A peek at the 2014 harvest plus a review of what’s trending in Washington’s wine industry
Washington State growers and winemakers saw their second straight warm growing season in 2014. For many vineyard sites in Eastern Washington, it was their warmest growing season on record. Growers appreciated the relatively stress-free year which was without frosts, freezes and other significant events.
Winemakers meanwhile were giddy about the quality of fruit they received, with many promising at this early hour that it would be a well-received vintage for the state. Washington was expecting another record crop in 2014 as vineyard acreage continued to expand. Look for final numbers to be released in early 2015.
Balance Shifts to Reds
As the official grape tonnage numbers for 2013 were released in March, it became clear that the balance of wine grapes is shifting in Washington. This is the second year in a row that Washington reds (106,800 tons) outweighed whites (103,200 tons)—and for the first time, Cabernet Sauvignon became the state’s most produced grape variety, edging out Chardonnay and Riesling. With acreage continuing to climb and the state’s red wines making a cannonball-sized splash, look for Washington to tilt increasingly red in the years to come.
Strong 2012 Vintage
After two cool, challenging growing seasons in 2010 and 2011—which still produced a bountiful number of high quality wines—2012 marked a return to the norm for the state with heat accumulation and other markers tracking to 20-year averages. As the initial 2012 reds have begun to be released, it looks to be a very strong, crowd pleaser of a vintage for the state with lush, ripe fruit flavors that still retain a beautiful sense of balance. With an increasing number of eyes turning their attention to Washington, look for the 2012 red wines to receive top scores and garner the state significant amounts of attention.
Chardonnay Fights Back
While red wines have gotten much of the attention in Washington in recent years, several prominent wineries have recently launched all-Chardonnay projects. These wineries include Array Cellars, Ashan Cellars, and—in 2014—Sixto, a new project from Charles Smith. This fall, the winery released a series of vineyard-designated Chardonnays that push the upper limits on quality and price (at $55 retail they will be among the most expensive white wines in the state). With Smith flexing his marketing muscle and other wineries rallying around this much-maligned variety, look for Washington Chardonnay to get increased attention from consumers and critics alike.
Napa Valley Icons Launch Local Brands
Napa Valley’s Duckhorn Vineyards released a Red Mountain-designated Cabernet Sauvignon under its new Washington brand, Canvasback, this fall. Duckhorn also planted 20 acres on Red Mountain in the spring. Look for the winery to evolve Canvasback into a nationally and internationally distributed Washington wine, increasing the exposure of the state’s brand. Meanwhile Napa-based Cakebread Cellars released the first wine from its Mullan Road Cellars brand. The wine is a Columbia Valley-designated Bordeaux-style blend using fruit from Seven Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley. Expect more California-based wineries to expand into Washington in the coming years.
California Migration
Washington is used to drawing talented winemakers from all around the world, but 2014 seemed a bit different with winemakers from two prominent Napa Valley wineries relocating to the Northwest to make Washington wine. Todd Alexander, winemaker at the cult Pritchard Hill-based winery Bryant Family Vineyard, moved to Washington to assume the role of winemaker and general manager at Force Majeure Vineyards in Woodinville. Meanwhile Jason Ledbetter, who had been working as assistant winemaker at Pine Ridge Vineyards, joined Double Canyon as winemaker. As Washington continues to establish its brand, look for more California winemakers to come north to make their mark.
Investors Pour In
The past few years have seen a large influx of outside money into Washington. That trend continued in 2014 with the Vancouver, Canada-based Aquilini Investment Group purchasing nearly 700 acres of land in the Horse Heaven Hills for $7M. Last year this group had purchased 670 acres on or around Red Mountain. The group is expected to begin planting on Red Mountain in the spring of 2015. No matter what the Aquilinis do with this land, look for them to become major players on the Washington wine scene and expect additional investors to come streaming into Washington in the years to come.
The New Bordeaux
Washington wines and wineries received a long string of awards and accolades in 2014 but none was more attention getting than L’Ecole No 41’s inaugural release of its Ferguson Vineyard Walla Walla Valley Red Wine (2011) being named the top Bordeaux blend over £15 at the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards. That the winery received this award in London, just a short plane ride from Bordeaux did not escape anyone’s attention, with Time magazine boldly writing, “Washington State wine is the new Bordeaux.” Back in the 1970s, California was put on the wine map by besting their French counterparts at the Judgment of Paris. Could this be Washington’s ‘Judgment of London?’ Stay tuned.
State Marks Milestones
The Walla Walla Valley and Columbia Valley celebrated their 30th anniversaries in 2014. Meanwhile the Walter Clore Wine & Culinary Center opened in Prosser. The learning center is dedicated to promoting Washington wine and helping people appreciate the diversity of the state’s wine and food products.
Industry Icons Pass
For the many joys the Washington wine industry experienced in 2014, the year was not without its share of sadness. Longtime grape grower Bill Powers passed away at age 88. At Badger Mountain Vineyard, Powers was a pioneer of organic wines. The state also lost Mike Miller, age 67, the owner and founder of Airfield Estates who was responsible for some of the earliest commercial plantings in the state. John Sarich passed away at age 67. Sarich was the longtime culinary director at Chateau Ste Michelle and left an indelible imprint on the state’s food and wine scene. Washington also lost Eric Dunham, 44, of Dunham Cellars, a pioneer of the second wave of the Walla Walla Valley wine industry, founding his winery in 1997. All will be greatly missed.
Written by Sean P. Sullivan
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