Washington State Viticulture New York Wine Industry Workshop April 3-5, 2002

Daily Mean Temperature

Heat Summation

Average Rainfall (mm)

Average Sunshine Hours

Red Acres 1993 Merlot1,800 Cabernet Sauv.1,400 Syrah0 Cabernet Franc150 Lemberger250 Other400 Total4, ,100 6,300 2, ,215

White Acres 1993 Chardonnay 2,600 Riesling 2,000 Sauvig. Blanc 800 Semillon 700 Gewurz. 300 Pinot Gris 0 Other100 Total7, ,400 2, ,110

Riesling Viticulture Cold Hardy Bunch rot problem only 1 in 5 years –Overhead sprinklers a problem –Yakima Valley later ripening Good acid balance Ample heat units to maturity Yields: tons/acre (average 7 tons/acre)

Riesling Success 1974 Los Angeles Times Competition –1972 Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling # First Late Harvest Riesling 1978 First Riesling Ice Wine Acreage of Riesling soars 1991 acreage decline with recession 2001 growers planting Riesling again

Riesling and Chardonnay Acres

Riesling Market Over 350,000 cases Riesling per year. Washington State became known as a Riesling producer –Difficult to develop reputation for Chardonnay, Cabernet, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc Riesling Demand is Increasing

WA Wine Industry 170+ wineries #4 fruit crop after apples, cherries and pears #2 wine state after California Harvested 100,000 tons in 2001

Winemaking Machine Harvest at night Press w/o crushing Juice trucked to Woodinville Cote de Blanc or Permier Cuvee Yeast Chill arrest, centrifuge, Bentonite, cold stabilize, bottle

2001 Vintage Dry Riesling –12 g/l RS –7.3 g/l TA –3.05 pH –12.7 Alcohol Johannisberg Riesling –21 g/l RS –7.0 g/l TA –2.95 pH –12.1 Alcohol

References Cataclysms on the Columbia J.E. Allen and M. Burns. Timber Press. Portland, OR The Wine Project R Irvine and W.J. Clore. Sketch Publications. Vashon, WA