Great Northwest Wine
January 23, 2017

The state’s wine industry painted a rosy economic picture to the Washington State Senate Commerce, Labor & Sports Committee last week.

“You’re telling me that that wine is gonna be bigger than wheat?” asked committee chairman Sen. Michael Baumgartner, R- Spokane.

Steve Warner, president of the Washington State Wine Commission, said, “It’s gonna be bigger.”

Wheat growers harvested 2.2 million acres to produce 15,290 million bushels and generate $600 million in sales in 2016, according to the Washington Grain Commission.

Warner and Josh McDonald, executive director of the Washington Wine Institute, briefed the senate committee last Thursday on the state industry’s economic situation.

They told the committee that Washington has approximately 900 wineries — compared to roughly 300 in 2004 — with an average of four new ones sprouting up each month. The state has roughly 350 grape growers using approximately 53,000 acres, according to the wine commission.>>>Read the entire article on Great Northwest Wine featuring Chateau Ste. Michelle and Goose Ridge Estates Vineyard & Winery