Top 100 sweet wines of Washington

Discover the top 100 best sweet wines of Washington as well as the best winemakers in the region. Explore the varietals of the sweet wines that are popular of Washington and the best vintages to taste in this region.

Discovering the wine region of Washington

Washington State is located in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, immediately north of Oregon. Although the history of the wine industry is relatively Short, Washington's 900-plus wineries and 350-plus independent winemakers, with more than 50,000 acres of vineyards, now produce more wine than any other state except California. Almost all wine production is in the hot, desert-like eastern Part of Washington, although there is some Grape growing and an AVA (Puget Sound) in the cooler, wetter west. White Chardonnay and Riesling grapes, and red Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah grapes are the main varieties grown in Washington, but the region produces quality wines from nearly 70 different grape varieties.

About 58% of the fruit crushed is red grapes. The Cascade mountain range defines the geography of the region by acting as a barrier between the two parts. The mountains create a rain shadow, effectively blocking most of the rainfall. This means that the Columbia River basin to the east only receives about 200 mm of rainfall per year, resulting in a continental Climate.

Discover the grape variety: Tempranillo

The black Tempranillo is a grape variety native to Spain. It produces a variety of grape specially used for the elaboration of wine. It is rare to find this grape to eat on our tables. This variety of grape is characterized by medium-sized bunches and medium-sized grapes. The black Tempranillo can be found in several vineyards: South-West, Languedoc & Roussillon, Cognac, Bordeaux, Rhone valley, Provence & Corsica, Loire valley, Savoie & Bugey, Beaujolais.

News from the vineyard of Washington

The Duckhorn Portfolio purchases 107ha vineyard in Paso Robles

The luxury wine group bought Bottom Line Ranch in the San Miguel District for an undisclosed sum. It is exclusively planted with Cabernet, featuring seven top clones on three drought-tolerant rootstocks. Alex Ryan, chief executive and president of The Duckhorn Portfolio, said the sub-appellation’s climate is ideal for producing world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. ‘There is a reason why Paso Robles has the most Cabernet Sauvignon acreage of any appellation in California outside of Napa Valley,’ added ...

Meet Decanter’s US team

From the vineyards of Oregon on the west coast to those of New York’s Long Island in the east, the wine regions of the United States are vast and varied. And increasingly important to us here at Decanter – across not only the magazine and website, but our Decanter Premium channel online, the annual Decanter World Wine Awards and events such as our inaugural New York Decanter Fine Wine Encounter in June 2022. We strive to provide the best coverage for our international audience and so felt it was ...

Decanter bookmarks: Things to read, watch and listen to for wine lovers

Looking for inspiration? Here are the best things to read, watch and listen to for wine lovers. We’ve picked out some of the best wine-related books, TV shows and podcasts for your enjoyment! Wine books: Malbec Mon Amour – Laura Catena and Alejandro Vigil Written by fourth-generation vintner Dr Laura Catena and winemaker Alejandro Vigil, this illustrated coffee-table book is a love song to the Malbec grape in Argentina. Combining history and storytelling with viticultural notes – including ...