though you may have set a budget and projections for costs and sales, the reality is that those can fluctuate wildly.

‘But there is a feasible band of price levels where at the lower price levels, you might be making a lower margin but selling higher volume, and then at the higher end, you’re making a higher margin, but it’s harder to sell each individual bottle.’

Scroll down for top-scoring Columbia Valley wines of the 2021 vintage all under $50

Itämeri continues: ‘There are some pretty basic facts on the ground about what goes into a wine that helps determine its cost. The price of grapes, final yield of wine per ton or acre, cost of hauling, processing, pressing, bottling, ageing vessel and time, corks, labels, and so on.’

‘Of all those factors, there are ones that a winemaker can influence, such as which grapes we purchase and which processing methods might increase our yield, and ones that we cannot.

‘There are vintage conditions that might produce clusters with fewer and smaller berries, or for small producers like me, a light vintage like 2021 where some of my costs per lot were set, but the size of each lot was a lot smaller come harvest.’

The price tag arms race

The benchmark for American red wine is always Napa Valley, and upon visiting, you’ll be introduced to a new stratosphere of American wine pricing. One hundred dollars is the entry-level in all but a very few cases for wines that are expressive of place and winemakers of renown.

A recent Wine Searcher article from October 2024 ranked the top 10 most expensive wines in Napa. The top wine was over $6,000, and the bottom was $1,200. It’s rarified air.

What does this race to the top mean for winemakers and consumers in a place like the Columbia Valley, where Washington winemakers have long compared their Cabernets to those made in Napa?

Well, primarily, it means that you won’t see many straight Cabernet Sauvignons listed below this article, save for the Cadence Cara Mia Cabernet, which squeaks in at $49.99, and the tremendous value Cabernet Sauvignon from Métier ($30.99), a second label from Delille Cellars.

When talking with winemakers who consistently deliver value and affordability (two different things), they think about who drinks their wines and know that not every bottle is for a special occasion.

Click here for the full Columbia Valley 2021 vintage report

Finding a sweet spot

‘The word “value” in the world of wine can really be a Rorschach test,’ says JJ Williams of Red Mountain’s Kiona Vineyards. ‘Ultimately, I think we need to decouple the ideas that “value” and “affordability” are intrinsically linked. Some wines provide fantastic value but are not necessarily “affordable” in the traditional sense. Likewise, there are affordable wines that are not good value.’

Williams continues: ‘There is a subset of medium-sized Washington state wineries right now, Kiona Vineyards included, that is absolutely delivering in that value+affordability space.

‘More often than not, we have a few things in common: we’ve been around a long time, so we aren’t operating like startups. Importantly, we’re competing in the three-tier market, not just direct to consumer, and we’ve all found that we need to over-deliver on quality for the dollar to earn a space at the table.’

Pricing paradigms

There is an inherent push and pull in the pricing of fine wines in the United States. At the highest levels, there can even be a bias against well-priced wines and a sort of skepticism about their quality. If one wine costs $50 and another $300, the assumption is that the more expensive wine is by default, the best.

Jeff Lindsay-Thorsen, MS of WT Vintners, whose Boushey Vineyard Syrah was among the top three wines in my vintage report, makes wines in the $50 and under category as a rule.

‘Domestic, American wine has become too precious for its own good,’ Lindsay-Thorsen says, ‘and has alienated a huge swath of people just getting into wine by simply pricing those people out of the experience.

‘The entry point for quality wine in the US market vastly differs from what I have experienced in Europe. There, very good, handmade wines can be had for less than €30 (US$31).’

‘It seems that domestic wineries often forget they exist on the world stage and that there is an ocean of very good and very inexpensive wine out there on retail shelves and on wine lists from around the world competing for the sale,’ Lindsay-Thorsen concludes.

Itämeri says: ‘I think price is an incredibly important avenue of communication with your potential customers. Aside from liking or disliking the design of your label, it is something that every single customer can understand and feel empowered to have an opinion on.

‘When setting my pricing at Itä, I wanted to hit a sweet spot of a fairly accessible price point that also allows me to cover the costs of making high-quality wine and also sends the economic signal of quality – I think that if you underprice your wines, some folks will assume it is a lower-quality product.’

Columbia Valley 2021: A selection of 15 wines under $50

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In 2021, winemakers, like the rest of us, were poised to rebound from the most challenging year in recent memory for, well, the entire human race. But the year was hardly a panacea, nor was it an easy bounce back from 2020.

The heat was extreme at times and unparalleled even for the hot desert climate that is home to nearly all of the Columbia Valley. Furthermore, there were still lingering issues from the COVID-19 pandemic regarding staffing and safety protocols, particularly in states like Washington and Oregon.

In addition, wildfires were once again a problem, although their impacts seem to be isolated to very specific parts of Washington State. I tasted a few wines (less than 10 in a sampling of over 300 wines) impacted by the Schneider Springs Fire, which was localised to some western parts of the Columbia Valley appellation.

However, while the best wines of 2021 undoubtedly show ripeness, there is elegance, balance, and a subdued freshness in those from the top producers.

Both Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah showed brilliance with refined tannins and minerality when diligence was exercised in picking decisions.

Columbia Valley 2021 red wines of the vintage

Gård, Grand Klasse Syrah, Royal Slope 98 points

WT Vintners, Boushey Vineyard Syrah, Yakima Valley 98 points

Columbia Valley 2021 white wine of the vintage

Delmas, Viognier, Rocks District of Milton-Freewater 96 points

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top Columbia Valley 2021 wines

Columbia Valley vintage ratings

2021 3/5

A vintage beset by record-shattering temperatures, 2021 in terms of wine quality, was a vintage for those pursuing balance. The heat dome in June, coupled with continued hot weather all the way through harvest, made acidity and freshness harder to come by for many Columbia Valley producers. Winemakers in slightly cooler sights benefitted, as did those who relied on proactive vineyard management. Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon showed that they could take the heat for the most part, and many up-and-coming producers made wines that stood out by picking earlier and benefitting from sites with strong mineral character.

2020 3/5

In this slightly warmer-than-average year, the COVID-19 pandemic forced wineries to create strategies that allowed them to continue to make wine. The best show finesse and balance, with fine examples, in particular, coming from the Red Mountain and Horse Heaven Hills AVAs. In September, wildfires raged to the south in Oregon, creating difficulty with ripening and impacting some vineyards with smoke taint. However, there wasn’t the same widespread damage here as in parts of Oregon and California.

2019 5/5

It was a cooler year for the warm, largely desert-growing conditions, this and a cold, wet winter, delayed bud break and bloom delivering wines with great elegance, finesse, and balance. Challenging frost events in September and October contributed to smaller yields. The top wines show beautiful finesse and elegance balanced against Washington’s characteristic tannin structure and reliable ripeness.

The heat is on

Living in the Pacific Northwest, I experienced the late June heat dome first-hand. It was a horrifying experience, the likes of which I had never seen before. In Seattle, which typically sees summer temperatures in the high 70s and low 80s (21-26°C), it was 108°(42°C) for multiple days. Despite our coastal location, the air did not move. It was suffocating and it turns out, the deadliest weather-related event in Washington State’s history.

Trothe founder Jeff Andrews’ family has been growing wine grapes for generations in the Horse Heaven Hills, and with all that experience, the heat of 2021 still looms as a defining factor of the vintage. ‘2021 was the year that all the talk of warming trends and excessive heat projections became more than theory,’ says Andrews. ‘It was an undeniable reality. We recorded twenty days of 100°(37° C) or more at Andrews Family Vineyards between 2 June and 16 August. We’ve had warm-to-hot vintages in the past, but 2021 was something we had never experienced before.’

‘Since then, we’ve had one hot vintage after another. Even this year (2024), a “cool” vintage, has been very warm by historical standards,’ Andrews continues.

‘We’re doing everything we can to adapt to the annual onslaught of excessive summer heat, taking steps in the vineyard to produce the best fruit each vintage and preserve plant health for future vintages. We pay close attention to crop load, canopy size, water, and nutrition needs,’ said Andrews.

Columbia Valley 2021: top 10 wines of the vintage

(alphabetically and by score)

Gård, Grand Klasse Syrah, Royal Slope 98 points

WT Vintners, Boushey Vineyard Syrah, Yakima Valley 98 points

DeLille Cellars, Chaleur Estate, Red Mountain 97 points

Force Majeure, Estate Syrah, Red Mountain, 97 points

From the Sky Down, Solaksen Cabernet Sauvignon, Royal Slope 97 points

Gård, Grand Klasse Cabernet Sauvignon, Royal Slope 97 points

Gård, Winemaker Select Cabernet Sauvignon, Royal Slope 97 points

Quilceda Creek, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 97 points

Trothe, Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills 97 points

WT Vintners, Les Collines Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 97 points

A season of extremes

The challenges of 2021 were not only about heat. For many growers, it was the lowest-yielding vintage they’d seen in their careers, and several factors may have been at play.

The winter of 2020 included a late-winter freeze, and precipitation throughout that winter and into spring was lower than seasonal averages, leaving soils dry. Bud break came early, on the last day of March, and then it got cold for a stretch of about ten days, with temperatures below freezing. Hot temperatures followed, and bloom arrived in mid-May. It was windy and hot during bloom, creating challenges for fruit set and, ultimately, yield.

‘2021 was an interesting vintage,’ says Brooke Delmas Robertson, director of viticulture and winemaking for Delmas in The Rocks District AVA.

