Ste. Michelle Wine Estates’ Post

Friday, March 1, 2024 SUBSCRIBE FOOD & DRINK WINE FEBRUARY 29, 2024 7 Stellar Washington State Reds, From Cabernet Sauvignon to Syrah The country's second-largest producing state has some stunners you'll want try. Published on February 29, 2024 By MIKE DESIMONE AND JEFF JENSSEN Best Washington State Red Wines Washington can trace its earliest winemaking roots to the 1860s, when Italian and German immigrants planted vines to make wines for their own consumption and local commercial distribution. The second largest wine producing state in the U.S.A., the modern wine industry started here in the 1950s and expanded rapidly through the following decades. The state’s largest wine region is the Columbia Valley AVA which crosses the border into northern Oregon and contains almost all of the other AVAs, including Walla Walla Valley, Ancient Lakes, Horse Heaven Hills, Wahluke Slope, Naches Heights, and Yakima Valley. Four rivers provide an ideal environment for growing excellent grapes; they are the Columbia River, Snake River, Walla Walla River, and Yakima River and soil types vary depending upon the AVA but include alluvial, silt, loess, ancient river rocks, and fractured basalt. Washington winemakers grow many varieties of grapes, but we recently tasted a few dozen reds and narrowed it down to seven exceptional wines composed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Cabernet Franc from the 2020 and 2021 vintages.

Beyond Napa in great North Coast The North Coast AVA is one of the most important regions in California with the most famous appellations and above that we also have the Far North. But if we look beyond Napa and Sonoma Valley, we see even more appellations in the North Coast that can be described as great. What you encounter here is real passion for grapes, resulting in incredibly good wines that can compete with the world class from France. As we often see in America, the appellations follow the borders of the counties. The North Coast has six appellations north of beautiful Napa. To the northwest is Mendocino with Lake County to the east. Below Mendocino we find Sonoma County with Napa County to the east. Solano County is located in the far southeast of Napa. Finally, northwest of the famous Golden Gate Bridge lies Marin County. However, here we do not find separate sub-appellations. Given its location, it is not surprising that Mendocino has the same wine style as its southern sister Sonoma. While Lake County has the same wine style as Napa. Elegance and organic wines from Mendocino county Traditionally, wines from Mendocino County were only consumed locally. However, thanks to modern distribution options, the rest of the world can also enjoy these wines. Mendocino County stretches across several narrow valleys and has one of the most rugged, unspoiled coastlines in California. It is striking that the general appellation, Mendocino AVA, does not apply to the entire county. It is one of the largest wine regions in California, but in terms of plantings it is anything but. Most vineyards are found in the south of the county. https://lnkd.in/eCMiRf2j #wine #winelover #wijn #wijnliefhebber #wset

Great article on the wineries in this area.

Other states, other wines We have already discussed the most important wine regions of North America; from New York, Oregon, Washington to California. But wine is made in almost all US states. Let's review the other states and their wines. Cross-border Idaho As we already touched on in Oregon's Cross-Border Wines, Idaho does not have an AVA that is entirely within its own borders. Snake River Valley is partly located in Oregon, but also the other appellation Lewis Clark Valley AVA for wines is partly located in one of the other states, Washington. This is the third appellation in Idaho, after Snake River Valley and Eagle Foothills, and was recognized in 2016. It extends along the courses of the Clearwater and Snake rivers. Of the 124,000 hectares allocated as an appellation, only 40 hectares have been planted. Due to the lower hills of the river area, it is warmer here in the summer. In winter it can go down to -20C, making frost damage a real risk. https://lnkd.in/e4phWBxC

The worldwide journey of American wines started in those Revolutionary May in 1976. This Paris tasting will forever be remembered as the day that transformed the wine industry. To everyone's surprise, the two wines (unknown before) came out in the blind testing on top, both were from Napa Valley: Chardonnay and a Cabernet Sauvignion (vintage 1973). It was an awesome start not only for well known and highly respected until now California Chardonnays and the Cabernet blends, but also for whole range of New World wines (from Chili, Argentina, New Zealand etc). But when it is coming to red wines … For many years Napa valley has been a pioneer with its vineyards and renowned vintages. But seems, Oregon became a new star wine region worth exploring and the adobe of New World of Pinot Noirs. Oregon-grown Pinot Noir is truly one of the outstanding New World Pinot. After the New Zealand ones, of course. Nothing compares to these two, like they can not be compared to each other.

If you want to stand out as a wine brand - you will need to go back to when visitors had access to legends of wine. In 1999, on any Wednesday afternoon at Tra Vigne (ask Paul L. Leary), Koerner Rombauer, Bill Harlan and Dan Duckhorn might all be on the property at any one time. Throughout the day, tables would turn between winemaking families and customers from around the US. Everyone ate together - but those who brought their winea always drew the attention from all around. The feeling was always electric. The smell of the entire valley, a great combination of rosemary, anise and burning oak from pizza ovens. Wineries were less complicated to visit - less expensive, more about the love of local terroir and telling stories of vintages past. Waiters and winery folks hung out at just a few restaurants up and down the valley. The waiters were the guides to new visitors. They had the inside scoop on up and coming winemakers. And you had to drive to St. Helena for lunch or dinner. There was no way around it. Customers remember that time - more than you know. Stories of seeing or tasting with legends made their way East to offices and neighborhood tastings creating greater demand for anything and everything Napa Valley stood for -- it was a love story. Romance, passion and true attachment are what your customers seek - they sit in highway traffic while we drive vineyard lined by ways. Capture more of the brands' faces and places - and some about how you make your product. You'll sell more, but you have to go back to the place where it all started. #wine, #winery, #dtc, #napa, #customer, #wineclub, #members

“Allegretto Vineyard Resort - the vineyards here are planted in different directions, and with different spacing between the vines and the rows. It was sensory and metaphysical in determining what each grape variety desired. You may think this is rather esoteric; however, when you taste the wines, the magic will enlighten you in your experience.” Read more about it in the newest edition of the book Exploring Wine Regions: The Central Coast of California. #winelover #winetasting #winesofcalifornia