KING5 News
March 24, 2017

The Washington State Wine Commission reports a new record for its wine grape harvest in 2016.

All of the state’s 900 wineries shared data to compile the report, showing a harvest totaling 270,000 tons. That is a 22-percent increase from the previous year and is the biggest collection ever in the state’s history.

Red varieties attributed to 58-percent of the harvest. The largest share of this growth was Cabernet Sauvignon.

While the harvest was the largest ever, it was also better quality. The cooler end of the season helped the grapes get longer hang time to develop flavors without adding alcohol content.

Chardonnay was the top white grape followed by Riesling.

“For the white wines, 2016 is going to have a little bit brighter acidity, a little more delicate fruit profiles than the 2015 wines,” says David Rosenthal, white winemaker at Chateau Ste. Michelle. “The beauty of the wine industry is that every year is different. Even though we think we have it figured out, every year is different and throws you a different curveball, and that’s what keeps it interesting.”>>>Read entire article and view the video on KING5 News