Vintage2005
TypeRed
ProducerOwen Roe (web)
VarietyRed Bordeaux Blend
DesignationRed Wine
Vineyardn/a
CountryUSA
RegionWashington
SubRegionColumbia Valley
AppellationYakima Valley
OptionsShow variety and appellation

Drinking Windows and Values
Drinking window: Drink between 2008 and 2015 (based on 17 user opinions)
Wine Market Journal quarterly auction price: See Owen Roe Red Yakima Valley on the Wine Market Journal.

Community Tasting History

Community Tasting Notes (average 90.9 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 105 notes)

 Tasted by colowino on 8/18/2019 & rated 90 points: Still good fruit, black cherry, medium body and finish. Drink it now! (1304 views)
 Tasted by David B on 4/16/2017 & rated 92 points: Bottle stored at 53 degrees from purchase date directly from Owen roe. A high rating because not only an outstanding wine but also because for $24.00 you do not get better quality, incredible value. Dense dark fruits with an underlying earthiness. Drinking perfect, soft tannin's but not over the hill. Another solid effort from Owen Roe. Wish I had a case. (2560 views)
 Tasted by guitarguy on 11/20/2016 & rated 91 points: A solid showing with chocolate, currant and sous bois notes in a right-mature frame. Drink 'em if you got 'em. (2749 views)
 Tasted by Stevere on 8/29/2016 & rated 90 points: Still drinking well at 11 years of age. Nice dark berry fruit with a hint of mocha. Could have another 5 years left. (2960 views)
 Tasted by ekenneth on 6/12/2016 & rated 91 points: Age has been good to this wine. It's still big, but now smooth with fruit and alchocol in balance. (3238 views)
 Tasted by ldehayr on 5/6/2015 & rated 89 points: Well balanced wine. I believe it still would have continued to improve. (2988 views)
 Tasted by guitarguy on 1/21/2015 & rated 90 points: Definitely old-worldish, nose of oak and deep, blueberry. Flavors are a bit lean, with steely, smoky blueberry and brown sugar notes. Good not great, drink 1-3 years. (2105 views)
 Tasted by VinLancaster on 10/5/2013: Pretty on the nose with white pepper, cranberry, baking spices, cherry, plum leather and earth to wrap it up. Forward cherry, black pepper flavors with fine grained tannins. Difficult to put the glass down, this is in a prime drinking spot now. Amazing balance and refinement. (2507 views)
 Tasted by thebonnydooner on 3/3/2013 & rated 91 points: Dark in colour, slight bricking at the rim. Nose is soft yet intense, lots of red and blackcherry. Complex and interesting on the palate, soft, juicy tannins and fresh soft acidity. Mellow with chocolate hints to the red and blackcherry fruit, delicious with a long lasting length of flavour. Awesome. (3299 views)
 Tasted by kanab ram on 2/10/2013: Popped and poured. Bright red and black candied fruit. Round and plush mouthfeel and ever lasting finish. Intoxicating. One of those Wow! wines and saddened it's my last bottle. Drinking superb now with many years left. (3075 views)
 Tasted by dala4 on 1/9/2013 & rated 93 points: Drank this for Christmas eve dinner and loved it. We should have let the bottle warm a bit more (cellar was a bit chilly). Soft and full fruits with blackberry and black pepper. No bitterness of tannins and very drinkable now. (2612 views)
 Tasted by VinLancaster on 9/4/2012 & rated 91 points: This wine makes me depressed for the fact that I am now down to my last bottle. But I digress:
Brambleberry, saline, spiced plum, rhubarb, ripe red fruit and dusted cocoa scents are abound. Some age on this wine revealed brandied cherry flavors with ribbons of dark chocolate, chewy red fruits, loam and crushed rock. A lingering finish with plenty of graphite notes complete this polished wine. (2796 views)
