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
{"content":"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"}
Walla Walla Valley 2020: The top wines tasted
{}
{"wineId":"74683","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"74696","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"74694","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"74695","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"74697","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"74701","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"74700","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"74702","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"74711","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"74712","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"74698","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"74715","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{}
Related content
