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I'm writing this halfway through a week in Washington State wine country, an intensive tasting and touring adventure to try and determine what makes Washington State wine unique.
We're practically neighbours, and I've certainly seen my share of sagebrush, tumbleweeds, sand and even snakes - reminding me of the southern Okanagan Valley. I already knew about the high quality of syrah and merlot coming out of the state, and the massive output of riesling (WA has the largest production of riesling anywhere on earth). I knew about big, ripe, densely fruited styles, plush tannins and generous, off-dry whites. But what does that have to do with sense of place? Of terroir? I'll admit, a few times I've questioned if the generous style trumps all else in this new wine region, if the desert climate of eastern Washington overrides soil type and place? Or is that just what producers are creating, because it's what's accepted and what scores well by certain critics? I'm still investigating, and eager to learn more. Meanwhile, Anthony is with BC's neighbours to the east, at the 11th annual Wine Summit at the Post Hotel, in Lake Louise. Instead of tasting locally, he's tasting with some of the iconic wines and producers of the world, including Krug Champagne, Turley Wines and Tenuta di Biserno. We'll bring you our notes in coming weeks. In the meantime, you can follow our top wine finds and travels on Instagram at GismondiOnWine.
