Washington Wines and Wineries: The Essential Guide

by Paul Gregutt

During the thirty-five years wine critic and writer Paul Gregutt has lived in the state of Washington, its wine industry has ballooned from a mere half dozen wineries to nearly five hundred. Washington Wines and Wineries offers a comprehensive, critical, and accessible account of the nation's second largest wine-producing region. Gregutt, who has covered Washington wine in books, newspapers, and magazines since the mid-1980s, enthusiastically dispenses information along with his editorial opinion, displaying the depth of his knowledge of the area, the players, the regions, and the wines. He points out the best vineyards, the most accomplished winemakers, the must-have wines, and the newcomers to watch. He rates wineries--not wines--with a unique and detailed 100-point scale, providing an insider's view of the best that Washington state has to offer. As the global wine industry reinvents itself for twenty-first-century palates, Washington is poised to become as important and influential as California on the world stage. Washington Wines and Wineries is the definitive reference book on the subject.

Genres: Wine, Nonfiction, Travel, Food

360 pages, Hardcover

First published September 19, 2007

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Washington State wines have really exploded onto the American wine scene in recent decades - this 'new' second edition of Paul Gregutt's first book on the subject is a major update. The book is well organized beginning with general discussion of the wine history, grapes, and geography; then ending with extensive notes and ratings on the many wineries that now exist in the state, most in the western part around the Columbia River Valley and its tributaries. The first third or so of the book is the major 'straight' reading sections, while the wine listings and descriptions are more for reference. This is the best current book on the topic and written by someone just full of years of knowledge of these wines and wineries. Highly recommended to those who have easy access to wines from Washington State and want a better understanding of their origin, history, and future!

[Matt Lennert · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first real attempt to catalog the explosion of Washington wine in the early aughts.

[Howard Frisk · Rating 4 out of 5]

At 331 pages, the book contains a wealth of information, almost too much for the average person. Hundreds of wineries are reviewed, and their histories are told with great detail. I would not recommend reading the book cover to cover. Rather, it is a good resource if you want to learn about specific wineries in Washington State. Keep in mind that it published in 2010, so by now it is somewhat dated.

[Salsabrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great resource for fans of Washington wines. Even if you're new to the scene, this is a good overview of the AVAs and important vineyards. I would consult this whenever I drink a Washington wine and wonder why it's so good!

[Jeff Tweiten · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you love Washington wines this is a must read.

[James]

This is the go to book for the history of washington wine, wineries, it's ava's, and the top wine makers. If you have any interest in WA wine, this is a must!

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very useful, and a significant revision(and improvement) of the first edition.