‘We saw extremes on both ends of the season. Hail and cool temps well into April, while the summer saw temps as high as 115° before the end of June. Residual freeze effects in the phloem (vascular tissue) of the vines and heat spikes too early in the season contributed to very low yields across all varieties, not just in The Rocks District but the Walla Walla Valley as a whole. Beautiful wines were made, but there are not a lot of them.’

The heat dome, which Delmas Robertson references, was the defining feature of 2021. It was an anomaly even in the hot region of eastern Washington and Oregon, where growers saw temperatures across the Columbia Valley go into the 120° (49°C ) range for several days.

See all 300+ Columbia Valley 2021 wines tasted from Washington State and Oregon

Pursuing balance

Most of the Columbia Valley is a desert, which means low disease pressure, ample ripeness and cool nights that allow for sufficient acid retention. For many winemakers, this ‘Goldilocks’ set of conditions, coupled with the ability to irrigate as needed, has made for relatively easy and reliable vintages over the last decade. As hot vintages become the norm, Washington winemakers’ ‘set it and forget it’ attitude from 10 to 20 years ago will be forced to change.

Those with estate vineyards, or a dedicated winegrower who is hands-on in the vine rows, will become essential as climate change pushes temperatures and shrinks picking windows, and certainly made a difference in 2021.

‘Being a viticulturist is a huge advantage when it comes to making wine,’ says Gård winemaker Matias Kusulas. ‘Being the head viticulturalist at an all-estate winery, means I have complete control in every block of every vineyard when it comes to decision making. Dialling in irrigation, fruit mass, and canopy management for a hot season is critical to good chemistry, the right aromatic and flavour compounds, and phenolic development – all of which are very important to a balanced wine. You can only do so much at the winery without negatively affecting the wine’s organoleptic profile. The best approach, to me, is paying close attention and focusing your efforts in the vineyard.’

‘The most important decision I made in 2021 was determining when to pick,’ says Trothe’s winemaker, Ray McKee. ‘It’s an important decision each year: picking determines how you capture the character of the fruit–perhaps underripe and green, or perfectly ripe, fresh, and vibrant, or possibly overripe and lacking nuance. The intensity of 2021 made the picking decision even more pivotal.’

‘As a wine-growing region, Washington has been getting steadily warmer since 2013, and I’ve learned a little more each year – my most important takeaway is that the picking window for great wines is actually relatively small. In 2021, it was still 90°(32°C) or above in October, when it’s typically in the 70s (21°C), and I picked Cabernet earlier than ever before to capture the variety’s vibrancy and avoid a one-note, baked-out wine.’

Columbia Valley 2021: 30 of the top wines tasted

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When you ask other Washington winemakers who their favourite winemaker is, nearly all of them will say ‘Ben Smith.’ His consistent smile and non-existent ego in an industry that is flooded with attitude makes him a breath of fresh air.

Ben Smith is humble, polite and unassuming. In his adopted hometown of Seattle, the avid outdoorsman, talented amateur photographer and family man is not a winemaker who necessarily stands out in the crowd.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from a Cadence vertical tasting

Yet the impetus for Ben Smith’s winemaking career is markedly out of the ordinary. Smith is one of Washington state’s most consistent, talented and accomplished winemakers of the last 25 years, and it’s all because he won a contest.

Unlikely beginnings

‘The genesis of this whole thing is the 1997 Boeing Winefest, ’ Smith explains. The Boeing Employees Wine and Beer Makers Club launched in the early 1970s, at much the same time as Washington’s nascent wine industry. Smith is not the first Boeing alumnus to turn professional winemaker, but he is undoubtedly the most accomplished. The annual competition is a serious effort; these are engineers, after all. The club was large enough at one point that it was sourcing up to 45 tonnes of fruit each year for its 200 members.

After winning top honours with his wines in both 1995 and 1996, Smith entered four wines in the 1997 edition, judged blind. Over 400 wines were entered. Four wines are awarded ‘Best of Show’ each year.

‘When they unveiled the fourth place wine in the ‘Best of Show’ category, and it was mine, I was a little deflated after winning the previous two years, ’ Smith recalls. ‘Then they unveiled the third place wine, which was also mine and second, mine again. And finally, I took first place too.’ Smith’s wines were a Bordeaux-style blend, a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Merlot and a late-harvest Riesling.

A week or so later, he and Gaye – still only dating at the time – were out on Red Mountain. The two spotted a rusty ‘for sale’ sign on a four-hectare parcel along Sunset Road, and they bought it. (Smith calls it the best financial investment he’s ever made.) The couple married and launched the winery in 1998. Smith left Boeing for a good 18 months later.

A little different, always

Cadence pioneered vineyard-designate Bordeaux-style blends in the state of Washington. ‘It was a marketing challenge for us when we first released the wines,’ McNutt explains. ‘There was, of course, Bordeaux, but for American and Washington wines, shops and restaurants were confused about where they belonged on the list. Was it Cabernet or Merlot?’

The ‘red blend’ has become de rigueur in Washington these days, given the diversity of varieties that grow well in the warm desert climes of the eastern part of the state.

Cabernet Sauvignon is the undisputed number one grape in Washington state year after year in terms of vineyard acres and tonnes harvested. In 2022, about 61,000 tonnes of Cabernet Sauvignon were harvested, to just 2,700 tonnes of Cabernet Franc.

Cabernet Franc is, however, the single most important variety in Cadence’s catalogue. ‘Cabernet Franc has all the structure of Cabernet Sauvignon, and it offers so many additional complexities on top of that. It’s why we love it,’ Smith proclaims. McNutt adds, ‘On Red Mountain, it’s always reliably ripe; you don’t get any of the green, pyrazine character. It’s always such a star for us, particularly aromatically.’

‘In 1998, I tasted some Cabernet Franc that Chris Camarda (of Washington’s Andrew Will) had from Sheridan Vineyard. It was pencil lead; it was violets. I was mesmerised to see what wine from this state could be. That’s when we fell in love with the variety here in Washington.’

‘We are always the earliest pick of red fruit on Red Mountain, every single year,’ Smith notes. ‘I joke that when the others see us picking, they start sampling.’

As it happens, one long-time Red Mountain winemaker I spoke with made that exact comment to me sincerely. ‘When I see Ben out there picking, I know it’s time to start looking at the fruit,’ they said with a smile.

‘It’s absolutely a stylistic determination on our part and one that we…,’ Smith pauses. Despite all their success over the last 25 years, you can tell making proclamations about how good the Cadence wines are still makes Smith a little bit uncomfortable. ‘Well, you can judge for yourself. But it fits our style, a little more acidity, and the tannins aren’t quite so soft.’

Cadence at a glance

Established: Cadence was established in 1998 after Ben Smith left his career at Boeing. Smith and Cadence co-owner, wife Gaye McNutt planted their estate vineyard Cara Mia on Red Mountain in 2004.

Area planted: 3.25ha

Winemaker: Ben Smith

Cadence annual production: Between 24,000 and 30,000 bottles

Wines:

Bel Canto: Cabernet Franc dominant blend

Camerata: Cabernet Sauvignon dominant blend

Coda: Known as the leftovers, this blend delivers on balance and value

Cara Mia Cabernet Sauvingon: 100% Cabernet from the estate vineyard

Cara Mia

The wines from Cadence are all a product of their Red Mountain estate vineyard, purchased in 1998 and planted in 2004.

In November of 2003, they were finally able to get the water rights for the vineyard. It was planted the following year. They got help from Jim Holmes, one of the legendary founders of Red Mountain. One of Washington’s most highly regarded vineyard managers, Ryan Johnson of WeatherEye, planted it for them.

‘There aren’t many people who will take on someone else’s project and treat it like their own. Ryan really did that for us, and it’s an important part of everything we’ve been able to do since,’ Smith proclaims.

‘Before the first vine went into the ground, we invested hundreds of hours planning the layout of the vineyard,’ says Smith. ‘Our first Red Mountain innovation was to orient the vineyard rows 11 degrees off true north-south to adjust for latitude and provide even sun exposure between morning and afternoon.’

‘Our second Red Mountain innovation related to geological analysis,’ Smith continues. ‘We dug 31 soil pits at regular intervals throughout the vineyard to a depth of 2.5 metres. A geologist reported the material and chemical composition of the strata in each pit. Washington State University geologists confirmed that we have perhaps the most unique and varied soil profiles of any vineyard site they’ve seen on Red Mountain.’

Click here to see tasting notes and scores from recent releases by Cadence

The vineyard consists of three major soil types. There are deep cobblestone soils, clay, fractured basalt and sandy loams. Two of these soils, the cobblestones and clay, haven’t been found in other vineyards in the Red Mountain AVA.

According to the team at Cadence, the physical makeup of the cobbles and clay is similar to the Pomerol and St-Emilion plateau in Bordeaux. They believe they match perfectly for their chosen varieties of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot.

The art of the blend

There may be a direction and house style that Cadence aims for, but vintage will dictate the blend. They don’t use the same percentages year in and year out. There is no predetermined formula.

‘The barrels and clonal selections that do and do not play well with each other surprise us year after year,’ McNutt explains. ‘Educated guesses are often wrong. We need to honestly taste the glass in front of us. Barrels that might have a strong element on their own may not bring that element to the blend.’

‘Likewise, a barrel that was not necessarily a favourite fills a hole or adds a spark or other dimension in an unexpected way. We’ve also found that single barrels can suddenly dominate a blend in a manner that far exceeds their raw percentage of the blend.’

It’s in their blending that the partnership between Ben and Gaye really shines. Smith, ever the engineer, leans into structure and the technical side, while McNutt is the hedonist of the two.

