Discovering Washington Wines: An Introduction to One of the Most Exciting Premium Wine Regions [Paperback]

Tom Parker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2002

Washington has become the epicenter of a major wine boom and is now the second largest producer of wine in the United States after California. In a relatively short period of time, the superb premium wines produced by the state’s award-winning wineries have attracted recognition from experts around the world. Many wine connoisseurs see the future of American wine in the Pacific Northwest, and specifically in Washington State.

DISCOVERING WASHINGTON WINES is the first consumer-friendly guide to Washington’s wine growing regions, profiling notable wineries and emerging "cult" vintners.

DISCOVERING WASHINGTON WINES is filled with useful information for the wine enthusiast, including history, maps, illustrations, a glossary of wine terms, and a complete list of all wineries in the state. This completely new book explains the essential facts about Washington wines in a compact, highly readable volume and makes an ideal introduction to the subject. It is a must for wine lovers, regional history and travel fans, and those who enjoy creating their own "wine country" tours.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Discovering Washington Wines" celebrates, and gives an overview of, the state's wine industry, from primary growing regions to grape varieties. -- Alaska Airlines Magazine, December, 2002

"Discovering Washington Wines" is a good introductory guide that provides the background on the past and present of the industry. -- Wine Press Northwest, Spring, 2003

Seattle author Tom Parker's "Discovering Washington Wines" is a handy primer for the budding oenophile. -- Seattle Magazine, December, 2002

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Introduction

Washington State, long known for its apples and rainy climate, is fast becoming famous for its world-class wines and vineyards. Second only to California in U.S. wine production, Washington produces a much higher percentage of its total volume as higher-quality, premium wines.

The relative speed at which this state has emerged as a major premium wine producer is remarkable. In 1981 there were only nineteen wineries in all of Washington. By 2002 there were more than 170 with new wineries being added at a rate of one every five weeks. The total acreage planted to wine grapes in the state doubles every four years.

Winemaking in this region dates back to the early nineteenth century with the arrival of the first European settlers. Washington’s transformation into a major premium wine producer didn’t begin in earnest until the 1960s. Much of this transformation, including a giant leap forward in quality, occurred only in the last ten years. The energy among winemakers here reminds many wine industry veterans of California’s rise to prominence in the wine world during the 1970s.

Washington wines have an entirely distinctive personality, and many offer great value compared to wines from California and elsewhere. Wine experts and knowledgeable consumers have elevated some to "cult" status. These include several limited-production Bordeaux-style wines offered for sale only to mailing-list customers and exclusive retailers.

The rapid growth of Washington’s wine industry has made it difficult to keep up with the number of new premium wine releases and other developments, let alone keep an accurate count of the growing number of wineries in operation. The state currently has five federally recognized wine-producing regions and several unofficial subregions. Wines produced from grapes in each of these areas have their own distinct characteristics and flavor based on unique local growing conditions.

Many winemakers see the future of American wine in the Pacific Northwest. Today Washington is recognized as a major international wine region, but it is still in its early stages of growth compared to other great wine regions around the world. The best is yet to come as future vintages from a growing number of talented winemakers are released.

Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: Raconteurs Pr Llc (September 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971925852
• ISBN-13: 978-0971925854
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,683,773 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Decent book, but some errors, March 4, 2006

By 

Naomi J. Pollack (Bellingham WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Discovering Washington Wines: An Introduction to One of the Most Exciting Premium Wine Regions (Paperback)

This book is an easy read, and informative, though not nearly as detailed as some other books on Washington's wines which are available for comparable prices.

I was bothered by the erroneous maps printed in the sections describing each of Washington's A.V.A.'s. These maps showed the Yakima River flowing south and east of the city of Yakima. In actuality, the river does go through Yakima, and extends north beyond Ellensburg.

I wonder how much the authors really know about Washington wines, and how much care they put into their research, if this type of error slipped by them.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Mighty Fine Handbook, January 10, 2004

By 

randall katz (Seattle) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Discovering Washington Wines: An Introduction to One of the Most Exciting Premium Wine Regions (Paperback)

We've just ordered two more copies of Mr Parker's very useful and informative book, both for friends in Europe with educated palates who frequently journey to the Northwest for vacations. The book provides an interesting history of wine production in our state as well as quick-reference educational bits about wine types and other specifics. Maps, along with listings of dozens of wineries-- with addresses and websites-- are handy for visitors and residents as well. We enthusiastically recommend this guidebook!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A helpful introduction to the world of Washington wines, August 24, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Discovering Washington Wines: An Introduction to One of the Most Exciting Premium Wine Regions (Paperback)

I know many folks looking beyond California to Washington state for new directions in both wines and wine touring. Everyone seems to have visited California's wine country but Washington offers something new. I'm not a wine expert and didn't know much about Washington wines, but this guide brought me up to speed quickly on the history, wine regions, and other important facts. I'd recommend it as a gift to someone new to Washington wines or for keeping a copy in your car's glovebox when touring Washington wineries.