Facts about Washington Wine

Screen Shot 2013-12-22 at 9.31.42 AMEvery year around this time, we love to share facts about the wonderful wine industry in Washington state.

We hope you enjoy the 2014 version, courtesy of the Washington State Wine Commission.

Note: The average amount of summer sunshine in Washington state, compared to California, might surprise you!

Scroll down for details.

 

Facts about the Washington State Wine Industry

National rank: Second- largest premium wine producer in the United States

Number of wineries: 750+

Winery growth:

  • 1981 – 19 wineries
  • 1996 – 80 wineries
  • 1997 – 101 wineries
  • 1998 – 129 wineries
  • 1999 – 160 wineries
  • 2000 – 163 wineries
  • 2001 – 170 wineries
  • 2002 – 208 wineries
  • 2003 – 240 wineries
  • 2004 – 300 wineries
  • 2005 – 360 wineries
  • 2006 – 460 wineries
  • 2007 – 540 wineries
  • 2008 – 580 wineries
  • 2009 – 650 wineries
  • 2010 – 700 wineries
  • 2011 – 740 wineries
  • 2012 – 760 wineries
  • 2013 – 780 wineries

Screen Shot 2014-01-05 at 3.59.19 PM Number of wine grape growers: 350+

Appellations:
Thirteen American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), as recognized and defined by the United States Treasury Department; Alcohol & Tobacco Taxes & Trade Bureau.

  • Yakima Valley – 1983
  • Walla Walla Valley – 1984
  • Columbia Valley – 1984
  • Puget Sound – 1995
  • Red Mountain – 2001
  • Columbia Gorge – 2004
  • Horse Heaven Hills – 2005
  • Wahluke Slope – 2006
  • Rattlesnake Hills – 2006
  • Snipes Mountain – 2009
  • Lake Chelan – 2009
  • Naches Heights – 2011
  • Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley – 2012

Varieties produced: 30+ varietals

Leading white varietals:

  • Riesling
  • Chardonnay
  • Pinot Gris
  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Gewurztraminer
  • Viognier
  • Semillon
  • Chenin Blanc

Leading red varietals:

  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Merlot
  • Syrah
  • Cabernet Franc
  • Malbec
  • Pinot Noir
  • Sangiovese
  • Lemberger

Ratio of white to red:
55% white to 45% red

Wine production:
12-million cases

Wine grape acreage:
43,000+ acres

Estimated Direct Revenue:
Winery Revenue = $1 billion; Wine Related Tourism = $1.06 billion

Full-time equivalent wine-related jobs:
27,455 in Washington, 68,719 nationwide*

Average hours of summer sunlight:
16 hours per day, about 1 more hour than California’s prime growing region

Annual rainfall:
Eight inches (20.32 cm) in Eastern Washington (the major grape growing region) 48 inches (121.92 cm) in Western Washington

Wine production growth

  • 1981 – 2.0 million gallons (7.5 m liters)
  • 1996 – 5.3 million gallons (19.9 m liters)
  • 1997 – 9.6 million gallons (36.3 m liters)
  • 1998 – 10.9 million gallons (41.5 m liters)
  • 1999 – 10.0 million gallons (38.0 m liters)
  • 2000 – 14.0 million gallons (52.7 m liters)
  • 2001 – 15.5 million gallons (58.5 m liters)
  • 2002 – 17.7 million gallons (67.3 m liters)
  • 2003 – 17.3 million gallons (65.5 m liters)
  • 2004 – 16.5 million gallons (62.9 m liters)
  • 2005 – 19.0 million gallons (72.0 m liters)
  • 2006 – 20.0 million gallons (75.8 m liters)
  • 2007 – 20.0 million gallons (75.8 m liters)
  • 2008 – 21.4 million gallons (81 m liters)
  • 2009 – 25 million gallons (94.6 m liters)
  • 2010 – 20.1 million gallons (76.1 m liters)

*figures from the 2012 Economic Impact Study by Stonebridge Research

Cheers!

 

 

 

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About Margot

Margot started writing about wine decades ago as a national journalist in Canada and the U.S. She and Dave created this website in 2007. Originally, the website introduced people to wines in Washington state, the second-largest wine region in the U.S. But over the years, the site expanded to feature other wine regions in the U.S., Canada, and in the world. If you like to read about standout wine and winery stories, then Write for Wine is for you.