They have a definite philosophy with their two Cara Mia blends, Bel Canto and Camerata. ‘With Bel Canto, we’re looking for the fabulous Cabernet Franc aromatics and plushness with the addition of complexity and backbone,’ says McNutt. The wine is always a Cabernet Franc dominant blend with Merlot and Petit Verdot.

Cabernet Sauvignon leads Camerata. ‘Camerata is always about structure up front and brilliant fruit to back it up. We go for balance always,’ McNutt continues. ’Balance between acids, fruit and tannin. Balance between elegance, structure, complexity and integration.’

‘We go for ageability and balance all the way around,’ McNutt adds. ‘It can be challenging for people who just want that big, fruit flavour hit when you open it. Now, looking back at our wines 25 years, we’ve accomplished what we set out to do. That’s really gratifying.’

Beyond just showing ageability, these wines show they are improving with 10 to 20 years in the bottle. Cadence makes a strong case for the wines that balance power and elegance with undeniable harmony that Washington is capable of producing.

Cadence over time: a vertical from the Red Mountain producer

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Wine tasting experiences can offer a range of opportunities, from the basics of wine education to exploring the vineyards and cellars of favourite producers. Below, you’ll find an array of tasting options that might make the perfect gift.

Educational tastings

An introduction to wine tasting: Unlocking the Secrets of Wine with Joseph Phelps

Wine tasting can be confounding and intimidating to the uninitiated, with its technical jargon and opaque traditions. But the new Unlocking the Secrets of Wine experience at Joseph Phelps aims to demystify wine’s most perplexing questions through a unique tasting experience – think of it as a way to fast-track your wine education. Attendees will learn what common wine terms mean, the proper way to store and serve wine, the elements of food pairing and more while tasting through Joseph Phelps’ Napa and Sonoma offerings. Guests should plan for 90 minutes for the experience ($150 per person) and are advised to book well in advance as the experience only runs on certain days of the week.

Off-road in the Finger Lakes: UTV tasting at Heart and Hands

The Finger Lakes is an often-overlooked region for exceptional wines, but the world is catching on to the many gems it offers. One unique way to explore the region is the Utility Task Vehicle (UTV) Tour & Tasting with Heart and Hands Wine Company. Co-founder Susan Higgins will take up to four guests on a bumpy UTV tour of her limestone-laden vineyard and explain the winery’s viticultural practices. Following the in-depth tour, guests will go through a tasting of six wines paired perfectly with six matching small bites. The tour costs $65 per person and lasts 90 minutes.

Hike among the vines

A weekend-only tasting event at pioneering Willamette Valley producer Knudsen Vineyards offers guests a unique outdoor experience. Picture exploring the vineyards and then tasting the wines from those historic blocks over a picnic-style lunch. The Knudsens were among the first families in the Willamette to plant Pinot Noir in Oregon’s Dundee Hills. Guests will walk among the old vine blocks, taking in 50 years of wine-growing history, and then taste wines from the vineyard parcels they visited before a hearty lunch at the estate. The hikes go ahead rain or shine, so appropriate footwear is recommended for this two-and-a-half to three hour experience, which costs $95 per guest.

Creating a unique wine

Iconic Washington State winery DeLille Cellars offers guests an opportunity to make their own unique blends based on some of the winery’s most prized lots. DeLille makes some of Washington’s most sought-after wines from vineyards on Red Mountain and in the Yakima Valley, including historic old-vine sites. Guests will be treated to a blending seminar from one of DeLille’s team before creating their own blends. The cost is $145 per guest.

Wine and food experiences

In pursuit of the finer things: Three Sticks caviar experience

The stellar wines of Three Sticks need no accompaniment, but everything is better with caviar. The Caviar Experience at Three Sticks is offered seasonally, from October to January. The tasting is held in partnership with San Francisco’s The Caviar Company, whose different varieties of caviar are paired with single-vineyard wines to showcase how one enhances the other. For $150 per club member and $175 per non-club member, this luxurious culinary experience is a well-priced gift for anyone on your nice list.

Creative pairings

For adventurous foodies, Sequoia Grove in Napa Valley’s Rutherford appellation offers a tasty way to explore the versatility of Cabernet Sauvignon. Sequoia Grove was a pioneering Cabernet house, established in 1979, and has since established unique programming, including a famed ampelography class for those who want to level up their wine knowledge and the A Taste for Cabernet Experience.

The gastronomic experience eschews predictable, classic pairings like steak with Cabernet for more offbeat options. Sequoia Grove’s single-vineyard and reserve wines accompany chef Britny Maureze’s multi-course menu, with culinary creativity that will open guests’ eyes to new approaches. The 90-minute experience costs $150 for non-wine-club members and $100 for members.

A three-course culinary lesson

Wheeler Farms, owned by Napa Valley’s famed Araujo family, offers a perfect gift for your favourite foodie. An acclaimed wine brand in its own right, Wheeler Farms is also home to chickens, an apiary, a large garden and fruit trees, all of which are included in their culinary programme, a homage to the agricultural history of the valley.

The Estate Tasting and Cooking Demonstration begins with a tour of the expansive gardens and the winery itself, followed by an up-close cooking demonstration with chef Tom Harder doing what he does best at the kitchen table. The four-course lunch and cooking demonstration is paired with Wheeler Farms wines, including Sauvignon Blanc, rosé and a number of unique Cabernet expressions. The experience lasts three hours and costs $350 per person for two-person parties, including a gift from the kitchen.

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QUICK LINK Washington State 2020: full vintage report and top-scoring wines

Red Mountain is Washington’s hottest-growing region. Perched above the Yakima River, it is a nesting doll of sorts, found both within the Yakima Valley and larger Columbia Valley AVAs. In 2020, of the Red Mountain vineyard sites I tasted from, nearly all managed to escape the impact from the wildfires.

Scroll down for the top-scoring Red Mountain 2020 wines tasted

‘The vintage actually began in October 2019,’ explained Ben Smith of Cadence. ‘There was a series of frost events that caused wood damage in young vines and bud damage in older plantings. As a result, yields were low to moderate.

‘The growing season progressed rapidly, with warm temperatures through bud break, flowering and fruit set,’ said Smith. ‘July and August continued quite hot, with the first real break occurring around 15 September, when temperatures dropped to the mid- to high-20°Cs. This gave winegrowers who prefer higher ripeness levels a little more hang time. We began harvesting Merlot on 3 September and completed harvest on 18 September with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

‘During harvest, wildfires in the Cascades generated smoke that settled into the Columbia Valley,’ added Smith. ‘This caused smoke taint issues in some but definitely not all vineyards. Cara Mia was completely unaffected by smoke.

‘While there were winemakers who wrote off their production from the entire state, many wineries and vineyards produced perfectly sound, unaffected wine.’

Jason Gorski, director of winemaking at Delille Cellars said that, overall, 2020 should be considered a warm vintage in Red Mountain. He repeated Smith’s assessment of the growing season, saying that the warm temperatures ‘kept us very busy for the early season’.

‘Then the smoke moved in, blocking sugar accumulation in the grapes, so [growing] had a brief pause until conditions improved,’ Gorski continued.

‘Typical Washington State weather set in around mid-September with moderate temperatures and welcome, large diurnal swings. By the time an earlier-than-normal frost showed up in the long-term forecast, we had already harvested all of our grapes. The only blocks affected were those we had left hanging for a late harvest.’

Red Mountain 2020: The top-performing producers

• Cadence
• Delille Cellars
• Liminal
• Quilceda Creek
  

Red Mountain 2020: The top 10 wines tasted

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Walla Walla 2020: Vintage review and top wines

Washington 2020 score table: Top wines tasted

Harvest 2023 in the Pacific Northwest: What winemakers are saying

QUICK LINK Washington State 2020: full vintage report and top-scoring wines

The Walla Walla Valley is a cooler growing region than Washington State AVAs that lie further west. The region, which sits in the far southeastern corner of the state and extends into the northeastern corner of Oregon, sees lower temperatures and much more rain than Washington’s desert AVAs, with 28cm of annual rainfall.

In 2020 many producers were fortunate in escaping undue impact from the wildfires. As one side-effect of the smoke was a slowing of ripening (as it obscured the sunlight), many wines show real elegance and a savoury edge.

Scroll down for the top-scoring Walla Walla Valley 2020 wines tasted

‘We narrowly escaped the threat of wildfires, so the 2020 vintage in Walla Walla was fantastic for us,’ said Doubleback winemaker Josh McDaniels. ‘We saw a combination of above-average temperatures and slightly below-average yields. The wines are concentrated, rich and some of the best we’ve made.’

‘There is a distinctive freshness and length to the tannin structure of 2020 wines,’ said Valdemar Estates winemaker Devyani Isabel Gupta. ‘We prefer to harvest with more fruit freshness and tension in our wines, and 2020 brought this tension in spades.

‘Initially, the 2020 growing season seemed like it would come in early and fast,’ she added. ‘In 2020, when the smoke moved in around the middle of September, the lack of sun exposure led to cooler temperatures. And the poor air quality delayed us receiving fruit for about two weeks.’

Gupta continued: ‘During this time, it was certainly stressful, as the impacts of the smoke were unknown. We had harvested almost all our Yakima Valley and Red Mountain fruit, but our Walla Walla Valley sites were still hanging. In Walla Walla Valley, specifically, air movement from the Blue Mountain range seemed to improve our air quality relative to Yakima Valley and areas near the Okanagan National Forest.’

