A Washington vineyard seemingly drops off the horizon while the majestic Columbia River gorge provides a stark,desert contrast in the background.

The dry, sun-parched, barren landscapes of the mighty Cascades in eastern Washington State come as something of a shock after the cool, green environs of Seattle. But it is precisely this dramatic rain shadow effect, courtesy of the serrated Cascades, that has created one of the most unlikely quality wine regions in the world.

Wine production is centered on the Columbia Valley, around the river and general regional AVA of the same name, with the most notable off-shoots being the Yakima and Walla Walla Valley AVAs. Despite the parched look of much of the landscape in this part of the world, the high northern latitude actually means that grapes enjoy long, sun-bathed ripening days in summer but without the intensity of heat found further south.

This is still a young wine region but the vines that are here have already delivered impressive results. Among the whites, it is Riesling that has rightly garnered the most accolades, both as a tantalizingly dry, aromatic style and occasionally as a marvellously intense, late-harvest sweetie. Sauvignon Blanc, too, thrives here, making fresh, zingy wines. Other cooler-climate friendly varieties such as Viognier and Pinot Gris are also showing great promise, along with Semillon and Chardonnay.

Riesling was the early bird in bringing this region to prominence and the pioneers understandably initially thought that the relatively cool climate was best suited to white grapes. But the long sunlight hours also favored the slow, long ripening that can impart superlative aromas and complexity in certain reds. Thus it was discovered that Merlot shines in this climate and some particularly impressive reds are emerging from the Yakima and Walla Walla valleys. Merlot and Merlot-Cabernet blends tend to sit somewhere in style between California and Bordeaux, while Syrah also makes intense, spicily aromatic wines. Other red varieties including Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc have also proved their worth, exhibiting bags of varietal character in the finished wines.

Washington has firmly established its reputation as a multi-faceted and talented producer of wine. But the most exciting part is that this State’s winemakers are still busy pushing the boundaries in their search for ever better quality in their wines.  [ top ]