Press Room

The National Agricultural Statistics Service, a division of the USDA, reports that the 2009 wine grape harvest for Washington State was 165,000 tons, a 14% increase over NASS figures from 2008. According to NASS data, the leading varieties for Washington were Riesling (21%), Chardonnay (21%), Cabernet Sauvignon (17%), and Merlot (16%).

San Francisco Chronicle wine editor Jon Bonné included 14 wines from Washington State in his annual Top 100 wines of the year column. This non-ranked list focused on wines from the West Coast, with special attention to wines priced $30 or less. Bonné is especially complimentary to Washington’s production of Riesling, saying it “has rarely been better”. Furthermore, Washington Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet-based blends received 8 of the 22 spots on the list of the best Cabernets released in 2009.

Washington State wines made an impressive showing in Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 Wines of 2009, with 11 spots on the list. The editors of Wine Enthusiast compose the list based on several criteria, giving special focus to wines with a high quality-to-price ratio. Despite being a relatively small producer in the global wine market, Washington State managed to capture over 10% of the top wines of the year.

Wine Spectator’s prestigious Top 100, a list of the best wines of the year from around the world, has awarded a Washington State wine the number one spot for the first time. Washington State also received more spots on the list than in any year past. In total, nine wines from Washington made the Top 100.

In the latest issue of his bi-monthly journal, International Wine Cellar, influential critic Stephen Tanzer awards 138 Washington State wines scores of 90 points or better. Tanzer also remarks on the outstanding overall quality of recent vintages from Washington. Tanzer is well known for his fierce objectivity and tempered prose, which makes his generous praise for Washington State wines all the more remarkable.

In its latest issue, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - an influential bi-monthly newsletter of wine reviews - awarded ratings of 90 points or better to 338 Washington State wines, up from 277 wines last year.

The Associated Press reports on the increasing scale of Washington State's wine industry:

"Save for a few big operators, Washington state has largely been home to small, boutique wineries, despite its No. 2 ranking for premium wine. But the massive storage and fermentation tanks being erected up and down the state's wine corridors prove that things are changing."

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New York Times wine critic Eric Asimov, along with a panel of three other wine critics in a blind tasting, picked the top ten American Rieslings under $25. Washington topped the list with five picks, including first, second, and third place.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/dining/reviews/30wine.html

KUOW explores the emerging trend of wineries from Eastern Washington opening up tasting rooms in Woodinville in order to be closer to consumers.
http://kuow.org/program.php?id=18499

Jon Bonné, wine editor at the San Francisco Chronicle, praises Washington State Cabernet, saying that "the quality for the money from the Northwest right now is excellent."

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The Washington Wine Commission announced today that the Wine Bloggers' Conference – a new and wildly popular event held by and for wine bloggers and industry professionals, and held in California for the past two years – will hold its third annual event in Washington State next summer. Attendees from throughout North America will travel across Washington State to gather in Walla Walla from June 25-27, 2010.

Event organizers said, “Washington State is one of the premier grape growing and winemaking regions in the country, and so a perfect location for the Wine Bloggers' Conference. Additionally, the wine industry – led by the Washington Wine Commission – has been very energetic and forward thinking in helping us bring the conference to Washington State. They understand the importance of bloggers and that makes holding the conference in Washington State an easy decision."
Wine Bloggers' Conference

The Wall Street Journal today recognized the Washington Wine Commission's website as one of the world's best regional wine industry websites, saying the site "has it all".
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203658504574193570772464640.html