 Tasted by MoreWinePlease on 8/20/2012 & rated 91 points: Tasting some of my "older" Owen Roe's to see how they're holding up in comparison to CA cabs of same/similar vintage. Well, enough...good fruit, abundant smooth tannins, integrated wood and a fairly good finish. The nose has become somewhat subdued. Still, I'm partial to Owen Roe wines so I may have given this an extra point but not many CA would outshine it, dollar for dollar, vintage for vintage. Many of the Cali wines are softer, more opulent and for their style can be quite enjoyable, whereas the higher acids, brighter fruits can stand out in some of the WA offerings. But with the CA offerings that I've enjoyed in past it's becoming a more costly indulgence, even with all the discounted offerings via internet or wine shop. (2398 views)
 Tasted by blabbott on 7/19/2012 & rated 91 points: Still tasting great! (1129 views)
 Tasted by Harddriv on 5/27/2012 & rated 90 points: Terrific blend , well integrated and nice texture. (1571 views)
 Tasted by vinoceros on 3/17/2012 & rated 91 points: A really nicely put together wine. Dark fruits, fine, well integrated tannins, spice and floral notes. The finish was went on and on. The only real downside was a little bit of lavender at the back of the palate that had a soapy note. But it was easy to overlook with so many other positives. (1727 views)
 Tasted by enjoyvino on 2/26/2012 & rated 93 points: Sad day. This was my last bottle of one of my favorite wines. This did not dissapoint. Beautifully balanced, blackberry, blue fruit intertwined with a little mineral and a great soft mouthfeel. Love the way this wine has fully integrated all of the flavor with a great finish. (1796 views)
 Tasted by tantotinto on 1/17/2012 & rated 91 points: Consistent with prior note and our last bottle of this gem. (1850 views)
 Tasted by djpo on 1/5/2012 & rated 93 points: Great balance of cab franc, cab sauv and with merlot's round smooth characteristics. Plush, velvety mouthfeel with plum, cherries, sassifras. Excellent finish. (1920 views)
 Tasted by tantotinto on 12/15/2011 & rated 91 points: Consistent with earlier notes. Outstanding. (2064 views)
 Tasted by tantotinto on 12/15/2011 flawed bottle: Flawed. (2024 views)
 Tasted by VinLancaster on 12/3/2011 & rated 92 points: Still as graceful, flavorful and aromatic as all prior bottles. Continues to soar, has a lot of life left. (1479 views)
 Tasted by RPerro on 10/30/2011 & rated 90 points: Splash decanted, due to crumbled cork requiring straining. Nose of oak and earth, with black cherry fruit. Surprised how much oak I'm getting off this wine, as I do not recall it from any previous tastings. On the palate, sweet vanilla oak, some cherry fruit, and a lot of earthiness. Finishes a bit tart and overly acidic, Not sure what to think about this bottle...a bit disappointing to be honest, compared to previous bottles and the high hopes I had for this bottle. Perhaps some bottle variation, as noted by a previous taster? (2295 views)
 Tasted by tantotinto on 9/27/2011 & rated 91 points: Consistent with previous note. Still in prime form. (2244 views)
 Tasted by tantotinto on 8/25/2011 & rated 91 points: Consistent with previous note. (2282 views)
 Tasted by tantotinto on 7/25/2011 & rated 91 points: We opened a bottle of this wine last week that seemed to be past its prime. Apparently it was just an off bottle. This one is back on track and consistent with our January note. It is very good. That said, I don't see this getting better with time so might as well drink 'em now if you got 'em. (2362 views)
 Tasted by enjoyvino on 7/21/2011 & rated 93 points: 1 hour decant and this wine was singing. Beautiful soft nose of plums, violets and some earthy mineral notes. On the palate this wine is fuil bodied, nice mouthfeel a tiny bit of grip, nice complexity and great finish. (2421 views)
