Press Room

The latest issue of Santé - a leading national trade magazine for restaurant professionals - declares that Washington State wines have "become a must-have item in restaurants across the country."

The July issue of Travel + Leisure highlights the Yakima Valley as one of three wine regions that is "ripe for discovery" this summer.
http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/americas-best-summer-getaways-2009/16

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

Washington has just been awarded its 11th officially designated American Viticultural Area (AVA) – and its 2nd this year – with the addition of the Lake Chelan AVA. With 15 wineries and 260 acres of planted vineyards, the Lake Chelan area is distinctive due to higher elevations and more temperate climates than its southern neighbors. The 24,040-acre AVA shares a northern border with, and falls entirely within, the Columbia Valley AVA. The leading varieties being produced here include Syrah, Merlot, Malbec, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir.

As the latest in a string of milestones for the state's wine industry, Washington has just licensed its 600th winery: Bridge Press Cellars of Spokane, founded by Brian and Melody Padrta, who cut their teeth in the wine industry as volunteers at Grande Ronde Cellars, also of Spokane. This news comes on the heels of a record 145,000-ton harvest for 2008; and Washington recently welcomed the designation of a new American Viticultural Area (AVA) - Snipes Mountain - in the Yakima Valley area, on February 20, 2009.

The designation of Washington's tenth American Viticultural Area (AVA) - Snipes Mountain - officially takes effect today. The 4,145-acre area lies entirely within the Yakima Valley AVA and also entirely within the Columbia Valley AVA. With 535 acres currently planted to 25 varieties of wine grapes, Snipes Mountain includes Upland Vineyard and Harrison Hill Vineyard. Harrison Hill Vineyard includes some of the oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines in Washington, some more than 40 years old.

Washington’s 2008 wine grape production totaled 145,000 tons, a record high level, and is up 14 percent from 2007 and 21 percent above 2006. Of the top four varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon showed the largest increase and was up 20 percent from last year. White Riesling overtook Chardonnay as the top variety this year, increasing to 28,500 tons compared to Chardonnay’s 28,000 tons.