Walla Walla Valley 2020: The top-performing producers

• Doubleback
• Valdemar Estates
• Leonetti Cellar
• Figgins Family
  

‘Our biggest success was to be able to produce most of our core wines without smoke issues,’ explained Jesús Martínez Bujanda, owner and CEO of Valdemar Estates. ‘We were very careful to separate every lot to avoid any cross-contamination, and we were able to get rid of any fruit we had doubt about. So we are very happy about the 2020 wines we are releasing.’

Gupta agreed: ‘We were fortunate with our Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon sites harvested after the smoke events. Phenolic-marker testing showed a minimal-to-no risk of smoke taint. Plus, the additional ‘hang time’ was also on our side, as the two-week delay preserved acidity and freshness while flavours and tannins developed.’

That luck did not extend everywhere, however. ‘We did have Grenache and Petit Verdot sites from the Columbia Basin that were not as fortunate and were declassified and then later destroyed,’ she admitted.

Walla Walla Valley 2020: The top wines tasted

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Harvest 2023 in the Pacific Northwest: What winemakers are saying

Washington 2020 score table: Top wines tasted

Walla Walla Valley for wine lovers

In uniquely challenging year, beset by wildfire smoke and the chaos of the pandemic, Washington State made some wonderfully balanced wines in 2020. The best show great ripeness, well-managed tannins and fresh acidity.

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores of the top Washington State 2020 wines

The smoke which blanketed the region in September seemed to have a mixed impact. The producers I spoke with were mainly unconcerned about their wines and I found little troubling the samples I tasted. But at least one producer I spoke to, Betz Family Winery, decided not to make any wines in 2020 out of concern for smoke taint.

‘Of course, 2020 had the additional challenge of Covid-19,’ said Jason Gorski, director of winemaking at Delille Cellars. ‘We wrote out protocols for what to do if the whole winemaking team got sick and guidelines to the rest of the company outlining what they’d need to do with fruit already in the winery if we all went down.’

‘We isolated ourselves and made sure to avoid any potential exposure we could,’ Gorski continued. ‘And we had additional concerns for our essential partners during that time: picking crews, vineyard staff and trucking companies. While people got sick here and there, operations continued, and we were able to make wine and keep the business moving forward. We were fortunate.’

See all Washington State 2020 vintage tasting notes and scores

Washington State 2020: top five wines of the vintage

DeLille Cellars, Harrison Hill, Snipes Mountain 97 points

Quilceda Creek, Tchelistcheff Clone 412, Horse Heaven Hills 97 points

Cadence, Camerata, Red Mountain 96 points

Doubleback, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 96 points

Trothe, Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills 96 points  

Predictable beginnings

The 2020 vintage in Washington began fairly predictably, following a cold close to the 2019 growing season. October of that year was the second coldest recorded since 1895, with record-low temperatures and early-season snow. November and December were extraordinarily dry, followed by a very wet January. Drier months followed into spring.

Bud break began across the state in mid-April, similar to recent averages, and flowering was slightly ahead of recent years, beginning in the third week of May. The warm, dry spring was followed by a classic Northwest cool, wet ‘Juneuary’ for the first part of the month. This slowed ripening a little, but warm weather in July brought on veraison by the third week of the month.

Harvest began across the state by the third week of August, slightly ahead of longer-term averages but tracking normally for the recent warm-vintage trends seen across the state.

‘In a uniquely challenging year, Washington made some wonderfully balanced wines in 2020. The best show great ripeness well-managed tannins and fresh acidity.’

A challenging finish

Things heated up further in September and then what had been a fairly normal vintage took a destructive turn. A record-breaking wildfire season in Oregon had an intense impact on air quality throughout the Pacific Northwest. There were fatalities and an immense loss of property, with more than 400,000ha of forest burned. The wildfire smoke made its way to Washington State, and hazardous air quality forced a halt to the harvest.

The smoke blocked out the sun which stalled sugar accumulation in grapes that remained on the vine. Evidence of smoke taint varied from region to region throughout Washington State meaning that 2020 was not a complete loss as it was in parts of California and Oregon.

When the smoke cleared, warm temperatures gave way to a freeze on 25 October but by then most of the fruit had been picked. Overall, yields were down – in some cases significantly– increasing concentration in varieties with smaller berries and clusters.

The resulting wines

The most enjoyable Washington wines from 2020 are expressive and powerful with balanced tannins. Bordeaux varieties, particularly Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, stood out. The top wines show ample fruit concentration, minerality and a savoury character, the terroir of the state’s various AVAs showing through in both taste and structure. Tannins in Washington can become unruly, but talented winemakers use them to build wines of complexity and structure that will age for a decade or more.

Paul Golitzin, president and director of winemaking at Quilceda Creek, said 2020 was a vintage with ample silver linings. ‘It was undeniably a challenging year for all of us, and stressful with the wildfires to the south, but we were fortunate to navigate through it and produce some of our best wines ever. It’s a classic vintage for Quilceda Creek – the wines have tremendous concentration and depth.’

‘Overall, the 2020s offer a bit of extra concentration from the low yields,’ said Delille’s Jason Gorski. ‘These are wines with a present but accessible tannin structure. The vintage provided ample fruit flavours to complement our house style, which leans towards elegance, balance and freshness. We are very proud of the wines produced despite the demanding circumstances.’

Washington State vintage ratings

2020 3/5

In this slightly warmer than average year, the Covid-19 pandemic forced wineries to create strategies that allowed them to continue to make wine. The best show finesse and balance, with fine examples in particular coming from the Red Mountain and Horse Heaven Hills AVAs. In September, wildfires raged to the south in Oregon, creating difficulty with ripening and impacting some vineyards with smoke taint, however there wasn’t the same widespread damage here as there was in parts of Oregon and California.

2019 5/5

A cooler year for Washington’s warm, largely desert-growing conditions, delivering wines with great elegance, finesse and balance. This, combined with a cold, wet winter, created delays in bud break and bloom. Challenging frost events in September and October contributed to smaller yields. The top wines show beautiful finesse and elegance balanced against Washington’s characteristic tannin structure and reliable ripeness.

2018 4/5

A warmer-than-average year that began with a cool spring, a hot May and then a cooler June which growers have come to expect. Hotter temperatures in July and August sped things along. Wines were lush and ripe with both higher alcohols and yields.

Washington State 2020: Top-scoring wines

See the Washington State 2020 score table with all wines scoring 94 points and above

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Harvest 2023 in the Pacific Northwest: What winemakers are saying

Producer profile: Trothe, plus seven wines tasted

Oregon’s Willamette Valley 2021: Vintage report and top-scoring wines

In the Pacific Northwest, Washington state’s 2023 wine harvest is getting underway, while those in the cooler Willamette Valley in Oregon bide their time.

Harvest 2023 begins in Washington

Harvest 2023 has begun in the Evergreen State, depending on the site. Growers are largely picking for either sparkling wine or early-ripening white varietals like Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

‘Harvest is just getting underway,’ reported Gilles Nicault, the director of winemaking for Long Shadows. ‘We picked Sauvignon Blanc from a 1972 block at Bacchus Vineyard (White Bluffs AVA) on 29 August and will pick Stone Tree Vineyard Syrah from the Wahluke Slope on 6 September.’

Elsewhere in the state, winemakers are making preparations for a harvest just around the corner.

‘We anticipate picking Sauvignon Blanc from Novelty Hill’s estate vineyard, Stillwater Creek in the Royal Slope AVA, right after Labor Day, said Mike Januik, winemaker at Januik and Novelty Hill wines. ‘This is quite a bit earlier than last year, but 2022 was late by a couple of weeks.’

Budbreak in Washington was spotted in the Walla Walla Valley in late April. It was a cool spring in Washington state, but things heated up considerably in May. The hot days pushed 2023’s cool start, which was tracking two to three weeks behind towards more recent norms, with bloom seen across the state’s vineyards around 23 May.

After back-to-back unusual vintages, winemakers look forward to the kind of vintage that they’ve come to expect in Washington state.

A more ‘typical’ year

‘It’s been nice to have a “typical” Washington state growing season after more extreme conditions the last few years,’ said Amy Alvarez-Wampfler, winemaker and general manager at Walla Walla’s Abeja.

‘The weather hasn’t been too hot or cold, and there hasn’t been much rain. That’s quite different from the previous years. 2021 was the year of the heat dome. It was warm, dry, and a little windy, which concentrated the fruit. The berries were smaller, and yields were down 15-30% depending on the vineyard. In many ways, last year was the mirror-opposite.

‘In 2022, yields were up 20-30%, depending on the vineyard, and it was a late harvest. We started picking Chardonnay towards the end of September last year, and we brought in our last grapes around mid-November.’

Forecasting a promising vintage

Despite a cool start, the 2023 vintage has rebounded surprisingly. With relatively low yields expected, Washington winemakers anticipating a year of intensity and concentration.

‘The growing season started at least three weeks later than usual, and we are now looking at one of the earliest harvests in my memory,’ said Nicault.

‘Low yields and ideal growing temperatures have boosted perfect ripening, with the grapes achieving beautiful physiological maturity with vibrant character, colour and aromatics.’

After a vintage of copious yields last season, Washington state is expecting a smaller crop in 2023.

‘The crop is significantly smaller this year than in 2022. I’m anticipating intense flavours in 2023 and even ripening,’ Januik said. ‘If the weather holds, we should be wrapped up by the first half of October, perhaps as early as 10 October because of a low crop load.’

‘We believe the fruit quality this year will be excellent,’ added Alvarez-Wampfler. ‘The canopies are even, the vines are well-balanced, and the berries and clusters are small. We did some heavy thinning this year.

