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Impressive showing for Washington wines

Blog: Winemaker's Journal

By Rick Steigmeyer

November 20, 2009

Here's some impressive news about Washington's overachieving wine industry.

Washington wins number one spot on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Flagship issue of leading magazine gives highest award to a Washington State wine

SEATTLE (November 20, 2009) - Wine Spectator’s prestigious Top 100, a list of the best wines of the year from around the world, has awarded a Washington State wine the number one spot for the first time. The 2005 Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley Reserve ($27) beat 17,000 wines to become “wine of the year” for 2009. Criteria for deciding the ranking are a combination of score, value, availability, and excitement.

Aside from winning wine of the year, Washington State also received more spots on the list than in any year past. In total, nine wines from Washington made the Top 100.

“Washington State consistently produces high quality wine for great value. Being acknowledged as having the wine of the year by Wine Spectator is a great honor. Seeing more Washington wine on the list than ever before also proves this is no one-hit wonder, but that Washington truly stands out among the wine regions of the world,” said Robin Pollard, executive director of the Washington Wine Commission.

Indeed, domestic powerhouse region California secured 21 spots on the list, while global benchmark France landed just 17 spots. These results further highlight Washington’s achievement, given its relatively small size. For example, Washington State’s vineyard acreage is just 6 percent of California’s.

Here is the complete list of Washington State wines, and respective rankings, in the Top 100 list: 1. Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon CV Reserve 2005 95pts $27 26. Cayuse Syrah Walla Walla Valley Cailloux Vineyard 2006 95pts $65 33. Novelty Hill Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2006 92pts $25 36. Efeste Syrah Red Mountain Ceidleigh 2006 93pts $29 38. Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet HHH Canoe Ridge Estate 2006 92pts $28 60. Spring Valley Uriah Walla Walla Valley 2006 93pts $50 66. Barnard Griffin Riesling Columbia Valley 2008 90pts $8 72. The Magnificent Wine Company Syrah Columbia Valley 2006 91pts $20 74. Waterbrook Cabernet Sauvignon CV Reserve 2006 91pts $22

For more information on the Washington wine industry, please visit www.washingtonwine.org.

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