 Tasted by tantotinto on 7/21/2011 & rated 88 points: This wine has been consistently good but for some reason this bottle is less so. The fruit is a bit thinner and there is a slight bitter note in the finish. Still okay but not up to previous iterations. We have six left so hopefully it is just bottle variation. (2336 views)
 Tasted by Don and Pam on 5/28/2011 & rated 93 points: very good start. smooth with every sip and a long finish (2633 views)
 Tasted by blabbott on 4/27/2011 & rated 91 points: Oh,'my this is good. Lots of cherry and blackberry flavors, nice tannins and a long finish. Can't imagine this will get any better than it is right now...it is pretty perfect. This is a big wine, it would hold it's own against almost any rich food...this is just yummy. (1254 views)
 Tasted by valueseer on 3/29/2011 & rated 93 points: This wine is in its "prime". Nice full bodied flavor with purity of fruit. Lingering aftertaste, worked well with steak at Laurelhurst Market. Still has a few years. (2840 views)
 Tasted by tantotinto on 1/13/2011 & rated 91 points: Tasted immediately after opening. Opaque purple. Wet wood and sweet cherry nose. Plush plum and cherry fruit, earth and a hint of vanilla. Restrained tannins allow a long and soft finish. This is excellent. Characteristics of all the blending grapes are evident and they mesh seamlessly. This may get better but is in prime drinking condition now. (2911 views)
 Tasted by johnwine on 1/8/2011 & rated 91 points: Elegant with velvety mouthfeel and breed. (2949 views)
 Tasted by VinLancaster on 1/2/2011 & rated 92 points: Consistent with prior notes. This bottle was wonderful, weighty minerality, fragrant lavender flowers, plums, red currants and loess. No signs of closing down. (1352 views)
 Tasted by tantotinto on 10/7/2010 & rated 90 points: Consistent with previous note. Drink now. (1288 views)
 Tasted by VinLancaster on 10/1/2010 & rated 91 points: This wine continues to perform exhibiting floral, mineral, earth and polished fruit. This bottle was as lovely as the last. Drinking well now, through 2018. (1353 views)
 Tasted by mcook on 9/19/2010 & rated 92 points: Inky purple color. Dark fruit and cedar on the nose. Currant, spice, and chocolate in the fleshy and smooth palate. A touch of alcohol on the lingering finish, but doesn't overpower the goodness preceding it. Definitely a new world style, but done very well. This was a great pairing with a rack of lamb dish, and wish I had a another bottle of this. (3314 views)
 Tasted by enjoyvino on 8/14/2010 & rated 92 points: Really pleased that this bottle was like I remember the first ones I drank. Heavy and full violet and black and blue fruit on the nose with a little chocolate or mocha notes. Seems like the fruit on this bottle had come back from my last. Very very smooth, great mouthfeel, meduim bottle and great finish. (3466 views)
 Tasted by johnwine on 8/5/2010 & rated 91 points: Wonderfully delicious and engaging on the palate. (3498 views)
 Tasted by mpricher on 7/31/2010 & rated 91 points: Deep purple velvet in color, but some light passing. Purple flowers for days on the nose, thanks to the very evident Cab Franc. Just wonderful. The flavor profile has some inital strawberry, followed by black cherry, rhubarb, and then finishes with more of a coffee bean expresso. The Merlot gives this wine nice medium wieght, but low viscousity. Alcohol was not evident. Slightly bitter, but in a good way, that ensures this is not overly cooked or sweet. Off-dry, and food friendly, but you can drink and enjoy by itself as well. A really nice effort, and we all enjoyed! (3351 views)
 Tasted by jim_crane on 7/16/2010 & rated 90 points: Old World vs. New World (International Varieties) (Casa de Maz): Blood red. Definitely a new world nose with lots of fresh dark fruits and fresh sawn wood. Full-bodied. The tannins are not too drying but provide a nice grip. Cassis, some mint and fresh wood.

