Write for Wine: It's Wine O'Clock Somewhere!

As mentioned in an earlier post, we attended media day for Taste Washington recently. We were given an electronic press kit (in a really cool flash drive in the shape of a wine bottle) that contained some quick facts about Washington state wine. The facts — courtesy of the Washington Wine Commission – are pretty interesting, so I wanted to share them with you.

Quick Facts

• Washington State ranks second nationally in wine production

• Washington State wineries: 534 today

• Washington State wine grape growers: 350

• The Washington State wine industry contributes more than $3 billion to the state economy annually

• Full-time equivalent wine-related jobs:14,000

• Wine-related wages paid: more than $466.4 million

• Estimated 2004 production has a retail value of more than $684.9 million

• Leading red varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese

• Leading white varieties: Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Viognier

• Red to white wine grape ratio: 56% white to 44% red

Cheers!