Washington State wines, desert Cabernet and Syrah
13 bottles, from dry Riesling to desert Cabernet for ageingA dense Cabernet built for ageing, a peppery Syrah, a dry and perfumed Riesling: this is what an irrigated desert at the latitude of Bordeaux gives. Washington State, at the opposite end of the country from the federal capital, borders the Pacific and Canada; its vines grow east of the Cascades, sheltered from Seattle's rain.
Hot summers, long days, cold nights: the grapes ripen while keeping their acidity. Choose by grape variety, by AVA or by occasion.
Tenet Wines - Syrah The Pundit 2020
The expression of Washington's terroirs expressed through Syrah
Cayuse - Horsepower 2020
The Syrah from The Tribe Vineyard, farmed biodynamically and worked by horse by Christophe Baron.
Cayuse - God Only Knows 2020
Cayuse's cult Grenache, born on the cobblestones of Armada, silky, floral and spicy.
Greenwing - Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
A Cabernet from Washington State, sunny and juicy, between wild strawberry, plum and sweet spices.
Col Solare - Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Antinori in partnership with Château Ste. Michelle on Red Mountain: power and length.
Canvasback - Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Red Mountain in the glass: blackcurrant, cedar and dark chocolate on a dense tannic frame.
Château Sainte Michelle - Syrah 2020
When Syrah meets Washington State
Château Sainte Michelle - Chardonnay 2022
Green apple, pear and peach, a Columbia Valley Chardonnay with measured roundness.
Quilceda Creek - Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
The benchmark Cabernet of Washington State: tight, mineral and made to be cellared.
Château Sainte Michelle - Dry Riesling 2020
A Riesling with intense flavors from Washington State
Château Sainte Michelle - Merlot 2022
Ripe cherry, cocoa and coffee: a velvety Merlot made for the everyday table.
Columbia Crest - Chardonnay Grand Estate 2019
Pear and white peach, a creamy touch, the mineral freshness of the Columbia River.
Columbia Crest - Merlot Grand Estate 2019
Cherry, plum and blackcurrant, a round Merlot perfumed with soft vanilla by the oak.
The state's AVAs, from plateau to hillside
An AVA (American Viticultural Area) defines a growing area. The vast Columbia Valley brings together almost all the vineyards and encompasses more precise districts.
| AVA | Terroir and climate | Wines in our cellar |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia Valley Parent AVA, created in 1984 | Basalt covered with sands and silts from the Missoula floods, irrigated by the Columbia, a wide gap between day and night temperatures. | Château Sainte Michelle, Tenet, Quilceda Creekfrom €15.50 to €392 per bottle |
| Red Mountain above the Yakima | A south-west-facing hillside, among the warmest in the state; poor sandy soils and constant wind give tight tannins. | Canvasback and Col SolareCabernets at €54 and €116 per bottle |
| Horse Heaven Hills slopes along the Columbia | Long south-facing slopes running down to the river; the moving air protects from frost, and the grapes keep clean fruit. | Columbia Crest the plateau estate, based in Paterson |
| Yakima Valley the State's first AVA, 1983 | Slightly cooler, it supplies Riesling, Chardonnay and Syrah for blends labelled Columbia Valley. | Dry Riesling Château Sainte Michellewarm and cool sectors blended |
| Walla Walla straddling Oregon | Loess at the foot of the Blue Mountains, rounded cobblestones to the south; Syrah and Cabernet from artisan wineries on both sides of the border. | Cayuse, on the Oregon sideThe Rocks District, in the neighbouring cellar |
A wine that blends several sectors carries the broadest designation, Columbia Valley.
Five grape varieties, five ways to drink the State
Same sun, same cool nights, very different styles depending on the grape variety.
| Grape variety | Style | The bottle | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabernet Sauvignon | Blackcurrant, cedar and dark chocolate, dense tannins held up by a lively acidity; keeps for ten years and more. | Canvasback 2018Red Mountain, an estate of the Duckhorn group | €54 |
| Cabernet for long ageing | Tight, mineral, designed to wait fifteen years; the Cabernet that made the state known to wine lovers. | Quilceda Creek 2019Columbia Valley | €392 |
| Merlot | Ripe cherry, cocoa and coffee, velvety palate: a supple Merlot for everyday meals. | Château Sainte Michelle 2022Columbia Valley | €21.90 |
| Syrah | Blackberry, prune, liquorice and leather, a rich palate with silky tannins, a spicy finish after sixteen months in barrel. | Château Sainte Michelle 2020by the case of 6 | €21 |
| Syrah and touches of the Rhône | Black olive, pepper and smoked bacon; touches of Mourvèdre, Grenache and Viognier, partly whole bunches. | Tenet The Pundit 2020in packs of 3 | €33 |
| Chardonnay | Green apple, pear and peach, measured roundness and freshness preserved by the plateau's cold nights. | Château Sainte Michelle 2022€21.90 per bottle by the case of 6 | €22.90 |
| Riesling | Dry, aged in stainless-steel tank: bergamot, orange peel, peach and acacia, a round palate and fine acidity. | Château Sainte Michelle Dry Riesling 2020Columbia Valley | €15.50 |
Prices per bottle; the sales format is shown under the wine's name.
