Washington Wines Continue to Thrill!

Washington Wines Continue to Thrill! I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

A number of recent publications have recognized the Washington wine industry for its outstanding wines, something that up until a few years ago would have been unheard of. This states wine industry has grown by leaps and bounds and has found its own groove in the international wine picture. Well over 600 wineries are up and running to keep up with the demand as well as providing a popular destination for travels. The magazine 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. The 2005 Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley Reserve ($27) beat 17,000 wines to become “wine of the year” for 2009. Criteria for deciding the ranking are a combination of score, value, availability, and excitement. Aside from winning wine of the year, Washington State also received more spots on the list than in any year past. In total, nine wines from Washington made the Top 100. And I n 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.  Many people are now discovering that this region of the Pacific Northwest has a lot more to offer.

That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.