Ten Best Washington State Vineyards

Here we go, again! This year's favorites listed as the ten best. There are few if any really new vineyards listed here as they typically aren't old enough to produce really great fruit. Some on this list have been established for years, a few dating back to the early and mid-1970s.

1) Boushay goes way back to the mid- 1970s and produces soft, typical Yakima Valley fruit especially Syrah.

2) Canoe Ridge - Another established vineyard produces excellent Chardonnay grapes.

3) Champoux - One of the best in the state. Source of outstanding grapes for many great wineries such as Andrew Will. Chris Carmada's vineyard designated wines are a great way to get a sense of the "terroir" of Champoux and three or four excelent vineyards.

4) Ciel Du Cheval - The Red Mountain vineyard is probably my favorite and a source of great grapes to several outstanding winemakers including Ben Smith at Cadence Winery

5) Klipsun - Another topnotch source of Red Mountain grapes for some of the best Western Washington wineries such as DeLille.

6) Pepper Bridge -This Walla Walla vineyard is the source of Jean Francois Pellet's grapes for Pepper Bridge winery as well as many other excellent wineries.

7) Seven Hills - Another Walla Walla vineyard sourcing excellent grapes to several Walla Walla wineries.

8) Sheridan - Recently established by Scott Greer in the Yakima Valley and the source of excellent fruit for his Sheridan Vineyard winery.

9) Goose Ridge - Just south of Benton City and the Tri-Cities, this huge vineyard provides many of the grapes for Ch. Ste. Michelle, but in consultation with Charlie Hoppes, owner of Fedelitas winery, Goose Ridge produces a prodigeous number of different wines many at very reasonable prices.

10) Willow Crest - The view of the Yakima Valley from here is awesome. Winemaker Dave Minick produces excellent wines from these grapes and outsources the rest. The reasonably priced Pinot Gris, the Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Syrah are all outstanding.