Washington Wineries Abeja Wine Ambrosia By Kristy Andrake Cellars Andrew Will Apex Winery Arbor Crest Badger Mountain Barnard Griffin Betz Family Winery Bookwalter Bridgman Cellars Cadence Winery Camaraderie Cellars Canoe Ridge Cascade Cliffs Caterina Winery Cayuse Ch Ste Michelle Chinook Wines Col Solare Colvin Columbia Crest Covey Run DeLille Cellars Di Stefano Dunham Winery Fidelitas Forgeron Cellars Gordon Brothers Harlequin Wine Cellars Hedges Cellars Hells Canyon Winery Hightower Hogue Cellars/Genesis Hood River Isenhower Cellars Januik Wines Kestrel Vintners Kiona Winery Knipprath Cellars L'Ecole No 41 Leonetti Cellar Lost Mountain Matthews Cellars McCrea Nelms Road Northstar Merlot Owen Roe Winery Patit Creek Patrick M Paul Winery Pepper Bridge Portteus Winery Powers Winery Preston Winery Quilceda Creek Reininger Russell Creek Ryan Patrick Vineyards Sagelands Winery Seven Hills Winery Siduri Sky River Mead Snoqualamie Vineyards Soos Creek Winery Spring Valley Tamarack Cellars Tefft Cellars Three Rivers Winery Townshend Cellar Vierra Vineyards Walla Walla Vintners Washington Hills Waterbrook Winery Whitman Cellars Wilridge Winery Woodward Canyon

Oregon Wineries A to Z Winery Abacela Academy Adea Adelsheim Airlie Amity Vineyards Andrew Rich Ankeny Vineyard Antica Terra Archery Summit Argyle Beaux Freres Bellepente Benton Lane Beran Bergstrom Winery Bethel Heights Brick House Bridgeview Briggs Hill Broadley Brooks Cameron Carabella Carlo & Julian Chateau Benoit Chehalem Coleman Vineyard Cristom Croft Bailey Vineyards Cuneo Cellars David Hill Winery Del Rio Vineyard Dobbes Family Wines Domaine Coteau Domaine Drouhin Domain Lemoyne Domaine Meriwether Domaine Serene Duckpond Dundee Springs Elemental Cellars Elk Cove Elvenglade Eola Hills Erath Eugene Wine Cellars Evesham Wood Eyrie Vineyards Fiddlehead Foris Vineyards Freja Granville Griffin Creek Hamacher Cellars Hauer of the Dauen Helvetia Highpass Hinman Hip Chicks Do Wine Holloran Honeywood Hood River J Christopher Joe Dobbes Ken Wright King Estate La Bete Wines Lange Laurel Ridge Lavelle Lion Valley Maysara Mckinlay Medici Mystic Mountain Mystic Winery Oreilly's Owen Roe Winery Panther Creek Paschal Winery Patricia Green Cellars Patton Valley Penner Ash Phantom Hill Winery Ponzi Raptor Ridge Rex Hill Rivers Edge RockBlock Syrah R Stuart & Co Sass Winery Secret House Serendipity Seven Hills Shea Wine Cellars Siduri Wines Silvan Ridge Sineann Sokol Blosser Solena Soter Vineyards Springhill Stafford Hill Stag Hollow Stevenson Barrie St Innocent Stonecroft Stone Wolf Table Rock Thomas Tualatin Tyee Tyrus Evan Van Duzer Viento Wines Walnut City Wineworks Westrey Willakenzie Willamette Valley Winters Hill Winery Witness Tree Yamhill Youngberg Hill Zelko Winery

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The Range of Grapes Has Been Growing Rapidly

By Lisa Shara Hall
Wine Business Monthly

The Pacific Northwest should be viewed as a relatively young growing region, with vinifera first planted only in the 1960s. Early pioneers in Oregon and Washington chose varieties that either pleased them personally or were recommended for the particular growing regions by universities and agricultural field stations.

Oregon and Washington both started with classic French varieties, as France was the "motherland" of classic wine. In the early days, experimentation with new varieties was not common. Oregon, the cooler region, primarily established Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Blanc, most typical of the cooler French regions of Burgundy and Alsace.

East of the Cascades in Washington, where all but 70 acres of grapes are found, was a hot dry desert before irrigation in the 1930s brought the water that turned the region into a serious farming community. The grapes most planted in Washington also reference France, but generally the warmer regions (although there are a few cooler weather vineyards in Washington, too): Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Chardonnay, Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Gewürztraminer, and Viognier.

But as a winegrowing region evolves--especially one not clad in history, tradition, and complex appellation laws--winemakers feel more secure, and increasingly are asking the question, what else could grow well here?

Italian varieties have become an answer.

What was First

Former Cascade Cliffs owner and winemaker Ken Adcock (now a Columbia Gorge commissioner) planted Nebbiolo in 1987 and Barbera in 1991-92 in his vineyards on the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge. Cascade Cliff's current owner/ winemaker Bob Lorkowski said "Ken read a book on Italy and got interested in the varieties. Our site has perfect elevation at 260 feet with due South/ South-East exposure." Cascade Cliffs has seen very good success with the Barbera in particular, making it their flagship wine. Current production is only 200 cases, but Lorkowski planted "a lot more" and expects to reach a production of 1,000 cases per year soon. Cascade Cliffs makes a regular bottling and is planning a reserve cuvée as well.

Barbera Grapes on the vine

Growing the Barbera takes patience. Barbera is the first to bud and the last to harvest for Lorkowski. The vines are vigorous growers, and he keeps the yield at two and a half tons/acre. But it can get tough. He said, "If you get a spring frost or fall rain, you're screwed." So far so good for Cascade Cliffs. Both the Barbera and Nebbiolo are released on Valentine's Day and then sell out quickly; the Barbera in particular shows ripe clean varietal character, making Cascade Cliff's Barbera a winner.

The Italians Take the Lead

Not surprisingly, the winemakers who claim an Italian heritage are the most passionate about Italian varieties. In Oregon, the Ponzi family has pioneered Italian varieties since 1990. Arneis is their pride and joy, but the public has been slow to learn about the variety. So why produce it?

Next ----------------- Ponzi and Cuneo Embrace Italian Varietals ------------------------ ---page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4