‘Last year was a big crop. We anticipate yields will be down by about 20% this year. We won’t start picking fruit at Heather Hill until mid-October. It’s always one of the last vineyards we pick.’

Anticipation builds in Oregon

The Willamette Valley got off to a very slow start in 2023, but things got unusually warm in May with a few days of 32°C (91°F) temperatures. This early heat spike got things moving along quickly.

‘We’ve had a pretty compressed growing season, said Willakenzie winemaker Erik Kramer. ‘But the weather has been pretty cooperative since.

‘The timing between bud break and bloom was very short due to a warm spring, something like 10 days shorter than longer-term averages. Additionally, we had some heat roll through the area in August that seems to have advanced the calendar by a few days.’

The vintage has many thinking of warm years like 2018, 2015 and 2016 when fruit was ripe, and the wines were very approachable in their youth.

‘So far so good, the crop is looking very healthy,’ said Anne Sery, winemaker at NW Wine Company. ‘A quite late bud break was balanced by a warm summer.

‘The end of August looks to be cool, and the bits of rain and cooler days will help slow down the sugars, allowing the tannins to ripen and the skins to thicken. Right now, it reminds me of a combination between 2018 and 2015.’

Sery added, ‘I say 2018 for comparable degree days and 2015 for its hot and dry July and August. In 2018 when September came, we were all expecting to pick early, but it ended up taking a few weeks, and we didn’t really start until the third week of September.’

Clusters and complexity

In a region known for producing wines of balance and complexity, a warm vintage may mean different things for winemakers when it comes to picking decisions.

This is particularly salient for house styles based on freshness of fruit, floral character and minerality. Yet complexity can come from a variety of sources.

‘It was a similar start in 2016,’ said Ken Kupperman, vice president of vineyard operations for Jackson Family Wines, Oregon.

‘The clusters were very non-uniform in size this year, even within the same block, which may add some complexity to the wines. This has been a dry and warm year, but canopies have remained healthy. At this point, the season is going into its final phase now, and we’re seeing a cooling trend in the forecast. It’s shaping up very well, perhaps will wrap things up by the end of the first week in October.’

The way things are tracking, winemakers anticipate generous wines with ample fruit character.

‘These wines will certainly show some nice fruit. If the wines are anything like 2016, and I believe they are. They’ll be very fruit-forward and approachable early,’ shared Kate Ayres, PennerAsh winemaker. ‘Yet with so much variability within the blocks, we should see some interesting complexity.’

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Nothing says celebration like bubbly wine, and few other drinks are as synonymous with the old year ending or the new year beginning as bottles of sparkling wine.

While the phenomenon was said to have started in Limoux, in the south of France, the wine style has become intertwined with the northern French vineyards of Champagne.

On this side of the Atlantic, sparkling wine historians point to Ohio rather than California for the first American bubbles in the United States. It was a sparkling Catawba made by a Cincinnati lawyer named Longsworth, who became the founding father of bubbles in the US.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 25 of Clives’ top sparkling picks for New Year’s Eve

There is plenty for fans of sparkling wine to be excited about in the US and Canada. The French sparkling wine production method, often referred to as methode champenoise or just the ‘traditional method,’ is the predominant approach in North American, but it’s not the only one.

Fans of wines created in a style similar to Prosecco from the Charmat method – where the wines are produced in large tanks with less pressure and thus creating bubbles which tend to be lighter – will find plenty of New World options.

While the popularity of sparkling wines continues to grow, no category has seen its approval numbers increase like the Pétillant Naturel style or Pét nat as it’s commonly abbreviated.

Pét Nat is the world’s original sparkling wine production method, sometimes called méthode ancestrale. It differs from wines made in the style of Champagne as it is bottled before it finishes its initial fermentation.

Oregon

When Rollin Soles got the ball rolling on sparkling wine at Argyle three decades ago, who knows if he could have foreseen the growth and quality of the wine style’s production in the Willamette Valley. There are now close to 50 sparkling producers, and that number seems to grow by the week.

A big part of the sparkling movement in the Willamette Valley is the Radiant Sparkling Wine company, who contracts with small producers and provides the niche and expensive equipment to allow a number of wineries to begin experimenting and perfecting their own sparkling production.

See notes and scores for all 86 American sparkling wines tasted

New York

Perhaps the Empire State is the most perfectly positioned for American sparkling wine production with climatic conditions changing, and already being a cooler growing region. The sparkling wine scene in New York is very healthy, with many producers creating an array of wines. There are classically made, traditional method wines from producers like Hermann J Weimer and Dr. Konstantin Frank making precise wines in an Old Word style.

Additionally, there is plenty of excitement with Pét Nat being produced by folks like Macari, Buttonwood Grove and Channing Daughters. Some producers are even making quality carbonated wine, and while they may not satiate sparkling purists, they provide a great gateway into bubbles for new wine drinkers.

California

California has historically been the epicentre of American sparkling wine, specifically in Napa’s Carneros AVA. Big names from Europe like Roederer, Taittinger’s Domaine Carneros, as well as Spanish Cava producers like Ferrer Family and Codorníu. The Pét Nat is popping in California as well as sparkling wine continues to flow from the Golden State.

Washington and beyond

Washington has sparkling wines being produced by the state’s standard bearer, Chateau Ste Michelle, under the Domaine Ste Michelle label, as well as a few upstart producers who have focused specifically on bubbles, like Tirriddis and Treveri.

There are small producers like Syncline located in the cooler Columbia Gorge that have made sparkling wines for a long time. Pét Nat appears to be catching on a bit more slowly in Washington, but it is a burgeoning style.

In Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, we’re seeing successful sparkling wine programmes pop up – these include traditional method wines made in Virginia, and tasty Pét Nat from the shores of Lake Erie in Pennsylvania.

These wines are a testament to the evolution of the sparkling style across America’s wine country. From wines of lengthy lees ageing, to brightly coloured Pét Nats made from American hybrids, and everything in between, American sparkling wine is worthy of celebration.

Top American sparkling wines for New Year’s Eve:

The wines below are listed in score order.

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Washington 2008: Keep

Very good vintage for Merlot which coped well with the short growing season. Beautifully balanced with promise of complex flavours.

4/5

Weather Conditions

A cold, late winter and an unusually cool, wet spring made the vines sluggish and bud-break was two to four weeks later than usual. Some growers insisted the spring was one of the coldest in memory.

The mercury was uninspired throughout summer and the fruit development remained equally grounded. Then came September, warm and balmy, and the Merlot began to steadily gain sugars and flavours – even so, by the month’s end few vineyards were ready for picking.

The harvest eventually kicked off 10-14 days later than usual, but a warm, sunny October quickened ripening and finishing dates for many growers were more or less normal. Such a compressed harvest meant little let-up for the pickers, but at least winemakers suffered minimal loss when a surprise frost bit in early October.

Best Appellations

Quicker-ripening Merlot had the advantage in 2008, and for many it will be the grape of the vintage. Although the growing cycle was out of kilter, when the Indian summer did arrive the Merlot could take relatively speedy advantage. October’s cool nights were a bonus : acting like natural refrigeration they helped preserve natural acidity.

Right across Columbia Valley, physiologically ripe grapes were harvested with slightly lower sugars and slightly higher acidities than other recent, more massive vintages. The top wines will be pretty and elegant, with a firm fleshiness and good flavours. They’ll be medium-bodied, with moderate alcohol and refreshing balance.

Those winemakers who limited yields earlier in the season are likely to have produced the most intense, complex Merlots, with well-defined flavours.

Best Producers

Early tastings highlight Ch Ste Michelle and Columbia Crest (Columbia Valley) and Leonetti and Seven Hills (Walla Walla Valley).

Quick Link Washington Travel Guide

Washington 2007: Keep

One of the best ripening periods on record, with Cabernet Sauvignon proving the top performer. The wines show great balance, with lower alcohol, well-knit tannins, fine ripeness and superb ageing potential.

5/5

Weather Conditions

The weather for the 2007 Washington Cabernet Sauvignon vintage couldn’t have been better. The season kicked off with ideal conditions around flowering and fruit set, while warm, enduring mid-summer temperatures allowed the grapes to ripen slowly and steadily. The odd heat spike stalled maturation, but for brief periods only.

Favourable conditions continued throughout September. The month was cool and dry, allowing flavour profiles and tannic ripeness to develop gradually, while sugar levels were held in check – at slightly lower levels than normal – by the lower temperatures. A cool, bright October followed, and growers enjoyed huge flexibility over picking dates, with extra hang-time adding to flavours and tannic ripeness rather than boosting sugar levels.

Best Appellations

A fast start to the Washington vintage, followed by a slow middle and extended ripening/harvest period produced some really high quality Cabernet Sauvignon right across the region. Berry size was small to boot, concentrating fruit flavours and imparting good ageing potential.

The cool September temperatures allowed the later ripening variety to achieve perfect ripeness and balance while eradicating any green, herbaceous flavours. There was no fear of overripeness, and no worries about compromising freshness. Instead, the ideal ripening conditions has produced full-bodied wines and fine fruit flavours.

The small berry size concentrated tannins, thus imparting a firm backbone to the wines, while the good late-season weather ensured tannins were ripe and well-integrated.Generally, alcohol levels are below 14% ABV.

Best Producers

Not sufficiently tasted, but best bets so far include Buty (Columbia Valley), Airfield (Yakima Valley), Substance (Columbia Valley), Hogue Cellars (Columbia Valley), Barnard Griffin (Columbia Valley), Washington Hills (Columbia Valley), Chateau Ste Michelle (Columbia Valley), Ecole 41 & Leonetti (Walla Walla Valley), Milbrandt (Yakima Valley), Powers (Columbia Valley), Seven Hills (Walla Walla & Columbia Valley)

Quick Link Washington Travel Guide

Washington 2007: Keep

Grape quality proved impressive, with average soluble sugars and good acid balance. The best wines are bright and crisp, with silky tannins.

