2007 Appears to Be Another Banner Year for Washington Wines

The future looks brighter than ever for the Washington wine industry.

According to the Washington Wine Commission, 2007 was a record year for grape growers, with an estimated harvest of about 127,150 tons. This was an increase of six percent over the 2006 harvested tonnage.

Of course, quantity doesn’t always assure quality, but every winemaker I’ve spoken with to date has had nothing but good things to say about the potential of the 2007 vintage. And this comes on the heels of the 2005 and 2006 vintages, which many felt were exceptional years for Washington wines.

I’ve also sampled several 2004 wines – an off year by most standards due to a heavy frost in some areas – and found them to be outstanding. I think one reason for this is the polished skills of Washington winemakers, many of which now have a good 10 to 20 years of experience under their belt. In short, we’re building up a nice reputation in our little corner of the world, and it’s attracting attention on both a national and worldwide level.

One other item of note about the 2007 harvest is the increased diversity of grapes being grown in the state. Lesser-known white varietals such as Roussanne and Viognier and reds including Petit Verdot, Tempranillo, and Malbec are really beginning to take off. Some winemakers feel that the prospects for these and other newer varietals to Washington are virtually unlimited.

Watch for the release of 2007 white wines beginning this spring and red wines later in the year and early 2009. In the meantime, go pick up a bottle and enjoy some of the best wines in the country – it’s a great time to be a Washington wine drinker.