Washington State is often overlooked by many wine lovers, yet it is the state that creates the second most wine in the US, behind only California! This week as we explore four great wines from Washington, we wanted to dive into some of the key facts to know about the area!

First let’s look at Washington by the numbers:

* There are over 1,000 wineries in the state
* Over 60,000 acres of vines planted
* They produce nearly 17 million cases of wine, that’s enough to fill 61 olympic sized swimming pools!
* 80 different varietals are grown
* These grapes are grown across 20 AVAs (American Viticultural Areas)

What does this mean, though? It means that Washington is producing a lot of wine in a large range of styles. Washington is most famous for red wines in the area, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, which has the most plantings, but some of their most prized wines are made from Syrah. As far as white wines go, Chardonnay is a very common wine to fine, but they make an incredible variety of Rieslings. From incredibly dry mineral driven Rieslings that will pair with a variety of fish and chicken dishes to lusciously sweet versions of the grape that are primed to be paired with any great fruit-based dessert.

This week we are highlighting 3 different red wines, two Cabs and a blend of Cab, Merlot and Syrah. We think that these wines show off the difference in the different AVAs have. We hope that you can stop in and learn more about these delicious wines in particular, and Washington State wines in general!