4/5

Weather Conditions

Ideal weather spanned the entire season in Washington 2007, beginning with strong flowering and fruit set and ending with a cool, extended ripening period that allowed growers to choose the perfect moment to harvest the Merlot. Between the two, warm to very warm temperatures throughout May and June ensured the grapes matured steadily and evenly, with just the occasional heat spike to temporarily stop maturation.

The weather turned cooler in September, giving growers the opportunity to ensure complete ripeness without fear of sugar levels outpacing flavour and tannin development. Yakima Valley’s hot Red Mountain AVA was the first to be harvested, very early, and in Columbia Valley’s Wahluke Slope region picking moved along briskly. Overall, it was a trouble-free harvest, with some growers making comparisons with the hot 2003 vintage, which also enjoyed a cool September.

Best Appellations

The near-perfect weather in 2007 has given rise to some really full and round Merlot wines. The long growing season and cool, protracted ripening period enabled to grapes to get fully ripe – achieving their full flavour potential – while still retaining sufficient acidity to give excellent balance. There was little danger of the grapes becoming over-ripe nor of ripeness being achieved at too high an sugar (alcohol) level. The best wines have silky, mouth-coasting tannins combined with a glossy crispness.

Best Producers

Not sufficiently tasted, but best bets so far include Andrew Will (Columbia Valley), Buty (Columbia Valley), Airfield (Yakima Valley), Columbia Crest (Columbia Valley), Substance (Columbia Valley), Flying Fish (Washington), Ch Ste Michelle (Columbia Valley), Washington Hills (Washington).

Quick Link Washington Travel Guide

Washington 2006: Keep

Warmer-region Cabernets are deeply flavoured, well-structured, with good acidity and tannins; wines from cooler regions, which struggled to achieve full ripeness, are leaner and can have an herbaceous edge.

4/5

Weather Conditions

A splendid vintage in which a mild, showery spring -giving rise to balanced canopies, tight bunches and small grapes – was followed by a near ideal summer: dry, with hot days and cool nights. Grapes matured steadily and evenly, though growers in the State’s warmer regions worried that sugar accumulation could outpace flavour development with the resulting high alcohol wines.

In the event, any fears were proved unfounded. Temperatures suddenly dropped with the arrival of cooler, damper weather in September, and growers in warmer regions were able to start harvesting soon after. Growers in cooler regions had to play a waiting game in the hope that physiological ripeness would catch up.

Best Appellations

The 2006 vintage in Washington offers the potential for rich, well-structured, deeply flavoured Cabernets, with excellent acidity. The best should age beautifully, and are likely to originate from the warmer Columbia Valley AVAs, in particular Walla Walla Valley and Red Mountain (the latter experiences a desert-like climate of very hot days and cold nights). Both are key Cabernet Sauvignon appellations.

More elevated, cooler AVAs like Rattlesnake Hills and Snipes Mountain may have struggled to reach full ripeness with the onset of the long, cool autumn.

Best Producers

Not sufficiently tasted as yet, but best bets include Walla Walla Valley producers Va Piano Vineyards, Chateau Rollat, L’Ecole, Leonetti Cellar; also DeLille Cellars in Red Mountain and from Columbia Valley Woodward Canyon, Abeja, Quilceda Creek and Betz.

Quick Link Washington Travel Guide

Washington 2006: Keep

Seriously outstanding vintage producing supple, well-balanced, deeply-flavoured wines with the accent on blackberry, sage and tobacco notes. Best through 2011-2018.

4/5

Weather Conditions

The 2006 weather pattern was near ideal for Merlot: a mild, rainy spring followed by a dry, hot summer with cool nights. The daytime heat allowed sugar levels to steadily rise, while night-time coolness maintained vibrant acidity and intensified flavours. Berries were small, further concentrating flavours, and bunches tight. There was little disease to speak of.

A cool, dry September, saw sugar accumulation tail off and heralded the start of the harvest. The dry weather allowed growers to choose just the right moment to harvest the crop, maximising the potential for ripe, well-balanced wines.

Best Appellations

The 2006 Merlot vintage just pips Washington State’s Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 to the post. The best will be polished, deeply flavoured wines with lively acidity – for drinking in the short to medium term. The sudden cooling down in September had less impact on Merlot, which ripens earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon, and many show excellent acid/sugar balance. The cool, dry autumn afforded extra hang time for those growers concerned about phenolic (tannic) ripeness.

Though quality is likely to be superb across the board, the warmer sites – Red Mountain, Walla Walla Valley, Wahluke Slope – are likely to have the edge.

Best Producers

Not sufficiently tasted as yet but best bets include Columbia Valley’s Washington Hills, Januik, Sagelands, Barnard Griffin, Woodward Canyon, Columbia Crest, Waterbrook Winery, Chateau Ste Michelle and Lost River. Also Walla Walla Valley’s Leonetti and L’Ecole, Owen Roe (Yakima Valley), Milbrandt Vineyards (Wahluke Slope) and Bookwalter Winery (Red Mountain).

Quick Link Washington Travel Guide

Washington 2005: Drink now

Winemakers statewide reported small grape clusters with intense color, balance and ripe flavors.

3/5

Weather Conditions

Warm summer months in Washington , cool autumn temperatures and a mild winter yielded a record wine grape harvest for 2005. Moderate winter temperatures and a warm Indian summer led to prolonged hang-time which resulted in deep, concentrated flavors. Winemakers statewide reported small grape clusters with intense color, balance and ripe flavors.

Best Appellations

Best Producers

Quick Link Washington Travel Guide

Washington 2005: Keep

Winemakers report small grape clusters with intense color, balance and ripe flavors.

4/5

Weather Conditions

Warm summer months in Washington , cool autumn temperatures and a mild winter yielded a record wine grape harvest for 2005. Moderate winter temperatures and a warm Indian Summer led to prolonged hang-time which resulted in deep, concentrated flavors. Winemakers statewide reported small grape clusters with intense color, balance and ripe flavors.

Best Appellations

Best Producers

Quick Link Washington Travel Guide

Washington 2004: Drink soon

Dark coloured wines with velvety texture and ripe fruit.

4/5

Weather Conditions

A hot growing season followed by a cool fall created a longer harvest, resulting in Washington wines with full, rich flavors. Despite winter damage to vines in certain areas across the state, the overall size of 2004 crop estimates were offset by an increase in bearing vineyard acres coming into production. Winemakers across the state reported small berry size with concentrated, quality fruit. Harvest began in some areas unusually early in August as a result of the warm growing season and early maturing fruit. The cool fall extended hang time with final berries picked in early November.

Best Appellations

Walla Walla, Columbia

Best Producers

L’Ecole No. 41, Woodward Canyon

Quick Link Washington Travel Guide

Washington 2003: Drink now

Ripe yet well structured wines.

3/5

Weather Conditions

The season began with a normal, mild spring, but by June the weather warmed up. With July and August being above average in temperature, this turned out to be a hotter than normal summer. However, a cooling trend in early September came along to slow down sugar development and to allow better flavour build up. The smooth September was followed by a warm October, quickly bringing most of the fruit to full maturity. Overall, a hot vintage, similar to 1998.

Best Appellations

Walla Walla, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley.

Best Producers

Chateau Ste Michelle, Columbia Signature Series, Bookwalter, Columbia Crest Reserve, Leonetti, Woodward Canyon.

Quick Link Washington Travel Guide

keep

Washington 2003: Keep

Very good quality wines with concentration and complexity.

4/5

Weather Conditions

The season began with a normal, mild spring, but by June the weather warmed up. With July and August being above average in temperature, this turned out to be a hotter than normal summer. However, a cooling trend in early September came along to slow down sugar development and to allow better flavour build up. The smooth September was followed by a warm October, quickly bringing most of the fruit to full maturity. Overall, a hot vintage, similar to 1998.

Best Appellations

Walla Walla, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley

Best Producers

L’Ecole No. 41, Hogue Genesis, Chateau Ste Michelle, Andrew Will, Pepper Bridge, Woodward Canyon

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Washington 2002: Keep

Elegant and complex wines

4/5

Weather Conditions

The year began with no freezes and no problems with spring frosts. Since it does not rain and the humidity is always low during the summers of eastern Washington, the main concern is to obtain ripe fruit before the cold weather hits in ealry October. The summer was moderately warm, but with no hot days through the end of July. By the beginning of August the fruit was lagging behind. But then by mid-August warm weather finally set in and remained. With daily temperature swings of 40 F, the vines began to catch up and ripen on schedule.

Best Appellations

Columbia Valley, Walla Walla.

Best Producers

Chateau Ste Michelle, Columbia Signature Series, L’Ecole #41, Pepper Bridge, Bookwalter, Columbia Crest Reserve, Leonetti.

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Washington 2002: Drink soon

Elegant cherry-scented wines with smooth, ripe tannins

4/5

Weather Conditions

The year began with no freezes and no problems with spring frosts. Since it does not rain and the humidity is always low during the summers of eastern Washington , the main concern is to obtain ripe fruit before the cold weather hits in ealry October. The summer was moderately warm, but with no hot days through the end of July. By the beginning of August the fruit was lagging behind. But then by mid-August warm weather finally set in and remained. With daily temperature swings of 40 F, the vines began to catch up and ripen on schedule.