50+4+12+17+7 (4412 views)
 Tasted by enjoyvino on 7/11/2010 & rated 90 points: The nose evolved nicely ending in carmel and butterscotch which was interesting and different than prior bottles. It seems to have lost a little on the fruit and finish. (3357 views)
 Tasted by tantotinto on 2/22/2010 & rated 91 points: A bit better than the last bottle so I have taken the score up a point. Tannins are more integrated and the fruit is just as luscious. There is another step up in rating possible here if the oak softens a touch more but this wine is already in a very sweet spot. (1419 views)
 Tasted by empressa on 1/30/2010 & rated 89 points: Usually love Owen Roe wines, and had high expectations. The wine was smooth and well-balanced, but not particularly distinctive. It may not have been ready to drink yet, and I did not decant the wine and probably should have, so would definitely try again in a year's time. (4051 views)
 Tasted by tantotinto on 1/11/2010 & rated 90 points: We tried this when it was released, liked it and bought a case. This is the first bottle to be opened since. Served at 63 degrees without decanting. Dark red color. Great nose of cherries, earth and oak. It is a generous mouthful of cherry with a little tannic grip in the finish. Great plush fruit but not overly complex. Tannins may settle and the oak integrate a bit more but all things considered I see no great upside to waiting to drink this one up. (1463 views)
 Tasted by enjoyvino on 1/7/2010 & rated 92 points: This wine was great. Nice deep purple color, terrific full, ripe nose of dark fruit. Very well integrated flavor across the entire palate with a really full and long finish. Deep flavor of black cherry, plum and maybe a little bit of coffee or mocha. Really like this wine and cant wait to drink my other bottles. (3914 views)
 Tasted by manonthemoon on 12/23/2009 & rated 91 points: Notes from day 2. Dark red to purple in color. Nose of black cherries, boysenberry, smoke, graphite, loam, some oak noted. On the palate more black cherry, black raspberry, a little blueberry sneaking in the middle, with fresh loam layer of earth, and tannin on the tail end. The finish was average and the tannins were a little tough for my liking. Good balance overall. Hold. 50+5+12+17+7 (4004 views)
 Tasted by Don and Pam on 11/23/2009 & rated 90 points: took to a restaurant and gladly paid the cork fee. we knew it would be a good one (4055 views)
 Tasted by Don and Pam on 9/26/2009 & rated 90 points: brought to a party, BIG HIT!!!! (4124 views)
 Tasted by Don and Pam on 6/18/2009 & rated 91 points: very impressive, wonderful wine start to finish (4290 views)
 Tasted by joshwoodward on 6/13/2009 & rated 90 points: Wine Club @ Maisha's (Bowling Green, OH): A very tasty wine from a reliable producer, though a little simple and oaky for the price point. Needs some more age. (2108 views)
 Tasted by chiliman96 on 4/14/2009 & rated 88 points: above average aroma of red fruits; medium body; tannic to the point of near imbalance; perhaps more time will serve it well?; (4464 views)
 Tasted by Don and Pam on 4/7/2009 & rated 92 points: wow, this one is outstanding. Deep red color, great nose, rich berry flavor. My first of 12 and I'm sure will get better with time (4247 views)
 Tasted by winejnky on 3/1/2009 & rated 90 points: initial nose; graphite, tree bark initial taste;pencil lead, rubber, earth
After 2 hours of decanting alcohol is more evident and shows very ripe red/black fruit flavors, has come out of its shell and is more put together (4242 views)
 Tasted by NPBWineGuy on 2/13/2009 & rated 93 points: Delicious and smooth. Soft fruit flavor for such a heavy wine. (1691 views)
 Tasted by JMPVermont on 1/4/2009 & rated 90 points: Must confess I'm a tad biased towards Owen Roe wines. Some days this shines above all others, but this bottle was a little subdued, and lack the silken fruit and smoky depth I've experienced before -- no matter, still have 20 left! (4368 views)
 Tasted by RPerro on 9/18/2008 & rated 93 points: 3 Year Anniversary Party with Owen Roe (Hollywood Wine & Espresso, Portland, OR): Most definitely my Wine of the Night. Just incredible blend of fruit, acidity and tannins. So easy to drink, and with another year or so in the bottle, I can see this wine pulling down a 95 score from me. Outstanding!! (4991 views)
 Tasted by RPerro on 9/17/2008 & rated 93 points: Decanted 1 hour. Beautiful dark purple in color, all the way to the edges. Nose of blueberry fruit, smoke and earth. On first sip, I get lots of blue and black berry fruit flavors, with very slight tannins that are nicely integrated with the fruit and acidity. The finish is long, and redolent of smoke, blackberries and a floral component. Always one of my favorite wines, I would imagine this would benefit from additional cellar time. (3958 views)
 Tasted by VinoGreenBay on 9/12/2008: Absolutely made the night... Even though it was a movie night at home the wine was a hit. Had with stuffed mushrooms with homemade sausage. The earthiness of the wine paired wonderfully to the mushroom/sausage combo. Will pick up more if still available at 35$ (3888 views)
 Tasted by VinLancaster on 7/20/2008 & rated 91 points: 38% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc-(DuBrul, Red Willow, Slide Mountain). 41% Cabernet Sauvignon-(Elerding).

