| When people think of the wines of the
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| | ones made in eastern Washington.
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| northwest, chances are they ignore
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| | On the white side of things, eastern
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| Washington and think mainly of Oregon.
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| | Washington is best known for Chardonnays,
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| With its penchant for Pinot Gris, Pinot
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| | Rieslings, and Sauvignon Blancs. However,
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| Blanc, and Pinot Noir, Oregon has
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| | Chenin Blanc, Fruit Wines, Semillon, and
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| seemingly left Washington state Pinot
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| | Sparkling Wines are also gaining in
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| Poor. Yet, Oregon is not the only state
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| | popularity.
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| in this upper region capable of making
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| | The conditions of eastern Washington may
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| wine, Pinots or otherwise. Washington,
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| | seem like a winemakers dream, but it is
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| over the past decade and a half, has
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| | not without its faults. While
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| developed into a major wine player and
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| | viticulturists reap the benefits of a
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| now has more than the ability to serve as
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| | regular growing season and grapes that
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| Oregon's tag team partner. Move over
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| | attain perfect ripening, they must also
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| timber, the northwest has a new baby.
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| | deal with fits of weather. Mother Nature
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| Washington Wine is perhaps the tastiest
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| | occasionally wrecks havoc on this area
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| alliteration in vocabulary today (sorry,
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| | with winter freezes, leaving wine growers
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| pickled peppers, you were a close
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| | to label her a "drama queen" and also
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| second). Full of flavor, concentration,
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| | destroying portions of vineyards.
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| and body, Washington Wines are giving
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| | Sometimes, it takes several years to
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| everyone a reason to wash down their
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| | bring a vineyard back to full production.
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| steak with a bottle of Merlot. Yet, it
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| | Taking leads from its southern
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| wasn't always like this.
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| | competition, Washington is in the middle
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| The first grapes in Washington were
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| | of creating a tourism industry that
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| planted in the late 1800's. Quite
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| | parallels Napa Valley. However,
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| literally late bloomers, they didn't
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| | Washington has found itself tangled in a
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| fully develop into greatness until the
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| | vine of obstacles. These include the
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| early 1990's when people began to realize
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| | remoteness of many of the vineyards - as
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| three important things: Washington
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| | many of them are located in the
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| possessed the same latitude as famous
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| | proverbial "middle of nowhere" - and lack
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| European wine regions, Washington had -
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| | of lodging (people may find themselves
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| on average - two more hours of sunlight a
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| | all wined up with nowhere to go). The
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| day than California, and Washington
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| | lack of transportation hubs is also a
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| contained areas shielded by the Cascade
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| | factor. Nonetheless, the Washington Wine
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| Mountains. This shield left eastern
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| | Tourism Task Force was created in 2000.
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| Washington under a geographical umbrella,
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| | And so, Operation: Wine and Dine,
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| providing vineyards with nearly ideal
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| | continues.
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| climate.
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| | If a Napa Valley-like industry is
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| For these reasons, winemakers began to
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| | eventually created, it would likely
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| make wine in the eastern portion of the
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| | benefit Washington on astounding levels,
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| state. In fact, the decision was made to
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| | adding a new element to the economy,
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| plant eight out of nine viticultural
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| | creating knowledge of the wine industry,
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| areas in eastern Washington (and four out
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| | and giving Seattle - the Washington city
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| of five dentists agreed). The sole
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| | where tourists tend to flock - some much
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| western wine region is Puget Sound.
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| | needed space….needle.
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| Laying west of the Cascade Mountains, it
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| | As of right now, Washington will just
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| spends its day producing grapes that
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| | have to be happy with where it stands,
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| excel in cold climate - such as Madeline
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| | showing the world that Washington
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| Sylvaner, Muller-Thurgua, and Siegerrebe
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| | mountains aren't the only thing capable
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| - and its nights singing Celine Dion's
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| | of erupting. Already second in varietal
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| "All by Myself."
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| | wine production in the US, this
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| The eastern viticultural areas include
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| | blossoming industry has over 31,000 acres
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| Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley, Red
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| | dedicated to vineyards, and 120,000
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| Mountain, Walla Walla, Horse Heaven
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| | grapes harvested each year. Washington
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| Hills, Wahluke, Rattlesnake Hills, and
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| | also ships its product to over 40
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| Columbia Gorge. These areas are famous
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| | nations, giving us Americans the
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| most notably for two grapes: Merlot and
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| | assurance that at least one of our
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| Cabernet. Labeled as among the best red
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| | Washingtons is on good terms with the
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| wines in the world, to some people no
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| | rest of the world.
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| Merlots and Cabernets can compare to the
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