Best Appellations

Columbia Valley, Walla Walla.

Best Producers

Kestral, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest, Isenhower, Hogue, Andrew Will, Northstar.

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Washington 2001: Drink soon

Softer tannins with lush fruit making them quite approachable

3/5

Weather Conditions

During both spring and early summer, the temperatures remained below average. In the Columbia Valley, June turned out to be exceptionally cool with an average temperature of 80F, and it was only slightly warmer in the Walla Walla region. A sense of normalcy set in July, but the vines were behind schedule until August when the weather turned warm. There were several heat spikes to accelerate fruit maturity in Cabernet. However, the intense heat caused some problems with Merlot which was aggravated by drought conditions and a scarcity of water for irrigation. The average temperature in August was 90oF. Normal warm daytime weather with cool evenings in September allowed the grapes to mature evenly and brought about good tannin development.

Cabernets show typical bright fruit and good concentration.

Best Appellations

Columbia Valley, Red Mountain, Walla Walla, Yakima Valley

Best Producers

Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Winery, Northstar, Hogue Reserve, Andrew Will, Columbia Crest

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Washington 2000: Keep

Cabernet-like Merlot with massive tannins and concentrated flavours should last forever

4/5

Weather Conditions

With a cool early season and warm, dry harvest conditions continuing until just about every Merlot cluster was in the cellars, many winemakers suspect Merlot will be the star of the vintage. Harvested at high levels of ripeness, the small clusters of Merlot yielded powerful, massive wines. With tannin levels to match their extraordinary flavour concentration, the best Merlots took on Cabernet Sauvignon proportions.

Best Appellations

Quality ran high in the Columbia Valley but wines from Walla Walla could lead the fast-running pack.

Best Producers

The stars are Ste. Michelle, Hogue Cellars, Canoe Ridge, Pepper Bridge, and North Star.

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Washington 2000: Keep

Coolest weather for 20 years produced small clusters and berries: strong flavors and strong tannins

3/5

Weather Conditions

The first vintage in which more red grapes were harvested than whites was anything but typical. Veterans describe it as one of the coolest in two decades, and the harvest weather was unusually warm and dry. Picking extended into late October. A sorely-needed warm spell in September allowed sugar levels to perk up. But the warm weather continued until a and mid-October rain. It turned out to be a blessing because it revived the fruit which was looking battered by the warm spell. Cabernet Sauvignon had unusually small clusters and berries which contributed to concentrated flavors and strong tannins.

Best Appellations

Best Producers

The stars of the vintage are Ste. Michelle, Canoe Ridge, Columbia Winery, L’Ecole #41, and Leonetti.

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Washington 1999: Keep

The long ripening season helped produce very good Merlot indeed

4/5

Weather Conditions

Though it has some competition, this vintage was one of the coolest vintages of the ’90s. While it started out in the spring as extremely cool, the vintage ended up being slightly warmer that normal when September was finished. Any rain that normally occurs here did failed to show up in what was a warm, dry late season through harvest period. The vines enjoyed a sun bath and the moderate temperatures were sufficient to ripen and mature the fruit. The lack of moisture enabled growers to avoid their annual worry about botrytis on red grapes. Though this was not an easy vintage and many winemakers were wondering if the fruit would ever get ripe, the warm dry fall was a minor miracle. Thoughmost wines from this vintage have yet to appear, early reports peg it as one of the best, possibly the star of the 1990s.

Best Appellations

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Best Producers

Chateau Ste. Michelle (Indian Wells), L’Ecole No 41(Seven Hills Vyd), Leonetti, Canoe Ridge, Powers, Columbia Winery (Milestone), Hogue Cellars Reserve, Snoqualmie Winery, Columbia Crest Estate, Seven Hills, Apex, Balcom & Moe

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Washington 1999: Keep

Though most wines from this vintage have yet to appear, early reports suggest it is one of the finest of the 1990s

4/5

Weather Conditions

Though it has some competition, this vintage was one of the coolest vintages of the ’90s. While it started out in the spring as extremely cool, the vintage ended up being slightly warmer that normal when September was finished. Any rain that normally occurs here did failed to show up in what was a warm, dry late season through harvest period. The vines enjoyed a sun bath and the moderate temperatures were sufficient to ripen and mature the fruit. The lack of moisture enabled growers to avoid their annual worry about botrytis on red grapes. Though this was not an easy vintage and many winemakers were wondering if the fruit would ever get ripe, the warm dry fall was a minor miracle. Though most wines from this vintage have yet to appear, early reports peg it as one of the best, possibly the star of the 1990s.

Best Appellations

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Best Producers

Chateau Ste. Michelle (Indian Wells), L’Ecole No 41(Seven Hills Vyd), Leonetti, Canoe Ridge, Powers, Columbia Winery (Milestone), Hogue Cellars Reserve, Snoqualmie Winery, Columbia Crest Estate, Seven Hills, Apex, Balcom & Moe

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Washington 1998: Drink soon

A good vintage for deeply coloured, fruity wines

4/5

Weather Conditions

The growing season was one of the warmest on record, just a tad behind 1958 which holds the record for warmth. A warm spell in May set the hot tone for the vintage. A very hot August led to early ripening of Merlot. The conditions led to concerns about sunburn which is controlled here in Washington by canopy management and leaf cover exposure. However, the steady heat kept the berry size on the small side, and the fruit wanted to mature rapidly.

The harvest began and ended earlier than normal, but the quality was well above average.

Best Appellations

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Best Producers

L’Ecole No 41, Leonetti, Walla Walla Vintners, Bookwalter, Tagaris, Barnard Griffin, Canoe Ridge. W.B. Bridgman, Hogue.

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Washington 1998: Drink soon

The growing season was one of the warmest on record, producing rich, ripe wines

4/5

Weather Conditions

The growing season was one of the warmest on record, just a tad behind 1958 which holds the record for warmth. A warm spell in May set the hot tone for the vintage. A very hot August led to early ripening Cabernet. The conditions led to concerns about sunburn which is controlled here in Washington by canopy management and leaf cover exposure. However, the steady heat kept the berry size on the small side, and the fruit wanted to mature rapidly.

Best Appellations

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Best Producers

Chateau Ste. Michelle Hedges Cellars, Columbia, DiStefano, DeLille, Hogue.

The harvest began and ended earlier than normal, but the quality was well above average.

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Washington 1997: Drink soon

The Cabernet crop was significantly larger than normal but quality was good

3/5

Weather Conditions

Both March and April were much cooler than normal, and bud-break was late, slow and erratic. Before panic set in, a surprising heat spell in May encouraged vine growth and led to a late May bloom. This pleasant warm spell contributed to a good set. For both July and August the growing season enjoyed warm dry conditions which allowed the fruit to ripen slowly and incrementally. Though the crop for Cabernet was significantly larger than normal, and although September was a little cool and unseasonably wet, the reds managed to ripen and mature slowly. From warmer sites, Cabernet was safely in the cellars by the end of September. For cooler areas, the harvest was completed along with Cabernet at the end of the month.

Best Appellations

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Best Producers

Andrew Will (Pepperbridge Vyd), Chateau Ste. Michelle, Leonetti, Columbia Crest Reserve, Quilceda Creek, DiStefano, Kiona, Bridgeman, Hedges Cellars, Walla Walla Vintners, Dunham, Bookwalter, DiLille, Kiona

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Washington 1996: Drink now

A February freeze and cool weather during bud set halved the crop in many sites

3/5

Weather Conditions

A rather harsh winter in Washington followed by cool temperatures extended into the early growing season. A week-long freeze in February and cool conditions during the crucial time of set reduced the crop by 50-60 per cent in many sites. Bud-break along with flowering and set were delayed about two weeks in the Columbia Valley, and in Walla Walla set was only a few days later than normal. However, as the season progressed, there were enough warm dry weeks in July and August to ripen the fruit which remained two weeks behind normal. September finally gave daytime temperature in the 80s and the grapes ripened smoothly and experienced a longer hang time than usual. The berries were small, and the overall crop was undersized.

Best Appellations

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Best Producers

Hogue Reserve, Chateau Ste. Michelle, L’Ecole No 41, Barnard Griffin Reserve, Columbia Crest Estate, Waterbrook, Andrew Will

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Washington 1996: Drink now

Severe frosts reduced yields dramatically

3/5

Weather Conditions

A rather harsh winter was followed by cool temperatures extended into the early growing season. A week-long freeze in February and cool conditions during the crucial time of set reduced the crop by 50-60 per cent in many sites. Bud-break along with flowering and set were delayed about two weeks in the Columbia Valley, and in Walla Walla set was only a few days later than normal. However, as the season progressed, there were enough warm dry weeks in July and August to ripen the fruit which remained two weeks behind normal. September finally gave daytime temperature in the 80s and the grapes ripened smoothly and experienced a longer hang time than usual. The berries were small, and the overall crop was undersized.

Best Appellations

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Best Producers

Leonetti (Seven Hills Reserve), Andrew Will (Klipsum, & R), Col Solare, L’Ecole #41, Chateau Ste. Michelle Canoe Ridge, Hogue Barrel Select, Columbia Crest Reserve, Matthews (Elerding Vyd Reserve), Hyatt, Woodward Canyon, DeLille, Hedges Red Mountain Reserve, Bookwalter, Columbia Crest Reserve, Soos Creek, Canoe Ridge, Harrison Hill, Kiona Reserve

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Washington 1995: Drink soon

A mixed vintage but with much good Cabernet

3/5

Weather Conditions

It began with mild, warm weather during the winter and early spring. However, by the late spring and continuing into the early summer, the daily temperature turned surprisingly cool. As a result of the long-term cool conditions, bud-break and flowering were delayed by two weeks. There was also enough rain to annoy growers who in this semi-arid region are not familiar with summertime rain. Characterized as a cool and long growing season,1995 was a moderately sized crop and the harvest extended well into October. When summer arrived, the grapes began a slow, steady ripening process.