Opulent red and black tree fruits, streaks of smoked pancetta, flinty minerality and bitter chocolate perfumes the nose and provokes the tongue. Sleek and polished on the expansive finish. A very well made wine, one to savor. (1007 views)
 Tasted by RPerro on 5/16/2008 & rated 93 points: Cork 2 Year Anniversary (Cork - A Bottle Shop, Portland OR): Excellent flavors of berry fruit, some smoke, and well-integrated tannins. Solid structure, with everything just working together nicely. Tied with Cottonwood Raya Jade Syrah for Wine of the Tasting! Outstanding - 93 points. (5606 views)
 Tasted by jhatch on 4/9/2008 & rated 90 points: Incredible wine

Hard to really appreciate the color since the resturant was very dark. Great nose and some really meaty and herbacious notes on the palate. Outstanding mouth feel and finish. (1846 views)
 Tasted by beezer6 on 4/3/2008 & rated 92 points: Very tasty red!
Blend from Washington State shows very lively notes of red berries. Strawberries, raspberries.
Some nice medium body. Excellent mouth feel. Very silky and balanced. Really like what's going on with this wine.
Definitely worth the forty bucks.
Great wines be comin' out of Washington these days.
Looking forward to trying the Cab Franc from Owen Roe. (4322 views)
 Tasted by fredmartens on 3/21/2008 & rated 92 points: Loved this wine...poured the first glass right from the bottle & decanted the rest; an hour mellowed it some. A very well balanced integration of CS, M and CF, loaded with bright fruit flavors - and a huge fruity/floral nose. While delicious and very approachable now, I expect this to get even better over the next few years as the tannins integrate...probably not a long term ager. (3837 views)
 Tasted by cmr on 3/7/2008 & rated 92 points: Outstanding. Fruit galore on a very nice structure with a good smooth finish. Found it to be more medium bodied then I would have expected which detracted just a bit as I do like them full-bodied. (3806 views)
 Tasted by JMPVermont on 12/6/2007 & rated 92 points: Wow! A real fruit bomb, but a controlled explosion with just enough Cabernet to add nice structure. Luscious nose, lots of berry. Let it decant or rest open for awhile to truly appreciate. Owen Roe has become a bit of a cult hit here in Vermont, and may just be my favorite overall producer with great product over a wide price range. (3802 views)
 Tasted by wineaux2 on 12/4/2007 & rated 91 points: Outstanding wine after 24 hours - the flavors really integrate well with aeration time. Lots of dark fruits, soft cedar and mocha. Quite tasty when paired with a little dark chocolate. One of O Roe's best. (3674 views)
 Tasted by RPerro on 12/1/2007 & rated 91 points: Drank at Lucy's Table in Portland, with K. Excellent blend. Tasted at winery over Thanksgiving, and had to order this bottle when I saw it on the Wine List. Enjoyed with mushroom risotto, while my date had a vegetarian 'meatloaf', that she was not too fond of. She said the wine saved her entree by bringing out flavor in an otherwise bland dish. Blueberries, smoke, and earth are the primary flavors here. (3239 views)
 Tasted by NPBWineGuy on 11/22/2007 & rated 88 points: Too much going on at Thanksgiving dinner to get a good note on this wine. Big fruit and an overall pleasant taste. Not a very long finish. (3247 views)
 Tasted by golfhawk on 11/18/2007 & rated 90 points: Big wine with a variety of flavors dancing on the palate over the long finish. (3150 views)
 Tasted by thomaskeil on 11/12/2007 & rated 84 points: This did not seem well balanced. Interesting cherries and wood aromas with some spice. The fruit was thin and seemed to clash with the rather harsh tannins. It finished short and out of balance. Bottle given as a gift; will not buy. (3225 views)
 Tasted by Rob MacKay on 8/28/2007 & rated 91 points: This is pretty good stuff. A CabS / Merlot / CabF blend that shows each of those varietals quite nicely. Smooth and well balanced even as an infant, it should age quite nicely for a few years. (3325 views)
 Tasted by Dulcie and Aylwin on 8/8/2007: Cedar and cigar box on the nose. Smooth, concentrated, dense fruit, not very tannic, it's drinking very happily even now. Chewy and mouth filling. These chaps make good wines. (3180 views)

CellarTracker Wiki Articles

Owen Roe

Producer website

With vineyards throughout the Pacific Northwest, Owen Roe, named after a 17th century Irish patriot who dedicated his life to political equality and freedom, is owned and run by Jerry Owen and David O'Reilly (winemaker). Their aim is to source only the very best fruit from top sites in Oregon and Washington, handle it gently in the winery, and produce wines of superior balance and quality.

2005 Owen Roe Red Wine Yakima Valley

From website: 2005 Yakima Valley Red Wine
A blend of 37.9% Merlot, 20.7% Cabernet Franc, and 41.4% Cabernet Sauvignon.
//DuBrul Vineyard//, //Red Willow Vineyard//, and //Slide Mountain Vineyard// from the cooler, western end of the Yakima Valley have provided the Merlot and Cabernet Franc fruit in this wine. The warmer //Elerding Vineyard// farther east gave us the tasty and ripe Cabernet Sauvignon. The Yakima Valley Red Wine is designed to showcase that a world-class Merlot and Cabernet Franc based Bordeaux blend can be obtained from this remarkable growing area.
This is our signature wine. It speaks to our commitment to produce the best wines from the best grape varieties in each appellation, in this case - the bright berry flavor of the Merlot and fragrant notes of the Cabernet Franc are wonderfully framed with the structure and acidity of the Cabernet Sauvignon. All in all, this is a marvelously complex Bordeaux-styled red blend.