A bottle for every mood
Start from the occasion or the dish; prices shown per bottle.
For seafood
A dry, fragrant Riesling, citrus and acacia blossom, to go with shellfish, oily fish and soft cheeses.
Château Sainte Michelle Dry Riesling 2020 · €15.50 per bottleA red for weeknights
Ripe cherry, cocoa and coffee: a velvety Merlot to drink now, with grilled meat or a pizza.
Château Sainte Michelle Merlot 2022 · €21.90 per bottleFor a spicy dish
A Syrah signed by two Rhône winegrowers, black pepper, olive and smoked bacon, cut out for beef and spicy food.
Tenet Wines Syrah The Pundit 2020 · €33 per bottle, in packs of 3Discover Red Mountain
Blackcurrant, cedar and dark chocolate on a dense tannic frame: the state's warmest hillside summed up in a Cabernet.
Canvasback Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 · €54 per bottleA gift to leave to age
The Cabernet born of the alliance between the Tuscan Antinori family and Château Sainte Michelle, powerful and long, to keep for ten years and more.
Col Solare Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 · €116 per bottleContinue to Oregon
Across the Columbia, the Pinot Noirs of the Willamette Valley and the Syrahs of Cayuse, in Walla Walla.
The cellar of neighbouring Oregon
Why the desert suits Cabernet
The Cascades block the Pacific clouds: to the east, the Columbia Valley receives barely 200 mm of rain a year. The vines live on irrigation drawn from the Columbia, the Yakima and the Snake, measured out precisely. In summer, the sun shines nearly two hours longer per day than in California, then the nights turn cool: the grapes ripen fully and keep their acidity.
The Missoula floods covered the basalt with sands and silts at the end of the last ice age. Phylloxera struggles to establish itself in these sands, hence vines that are often ungrafted, on their own roots.
How do you choose
The team tastes every wine before adding it to our cellar. For this state, it looks for the balance between ripe fruit and cool nights, from dry Riesling for aperitifs to age-worthy Cabernet. Each label states its AVA, and the price is always shown per bottle, even for wines sold in packs or cases.
The Wine Wanderer Team
What we are asked about Washington State
Does Washington State have any link with the city of Washington?
Only the name. Washington State occupies the Northwest, between Oregon, Idaho, Canada and the Pacific, with Seattle as its main city. The federal capital, Washington D.C., is on the Atlantic coast. The wines on this page come from the Northwestern state, whose vineyards stretch east of the Cascades.
What is the climate like for vines east of the Cascades?
A dry, continental climate. The mountains catch the rain from the Pacific: the Columbia Valley remains semi-desert and lives on irrigation. Summers are hot, days are very long at this latitude and nights are cool. The grapes ripen well while keeping a crisp acidity, hence dense reds and lively whites.
What is an AVA and which one should you read on the label?
An AVA (American Viticultural Area) is a growing area defined by geography alone, which leaves the winegrower free to choose the grape variety and the yield. Columbia Valley covers almost all the state's vineyards; Red Mountain, Horse Heaven Hills or Yakima Valley designate more precise districts. Our appellations page explains this principle in detail.
Why are the vines there said to be ungrafted?
An ungrafted vine grows on its own roots, whereas Europe grafts its vines onto American rootstocks. Phylloxera, which ravaged Europe in the 19th century, does poorly in the sands deposited by the Missoula floods, and cold winters slow its spread. Many plots in the state are planted this way.
Which Washington State wine should you start with?
Château Sainte Michelle's Dry Riesling, at €15.50 a bottle, shows off the freshness of the plateau well. For a red, the same house's Merlot, at €21.90, offers cherry, cocoa and a velvety palate. This estate, founded in 1934, was one of the pioneers of European grape varieties in the state.
Does Washington Cabernet resemble Napa Cabernet?
It shares the ripe black fruit, but the cold nights often give it more acidity, and the tannins of Red Mountain are tighter. Many wine lovers place it between California and Bordeaux. Compare with the Napa Valley wines, then taste Canvasback from Red Mountain, at €54 a bottle.
How long can you keep Quilceda Creek or Col Solare?
These two Cabernets are made for the cellar. Quilceda Creek 2019, at €392 a bottle, benefits from fifteen years or more. Col Solare 2018, born of the alliance between Antinori and Château Sainte Michelle, at €116, will keep for ten years or more. If opened young, decant them for an hour.
Why are some wines sold in packs or by the case?
Some cuvées are offered in the estate's original format. Château Sainte Michelle's Syrah is sold by the case of 6, at €21 a bottle; Tenet Wines' The Pundit in packs of 3, at €33 a bottle. The price shown is always for one bottle, so you can compare one wine with another.
Is Walla Walla in Washington or Oregon?
Both: the Walla Walla Valley AVA extends on either side of the border. Its southern part, on the Oregon side, is home to The Rocks District, a soil of rounded cobblestones where Cayuse grows highly distinctive Syrahs. You will find these wines in our Oregon cellar, next door to this one.