January's Virtual Tasting is tonight! The wine is the 2008 Waterbrook Melange Noir. This wine retails for $15 and is widely available.
What you need to do to participate is:
1. Buy this month’s wine from a local retailer or from the winery
2. Post your comments/tweets on the wine between 7 and 8pm Pacific. For those on Twitter, follow me @wawinereport. I will be using the hashtag #wbrook during the event.
Hope you will join us!
REMINDER: This month's Virtual Tasting takes place this Thursday from 7-8pm. Read more about it here. 
Washington State’s total grape production reached 160,000 tons in 2010, marking a record high production level. White Riesling took back the number one spot in the state, which Chardonnay held briefly in 2009. The state also bonded its 700th winery.
The 2010 production numbers in Washington were a 3% increase, despite a somewhat challenging growing season. The numbers were released Friday in the USDA’s Annual Grape Report (Note: opens .pdf).
REMINDER: This month's Virtual Tasting takes place this Thursday from 7-8pm. Read more about it here. 
In tough times, we continue the search for good, inexpensive wines.
Pacific Rim is Washington’s Riesling specialist. The winery boasts a dazzling lineup of wines, from sparkling to dry to dessert. The Columbia Valley Riesling is off dry in style with 2.3% Residual Sugar beautifully balanced by acidity. The winery’s website states, “As wine lovers crave alternatives to heavy and oaky white wines, Riesling is experiencing a true revival (like a phoenix rising from the ashes — the inspiration for our label artwork).” Pacific Rim was recently purchased by the Mariani family.
REMINDER: This month's Virtual Tasting takes place this Thursday from 7-8pm. Read more about it here.
A round-up of stories on Washington wine from January 15th to 21st. See previous round-ups here.
From around the country…
The San Angelo Standard Times writes about Washington wine.
Wine Spectator writes about nine red values from Washington (Note: May require subscription).
The San Francisco Chronicle writes about Obama stepping up his wine game.
Wines & Vines writes about the reversal of the decision about the Yakima corkage free zone.
While Washington wines have gained increased prominence of late, Wednesday marked another step forward with two of the state’s top wines served at a White House State Dinner.
The dinner with China's President Hu Jintao, which was described as a “quintessentially American” meal, included the 2005 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and 2008 Long Shadows Botrytis Riesling. A Russian River Chardonnay from California was served as well.
For White House events, only wines made in the United States are served, a policy that has been in place since the Carter administration. The dinner was served at the State Dining Room, Blue Room, and Red Room of the White House.
The Great Recession has left many in the wine business looking for new ways to provide high quality wine at more affordable prices. One approach, which I wrote about recently, is keg wine. Another, which has recently started in Seattle, is the use of refillable wine bottles.
Paul Beveridge of Seattle’s Wilridge Winery started offering reusable bottles several months ago. Beveridge says that the inspiration was both to be as green as possible and to provide high quality wine at “recession buster” pricing.
The reusable bottles reduce environmental impact by eliminating cork (the bottles have reusable stoppers), capsules, paper labels, and the waste associated with recycling glass. “It takes five percent of the energy to clean and refill a bottle as it does to recycle a bottle,” Beveridge explains. Additionally, unlike boxed wine, it comes in a package consumers are already familiar with and that is fully reusable.
A round-up of stories on Washington wine from January 8th to 14th. See previous round-ups here.
From around the country…
The Okalahoma Gazette writes about Washington wine.
From the blogosphere…
Nectar Tasting Room & Wine Bar writes about the opening of the Nectar Tasting Room and the power of Social Media.
Through the Walla Walla Grapevine writes about Holiday Barrel Tasting.
Paul Gregutt writes about the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and Barnard Griffin. He also writes about refreshing a tired palate.
Washington’s vineyard plantings exceeded 40,000 acres in 2010 according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Plantings totaled 40,575.9 acres, up from 36,500 acres in 2009.
The majority of the increase came from plantings in the Yakima Valley (1,832.5 additional acres) and the Horse Heaven Hills (1,524 additional acres). However, the diminutive Red Mountain saw the largest percentage increase – a whopping 40% - growing from 852.4 acres to 1,199.8.
Washington is the second largest wine growing state in the nation behind California. The state is, however, a distant second. For perspective, Napa Valley is home to over 45,000 acres of grapes and California boasts more than ten times that number.
January's Virtual Tasting will be the 2008 Waterbrook Melange Noir. Thanks to reader Jim Scolastico for the suggestion. This wine retails for $15 and is widely available. The tasting will take place on Thursday January 27th from 7-8pm Pacific Time.
What you need to do to participate is:
1. Buy this month’s wine from a local retailer or from the winery
2. Post your comments/tweets on the wine between 7 and 8pm. For those on Twitter, follow me @wawinereport. I will be using the hashtag #wbrook during the event.
Hope you will join us!
The following post is written by Carrie Simon. Simon is the founder of Washington Wine 9, a custom trip planning service to travelers for Washington State's wine country.
In 1998, Steve Brooks came across an article in the New York Times that described the potential of Washington wine production to be “as large as the state itself.”
At the time, Brooks was nearing 40 and was determined to transition out of his nearly 20-year career at CNN in Atlanta. The news business had become physically draining, mentally depressing, and a detriment to Brooks’ family life. Brooks recalled that his grandparents, Italian immigrants, made wine in their basement and they routinely enjoyed it with meals; the newspaper article was all he needed to embark on a new journey as a winemaker. “This is the one shot I’m going to have,” he recalled thinking to himself. “I’d never forgive myself for not taking it.”
