Oregon has some of the most stringent legal requirements in the United States. If the label states a varietal, the bottle must contain at least 90% of that grape variety. There is an exception made, however, for Cabernet Sauvignon, which only needs to contain 75%. The bottle must also contain 95% of the stated vintage [...]
Continue reading about Oregon Wine Laws
Oregon got on the international wine map in 1979, when a major French wine négociant, Robert Drouhin, held a blind tasting in Paris to compare Pinot Noirs. David Lett’s 1975 Pinot Noir took second in this competition, and suddenly the world was aware that Oregon could be a source of outstanding Pinot Noir. Today Oregon [...]
Continue reading about Oregon
Washington State currently has 9 AVA’s, with many more currently awaiting approval.
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is the only AVA west of the cascade mountains. This area does recieve a large amount of rain, but most of it happens during the winter, outside of the growing season. In the summer the weather is mild and dry. Because [...]
Continue reading about Washington AVA’s
Slightly more red wine is produced in Washington than white. The most common varietals include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and Semillon.
Merlot became known in the early 1990’s in Washington. The classic expression of Washington Merlot is flavors of sweet cherries and berries, and aromas like spice, mint, and cedar often add [...]
Continue reading about Washington Grape Varieties
Washington state’s wine history dates back as early as 1825, when French, German, and Italian immigrants planted vines. As in many other areas of the United States, however, Prohibition in the 1920’s dealt a huge blow to Washington’s wine business. After prohibition there were a few small wineries scattered across the state that produced very [...]
Continue reading about Washington
RSS feed link
