Twenty five year ago, at about the same time the world was beginning to become aware of the potential of California wines, a handful of farmers began to plant grape vines in the State of Washington. Most people scorned at them, for there had never been any indication that the northernmost state of the Pacific Coast of the United States would ever yield decent grapes for making wine.

There were few reasons to think that Washington had the potential for being a great wine growing area. Located just south of the Canadian border, on the western edge of the United States, the state was once so isolated and wild that when explorer Sir Francis Drake discovered its rugged shore in 1579 he was repelled by its "vile, thick and stinking forests". Two hundred years later another explorer, James Cook had no better luck and concluded that "the dense old forests, the rivers teeming with otter and salmon and the haze that hangs everywhere remind one far more of hell than of paradise".

Even today the geography of the state is dramatic. Split from North to South by the spectacular volcanic mountain range known as the Cascades and with the powerful Columbia river dividing it from west to east, the state has maintained its forests and rivers in almost pristine condition. The land is vast and abundant, the air and water clean and, to the great joy of winemakers, the state is located at about the same latitudes as Burgundy and Bordeaux in France. East of the Cascade Mountains, where most of the vineyards have been planted, the land is a sunny, dry inland dessert and much of the land is sandy and volcanic, an almost ideal condition for raising grapes. That the days are warm, the nights are very cool, and much of the soil is volcanic in nature is a winemaker's dream, for these conditions provide excellent conditions for raising grapes. The extra-long growing season and carefully controlled irrigation produce wines of striking intensity and elegance. Washington State today has an incredible variety of fruits, berries, vegetables, grains, potatoes and fresh herbs. It also has some of the world's great undiscovered wines.

The first vines grown in the Columbia River Basin and in particular in the Yakima Valley, where Washington's vineyards are concentrated were of American Concord grapes, grown mostly for making jam. The deep sandy soil, long summer daylight and hot sunshine have proven ideal for wine grapes. By the late 1970s there were only 6 wineries in the state. There are now more than 75. Originally thought to be white wine country, the state has already earned a good name for its Chardonnay, Semillion, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, dry Gewurztraminer and dry Riesling.

More recently, however, the state has started turning out some exceptional reds and few now question that the future of the state lies with reds that have far more in common with the wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy than they do with those of California. Not a few of the Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris wines have already started to appear on the most prestigious wine rating lists of the United States and France and the Merlot wines from the state are one of the great wine success stories of the last half-century.

Merlot has always been a problematic grape, reaching its peak of perfection in very few sites, but in Washington, many of the wines made from this grape have approached perfection. The very best examples of Washington Merlot come from the Columbia Winery, Gordon Brothers, The Hogue Cellars, Leonetti, Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columbia Crest. Each of these wineries treats their Merlot with gentle pressing of the grapes and light exposure to oak casks. The resulting wines are soft and sensual; rich and supple, some- times bordering on opulence; and many have a charming "fruitcake" bouquet.

Carnet Sauvignon has gone through its ups and downs in Washington. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, too many of these wines were picked over-ripe, were then over-squeezed and then were finally over-exposed to oak making them far too harsh. It may be that Cabernet is simply not fated to become as great as Merlot in Washington, because even now these wines have less brightness and are less distinctive than those of counterpart Merlots. There are some really good Cabernets however, and many of them come from the same wineries that are making the best Merlot. In my opinion, the very best Cabernets of the state have come from Quilceda Creek Winery. Also worth considering are the slow-aging but very rich wines from Red Willow, Sagemoor, and Otis.

To see an article about Traveling and Dining in Washington State, click here.

© Daniel Rogov