Best Appellations

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Best Producers

Chateau Ste. Michelle Cold Creek Vyd), Col Solare, Hedges Cellars, Hyatt, Kestral, Quilceda Creek, Apex, Arbor Crest, Woodward Canyon Old Vines. This was an odd growing season. Though the Cabernets are ripe and solidly built, Merlot was the standout in this vintage.

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drink soon

Washington 1995: Drink soon

An irregular and variable vintage

3/5

Weather Conditions

This was an odd growing season in Washington . It began with mild, warm weather during the winter and early spring. However, by the late spring and continuing into the early summer, the daily temperature turned surprisingly cool. As a result of thelong-term cool conditions, bud-break and flowering were delayed by two weeks. There was also enough rain to annoy growers who in this semi-arid region are not familiar with summertime rain. Characterized as a cool and long growing season,1995 was a moderately sized crop and the harvest extended well into October. When summer arrived, the grapes began a slow, steady ripening process which proved to be much to Merlot’s liking. Merlot was the standout in this vintage.

Best Appellations

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Best Producers

Ste. Michelle (Horse Heaven Vyd, Canoe Ridge Estate, & Reserve), Woodward Canyon, L’Ecole #41, Andrew Will, Seven Hills, Canoe Ridge, Hogue Reserve, Barnard Griffin Reserve, Waterbrook.

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Washington 1994: Drink soon

The crop was small but quality was excellent

4/5

Weather Conditions

Labelled ‘a banner year for red winesl by growers, 1994 was pleasant and uneventful and concluded with warm sunny skies in September and October. The flowering and set occurred under normal May-June weather conditions, but the clusters were noticeably smaller in size and fewer in number than in preceding vintages. The crop was small from the beginning, but with normal weather in July and August interrupted only by a brief July heat spell, the vines looked healthy and balanced. The warm days and cool night of September were just what the vintners ordered.

Best Appellations

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Best Producers

Chateau Ste. Michelle (Reserve & Indian Wells Vineyard)Andrew Will, L’Ecole #41, Hogue Reserve, Waterbrook, Yakima River, Wilridge, Columbia Crest.

The fruit ripened well, and the acidity level remained relatively in check. The vintage proved to be slightly better for Merlot, and pushed Washington Merlot into center stage.

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Washington 1994: Drink soon

A vintage which produced bold, concentrated, full-bodied wines

4/5

Weather Conditions

Labelled ‘a banner year for red winesl by growers, 1994 was pleasant and uneventful and concluded with warm sunny skies in September and October. The flowering and set occurred under normal May-June weather conditions, but the clusters were noticeably smaller in size and fewer in number than in preceding vintages. The crop was small from the beginning, but with normal weather in July and August interrupted only by a brief July heat spell, the vines looked healthy and balanced. The warm days and cool night of September were just what the vintners ordered.

The fruit ripened well, and the acidity level remained relatively in check. The Cabernets tend to be big, rich, and extracted.

Best Appellations

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Best Producers

Chateau Ste. Michelle, Hedges Cellars, Hyatt, Waterbrook, L’Ecole No 41, Seven Hills Reserve, DeLille.

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Washington 1993: Drink now

Elegant and flavoursome wines

3/5

Weather Conditions

Budbreak occurred in early April which is normal. A relatively cool early season followed a larger than normal set, and the vines went into the late summer trying to ripen a huge crop. As the days went by growers had to perform some cluster thinning to adjust the crop and leaf stripping, allowing badly need sun to reach the fruit, was also commonly done. Placing the vineyards on a moderate irrigation program to speed up the ripening process was somewhat successful. However, in some vineyards the vine shut down and a lot of unripe fruit was hanging on the vine. The harvest of Cabernet was in full swing the first week of October.

Best Appellations

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Best Producers

Hedges Cellars, Hyatt, L’Ecole No 41, Woodward Canyon (Special Selection), Chateau Ste. Michelle, DeLille

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Washington 1992: Drink now

A large, early vintage of reasonable quality – good colour and ripeness

3/5

Weather Conditions

After a mild winter, budbreak occurred in mid-March, several few weeks ahead of normal. Bloom and set were also two weeks ahead of schedule, but the weather cooperated and the set was good. From June on, the growing season was just the opposite of ’91, being warm enough to ripen the fruit and to lead to an early harvest. The vintage was a relatively warm one, with the above average size crop being harvested two to three weeks ahead of normal.

Best Appellations

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Best Producers

Woodward Canyon, Andrew Will (R), Hogue Reserve, L’Ecole No 41, Chateau Sainte Michelle, Gordon Brothers, Staton Hills

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Washington 1992: Drink now

The hot summer produced a number of fine wines with modest tannins

3/5

Weather Conditions

After a mild winter, budbreak occurred in mid-March, several few weeks ahead of normal. Bloom and set were also two weeks ahead of schedule, but the weather cooperated and the set was good. From June on, the growing season was just the opposite of ’91, being warm enough to ripen the fruit and to lead to an early harvest. The vintage was a relatively warm one, with the above average size crop being harvested two to three weeks ahead of normal.

Best Appellations

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Best Producers

DeLille Estate, Hedges Cellars, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Kiona

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Washington State Merlot 1991: Drink soon

A difficult harvest produced a number of structured, well-balanced wines

3/5

Weather Conditions

Though it turned out to be an outstanding vintage, the year began by establishing a dubious record on December 28, 1990 which saw the temperature plummet to 10F/-12C below freezing which brought about a vine problem aptly named winterkill. The freezing days ultimately reduced the crop by about 50 per cent. Cool weather remained through the spring which delayed budbreak by about a month. The vines were able to catch up to the normal cycle since they were not carrying much of a crop. Veraison was on time and was followed by pleasant harvest weather. The picking was in full-swing by mid-September with picked by month’s end. So much attention was focused on the winter freeze that the overall good quality of the red wines was almost overlooked.

Best Appellations

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Best Producers

Chateau Ste. Michelle (Indian Wells) Hogue Reserve, L’Ecole No 41, Andrew Will

Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon 1991: Drink soon

An early frost ultimately reduced the crop by about 50%

3/5

Weather Conditions

Though it turned out to be an outstanding vintage, the year began by establishing a dubious record on December 28, 1990 which saw the temperature plummet to 10F/-12C below freezing which brought about a vine problem aptly named winterkill. The freezing days ultimately reduced the crop by about 50 per cent. Cool weather remained through the spring which delayed budbreak by about a month. The vines were able to catch up to the normal cycle since they were not carrying much of a crop. Veraison was on time and was followed by pleasant harvest weather. The picking was in full-swing by mid-September with Cabernet picked by month’s end. So much attention was focused on the winter freeze that the overall good quality of the red wines was almost overlooked.

Best Appellations

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Best Producers

Chateau Ste. Michelle (Cold Creek), Andrew Will, Hedges Cellars, Hogue

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Washington State Merlot 1990: Drink soon

One of the warmest vintages on record produced rich, ripe wines

4/5

Weather Conditions

At the time this was one of the warmest vintages on record. The early spring was mild but in May, during the bloom period, the weather began by being cool and dry only to experience intense heat, moderate rain, and finally cooler weather. July set a record for hot weather, and after a normal August, September saw a return to fairly intense warmth. The harvest was early, and completed by the first week of October.

Best Appellations

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Best Producers

Hogue Reserve, L’Ecole No 41 Chateau Ste. Michelle, Waterbrook.

Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon 1990: Drink soon

A year which produced supple and delicious wines with good varietal character

4/5

Weather Conditions

At the time this was one of the warmest vintages on record. The early spring was mild but in May, during the bloom period, the weather began by being cool and dry only to experience intense heat, moderate rain, and finally cooler weather. July set a record for hot weather, and after a normal August, September saw a return to fairly intense warmth. The harvest was early, and completed by the first week of October.

Best Appellations

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Best Producers

Chateau Ste. Michelle, Quilceda Creek, Leonetti, Hogue, L’Ecole #41.

The reds are rich, ripe, with a few tending toward the over-ripe and overly tannic side. With ageing, the Cabernets in particular have held up surprisingly well. The ’90 Cabernet from Quilceda Creek was its best since ’87, and Chateau Ste. Michelle served up a bevy of ripe, polished Cabernets.

Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon 1989: Drink soon

A first-class vintage with ripe, well-balanced wines

4/5

Weather Conditions

Through August of this year, both California and Washington were on a course toward a great vintage. The difference is that Washington winemakers enjoyed ideal weather in September and October and had themselves an excellent vintage. At the same time, their colleagues in Napa were running for cover from one storm after another. Washington’s great year began with an unusual cold snap in February. The berries were average sized and from veraison to harvest, the weather was as near perfect as can be. The average temperature in August and September was 86F/30C, with no heat spikes or heat waves. Harvest began the third week of September for Merlot vineyards with Cabernet coming in right after them.

Leonetti’s ’89 Cabernet played to rave reviews and elevated the winery to cult status, but this was the vintage that focused world attention on Washington for its fleshy Cabernets and Merlots.

Best Appellations

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Best Producers

Leonetti, Quilceda Creek, L’Ecole No 41, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Yakima River, Hyatt, Waterbrook, Woodward Canyon, Columbia Winery