Wines of Washington State

This summer I decided to embark on a Washington State wine tour. I have travelled many wine regions but other than a trip to Chateau Ste Michelle in Woodinville, WA several years back, I have never explored the Washington State wine region.

I have studied the area of course and it is included in the Americas lesson that I teach in Italy but seeing any region first hand always reinforces everything you've read/memorized.

I decided that the best way to make the most of my few days touring was to find someone knowledgeable in the areas' wine. I was extremely lucky to find Kyle Reynolds at Pike & Western Wine Shop in Seattle www.pikeandwestern.com. Kyle loves wine as much as I do and it shows. Once I told him my basic itinerary, he indicated what he thought were some of the regions' best producers. So it was with that info that I began my adventure.

My first stop was the Yakima Valley and Cote Bonneville Wines www.cotebonneville.com. The Yakima Valley was Washington State's first designated viticultural area. The whole valley is incredibly rich in agriculture. As I was making my way to the winery I passed orchards, corn fields, mint, hops (for beer making) and dairy farms. I was beginning to wonder where the grapes were but they soon appeared.

Hugh and Kathy Shiels planted their vineyard in 1992. After years of selling grapes to other producers they decided in 2001 to start producing their own label. Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah make up the plantings and their daughter Kerry is the wine maker. Kathy took me on a tour of the vineyard and explained the history of the land and the various soil types on the property. I gained great insight into the irrigation process used in the area as well as on their property. It was very dramatic to see the land above the irrigation line versus the vineyard just a few feet away. This area is a desert but it's very easy to forget that when you're surrounded by grapes and orchards.

After a tour of the property, it was back to the cellar where Hugh took over. He is an orthopedic surgeon and his cellar is as clean as any operating room. We tasted 3 wines. The Cabernet Franc Rose, the 2005 Cote Bonneville and the 2003 Carriage House. I could of sniffed and smelled these wines for hours there was so much complexity. Once I did sip, I couldn't get over the length of the finish. The wines are very well balanced and I'm just sad I couldn't have enjoyed more of them.

I don't know if we'll ever see these wines in Canada but if you are travelling State side, I highly recommend you give them a try.