Red Bordeaux Blend

Red Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.

Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.

USA

American wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.

Washington

Washington Wine Commission | Credit to Washingtonwine.org for this article

Washington Wine
Washington State is a premium wine producing region located in the northwest corner of the United States. Although a relatively young wine industry, it is now the nation's second largest wine producer and is ranked among the world's top wine regions. Washington wines are found nationally in all 50 states and internationally in more than 40 countries.

Wineries
With 30,000+ acres planted, the state has ideal geography and conditions for growing premium vinifera wine grapes. Primarily grown on their own root stocks, the vines produce grapes of consistent quality, resulting in strong vintages year after year. While its focus is on Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, the region also produces a wide range of other spectacular whites and reds.

Growers
Winemakers from all over the world have chosen to establish themselves in Washington, where they can create wines reflecting this region's unique characteristics. Their hand-crafted wines are receiving wide acclaim from critics regionally, nationally and internationally for their consistently high quality. Many of them have received scores of 90 and above from the major wine media. Overall this is a higher percentage than other leading wine regions.

Regions
As the state's fourth largest fruit crop, the Washington wine industry is an important contributor to the long-term preservation of Washington agriculture. The industry is committed to sustainable agricultural practices and conservation of water resources.
Washington State is a premium wine producing region located in the northwest corner of the United States. Although a relatively young wine industry, it is now the nation's second largest wine producer and is ranked among the world's top wine regions. Washington wines are found nationally in all 50 states and internationally in more than 40 countries.

Varieties
Washington produces more than 20 wine grape varieties - a ratio of 56 percent white to 44 percent red. As the industry matures and experiments, it finds many grape varieties that thrive throughout Washington's microclimates. There are more than 16,000 vineyard acres of red wine varieties statewide.

History & Vintages
Washington's wine future is limitless. As consumers discover the quality of Washington wines, demand continues to grow nationally and internationally. New acreage and wine varietals are being planted and new wineries are opening at a remarkable pace. Washington State is recognized as a premium viticultural region around the world.

State Facts
Washington's wine industry generates more than $3 billion to the state economy. It employs more than 14,000 people, directly and indirectly, with projections to add nearly 2,000 more jobs by 2006. In terms of tax revenues accrued to the state and federal government, wine grapes are among the highest tax generators of any agricultural crops. Furthermore, Washington wine tourism attracts nearly two million visitors annually contributing to the positive growth of local and regional economies.
Washington State - the perfect climate for wine = ideal growing conditions, quality wines, business innovation, lifestyle, and social responsibility. All are key elements of this world-class wine industry.

Vintages
"2008 and even more so 2010 and 2011 were cool, even cold vintages (think: 2002 in the Barossa) without the extreme ripeness, extract and higher alcohol that had become the norm in the state’s post 1995 world. 2008 was manageable but the duo of 2010/2011 nearly caused a “great depression” in Washington State." - Jon Rimmerman

Columbia Valley

Columbia Cascade Winery Association

The Columbia Valley AVA lies mostly in Washington state, with a small section in Oregon. The Cascade Range forms its western boundary with the Palouse regions bordering the area to the east. To the north, the Okanogan National Forest forms a border with the AVA and Canada. It encompasses the valleys formed by the Columbia River and its tributaries, including the Walla Walla River, the Snake River, and the Yakima River. The Columbia valley stretches between the 46th parallel and 47th parallel which puts it in line with the well known French wine growing regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy. The northern latitude gives the areas two more hours of additional daylight during the summer growing season than wine regions of California receive. The volcanic and sandy loam soil of the valley offers good drainage and is poor in nutrients, ideal in forcing the vine to concentrate its resources into the grape clusters.

Yakima Valley

Wine Yakima Valley
© 2003-24 CellarTracker! LLC. All rights reserved. "CellarTracker!" is a trademark of CellarTracker! LLC. No part of this website may be used, reproduced or distributed without the prior written permission of CellarTracker! LLC. (Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.) - Follow us on Twitter and on Facebook