A round-up of stories on Washington wine from January 1st to 7th. See previous round-ups here.
From around the country…
The big story this week was the sale of Pacific Rim. Wine Business.com writes about it as does Wine Spectator, Business Wire, Wine Enthusiast, the Tri-City Herald, and Newsday.
The Associated Press writes about Constellation Brand’s jump in profits.
Last year I wrote a series of posts about corked wines - wines that have been tainted by 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA). In the first, I wrote about how I came to believe in screwcaps and other alternative closures. In the second I wrote about the experience of six Washington wineries using alternative closures. In the third, I gave my closing argument.
Four days into the New Year, I arrived at my first corked wine. In this case it was a holiday gift. I thought coming across a corked bottle so early in the year provided a good opportunity to count up the number of corked bottles I come across in 2011. So this year I'll be keeping a personal 'Corked Counter' along the side of the blog. I encourage you to keep count of your corked bottles as well. Also feel free to add comments to this post during the year as you have wines that are corked. I'm always particularly interested to hear the occasion the wine was opened for.
Let the counting begin!
Yesterday I wrote about the Washington State Liquor Control Board (LCB) ending the ‘corkage free zone’ in Yakima. This popular program allowed consumers to buy wine from local wineries and drink the wine at local restaurants – provided the wine was bought the same day - without paying a corkage fee. Below is additional information from both the LCB and Washington Wine Institute (WWI) regarding the matter.
While initial indications were that Yakima’s ‘corkage free zone’ might have come to the LCB’s attention due to interest by other parties in creating a similar program elsewhere, Communications Director Brian Smith, says that the LCB was following up on the issue due to a complaint from within the industry.
Wineries and restaurants in the Yakima area have been informed by the Washington State Liquor Control Board (LCB) that they can no longer permit same day purchases at local wineries to be consumed ‘corkage free’ at local restaurants. The ‘corkage free zone,’ which had been in effect in Yakima for a little over a year, had been widely reported and had been embraced by businesses and consumers alike.
A round-up of stories on Washington Wine from December 22nd to 31st. See previous round-ups here.
From around the country…
Wines & Vines writes about stopping vineyard grinches.
The Atlantic writes about domestic sparkling wine with a callout to Domaine Ste. Michelle.
Washington Life Magazine gives a shout out to Domain Ste. Michelle.
Business Week recommends Goose Ridge for the all-purpose bottle.
Today, a look back at some of my personal favorites from the blog from each month last year.
January’s was a story about misrepresenting price and points on the shelves.
February’s was a Focus Report on Kiona Winery and Vineyards.
March’s was a look at Betz Family Winery.
April’s was a post about 10 myths about wineries, social media, and their interactions.
Below is a summary of posts from 2010.
January 2010
About Washington Wine Report
Goals for the New Year
Washington Wine Report Rating System
Tasting Note Database
Washington Wine Round-up December 22nd to 31st
Below is a list of recent publications. Email me at wawinereport@gmail.com for reprints of any articles that do currently not have web copies.
Publications
Edible Seattle January/February 2012 - Feral Yeast Seductive Characters: Brennon Leighton's modest goal of being the world's best winemaker
Seattle Metropolitan September 2011 - 100 Best Washington Wines 2011, 20 for the White Wine Lovers, The Rest of the Best
Edible Seattle July/Aug '11 - Why Chenin Blanc is a Grape Worth Saving
Seattle Metropolitan June '11 - Chardonnay Gets Some Respect
Wine & Jazz Vintage 3 Track 1 - Columbia Gorge: A hidden gem straddling the Washington and Oregon border
Edible Seattle May/June '11 - Integral Parts: The Land and Family of Syncline Winery
Washington State 2011 Tour Guide
- Seattle and Puget Sound: A funny thing happened on the way to the market (with Chris Nishiwaki)
- Yakima Valley: Where it all began
- Tri-Cities: The Mesopotamia of Washington Wine;
- Walla Walla Valley: Say it again!;
- Spokane and Pullman: Next Stop - Innovation;
- Cascade Valley and North Central: Be prepared to be captivated
Vineyard & Winery Management January/February 2011 - Harvest Report Washington; Harvest Report Oregon (Note: Opens .pdf)
Seattle Metropolitan September 2010 - 100 Best Washington Wines
Other
"Sparkling Wines," (interview) FOX News Q13, December 2011
"Thanksgiving Wines," (interview) FOX News Q13, November 2011
"Election Coverage: Initiative 1183," Weekday on KUOW 94.9FM, October 2011
"Syrah: Love your style," (panelist) Washington Wine Road Trip, October 2011
"Washington's Top 100 Wines" (interview), FOX News Q13, September 2011
"Wine Wars," Weekday on KUOW 94.9FM, September 2011
"Washington wine," Table Talk KKNW 1150AM, August 2011
“Marketing the Nectar of the Gods” (panelist), ZINO Society Liquid Assets Forum, July 2011
“The Power of Social Media” (keynote speaker), Stoel Rives 2nd Annual Wine Law Seminar February 2011
“What’s the Point(s)?” (moderator), Taste Washington March 2011
“The New Age of Wine Marketing" (moderator), Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers Annual Meeting February 2011
“Washington’s Emerging Varieties: Grenache Panache” (panelist), Taste Washington March 2011
“Mighty Malbec” (panelist), Taste Washington March 2010
Note: This is a running list that will be updated.
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