Washington Wineries

Washington has increased its number of wineries by 400 percent in the last decade. Connoisseurs and the average wine consumer have found a new place to get great wines.

Regardless of the advancement in technology to reduce the work of picking the grapes and making great wine it still boils down to the skill of the wine maker to produce the quality wines Washington is now known for producing.

If you were in France and drinking wine in the regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy you would be at the same exact latitude of the wine country in Washington. With all the positive things going for wine in Washington being designated as American Viticulture Area is certainly a plus!

No crowds, no hurry, no pressure. Isn’t that what a vacation should be? You will experience the peace and pleasure of great countryside and great wine on a wine tour in Washington. Find the wine you like by going to the wine tastings offered by the different wineries. Find a great place to stay while in the area and make it the most relaxing and enjoyable vacation you have ever taken.

It may be dinner time at your house and what better way to set a relaxing environment than to have a wonderful glass of wine with dinner. Perhaps you are having something that a dry white will enhance or maybe you want a full bodied red to wake up your taste buds. Either can be obtained from one of the wineries in Washington.

Swirl it, Smell it and Slurp it! Get your wine glass, pour in your favorite wine, then swirl it around the glass to get the air to it, smell the wonderful aroma of the wine and then slurp (quietly, gently please) a little to add more air to bring out the full flavor of the wine. The experience will be absolutely delightful.

If just 1% of the wine grapes of Washington are grown on the eastern side of the Cascades then you would think that it was a poor area for wine growers. In fact, it is a great area where the soil is right, the climate perfect and the growing season long to provide fully ripened, fruit flavored grapes with good acid levels and pleasing aromatics. This area will certainly become more of a draw to vintners in the time to come.

The French, Italians and Germans began planting wine grapes in the state as early at 1825 for their own use when they were settling the area. Commercial planting of wine grapes didn’t being in Washington until the 1960’s with rapid expansion of the industry occurring in the mid-70’s. Now there are new wineries opening every couple of weeks for your enjoyment.