Washington State Viticulture
From Fort Vancouver to World Renowned Wine
Washington State ranks second only to California in the production of Vitis vinifera grapes, for the production of premium table wines in the United States. From early plantings at Fort Vancouver in 1825 to an industry with over 50,000 acres, Washington State is making a name for itself. Currently, the economic impact to the state's economy is ~ $2.9 billion dollars and growing. There are over 468 wineries (November 2006), and still more are being planned. Current acreage of wine grapes is over 30,000 acres and Washington State currently crushes approximately 16.5 million gallons/year.
Washington State also has a large Concord grape juice industry, made from the grape Vitis labruscana. Most of the production is destined for jams, jellies, and of course, grape juice. The acreage of Concords in Washington State is stable at ~25,000 acres. Washington State is the #1 producer of Concord grapes, followed by New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Southwest Michigan.
Appellations
Washington State has nine American Viticultural Appellations (AVAs). These include the: Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley, Walla Walla, Columbia River Gorge, Red Mountain, and Horse Heaven Hills, Wahluke Slope and the Rattlesnake Hills. At least one other is pending with the Columbia Cascades region.
What Makes Washington Different?
Climactic conditions in Washington State are unique when compared with other regions of the world. On the East side of the Cascade Mountains, a rainshadow effect prevails, and much of the region is semi-arid, with less than 10 inches of rain per year. Some regions vary with annual precipitations from 9-20 inches per year within the same AVA. In all areas, irrigation is a necessity during the growing season, as much of the yearly precipitation falls in the autumn and winter months.
West of the Cascades, temperatures are milder without the danger of extremely cold temperatures in the winter. In addition, some of the grape acreage is grown on rootstocks to take advantage of early ripening. A number of interesting varieties are being grown in the Puget Sound AVA which has easy access to the expansive population of Seattle and Tacoma.
Our uniqueness lies in the combination of climactic conditions that exist from season to season. For example, although Vitis vinifera is native to semi-arid Middle Eastern and Mediterranean regions, these do not experience the cold winters of south central Washington. In addition, south central Washington is similar in latitude to Bordeaux and Burgundy. With over 80% of the production in south central Washington in the Columbia and Yakima Valleys, growers are susceptible to killing frosts and cold temperatures.
In addition to cold winters, summer day length separates Washington from wine grape regions in California. Due to Washington's northerly latitude, several more hours of daylight are during summer months and fewer hours during the fall.
There have been a number of publications regarding grape research, production, wine reserach, and techniques; however with differences in growing conditions and winemaking styles, it is difficult to take those findings and recommendations and apply it to Washington State Production. It is the goal of the WSU Viticulture and Enology Team to update and conduct research applicable to Washington State to ensure the success of our growers.
What Research Approach is Being Taken at WSU?
WSU has been involved in grape resarch since the mid-1930s soon after irrigation was introduced in the Lower Valley. During that period, research on variety and site evaluation regarding susceptibility to winter injury, grape maturation, and wine quality were emphasized. Much of the efforts today involve multi-disciplinary teams that evaluate the impact of viticultural and enological production factors on these same attributes. These teams include faculty from Biosystems Engineering, Crop and Soil Sciences, Economic Sciences, Entomology, Food Science and Human Nutrition, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, and Plant Pathology. WSU also has had a longstanding relationship with USDA-ARS, and this extends to viticulture production.
Past research conducted by the many researchers at WSU statewide include:
- Regulated deficit irrigation techniques for premium wine grape production
- Mechanical Harvesting of Concord GrapesVariety and rootstock trialsRefining chemical application techniques to increase efficacy and reduce excess residueUsing green manures to reduce nematode populationsImproved soil fertility Improved IPM techniquesSunburn and temperature effects in vineyards
- Precision viticulture techniques
- Investigation of berry shrivel, currently thought to be a physiological disorder
- Pre-harvest irrigation effects on juice and wine grapes
- Vineyard floor management systems for sustainable production
- Cold-hardiness evaluations of numerous varieties
For the latest in research and extension happenings, check out the latest version of the WSU Wine and Grape Research and Extension Newsletter. Enjoy it with a glass of grape juice or great Washington wine!