Washington Archives - Dr. Liz Thach, MW

Cayuse Vineyards – Horses, Rocks and a Crazy Frenchman

(May 2017) Probably one of the most unique wineries we visited in Washington State was Cayuse, located in the Walla Walla AVA on the border of Oregon. We arrived in the late afternoon and were met in the parking lot by an exuberant Christophe Baron, the colorful French winemaker who founded the winery in 1997. He was literally bouncing on his heels as he welcomed us with wide arms, and ushered us into the shade of the receiving dock where we each received an icy cold bottle of water. This was much appreciated as the temperature was hovering in the [...]

Overview of Washington Wine – Major Grape Varietals, Appellations and Terroir

During our 5-day tour of Washington State, we learned many interesting facts about Washington wine. To begin, Washington is the second largest wine-producing region in the USA after California. As of 2016, Washington has 681 bonded wineries (Fisher, 2017), and over 900 brands. Old Vines at Chateau St. Michelle in Washington State The oldest winery in Washington is Columbia Winery, established in 1962. The second oldest is Chateau St. Michelle started in 1967. Today they are both the largest wine producers in the state, and are ironically located across the road from one another in the town of [...]