The same amazing terrain that captivated early settlers more
than 200 years ago remains today; modern explorers discover
one of the world's most dynamic wine regions taking root among
beautifully restored barns and farmhouses. Though steeped in
the rich agricultural traditions of the region, the meteoric rise of
the modern wine industry in Washington State is an astonishingly
recent phenomenon.
Unlike California, Washington State's wine industry did not begin
immediately with the repeal of Prohibition. While evidence of
winemaking dates to the establishment of Fort Vancouver by the
Hudson's Bay Company in the 1820s, it was not until the 1960s,
when a group of professors and amateur winemakers from the
University of Washington incorporated themselves, that dry varietal
wines made from vinifera finally became commercially available.
Once this seed was planted, it was not long before a thriving wine industry
spread to all corners of the state. Today, Washington State boasts more
than 43,000 acres of vineyards supplying more than 700 wineries, placing
the state second in the country for total production. Yet the same spirit
of exploration and innovation that inspired our early pioneers to first plant
grapevines in Washington still drives our contemporary grape growers and
winemakers to create one of the most unique and diverse wine regions in
the world.
