Oregon and Washington wine styles are difficult to pin down due to the scope and diversity of these wine regions. Between them they have more than 1,700 wineries growing 142 different grape varieties – from Assyrtiko to Xarel-lo – over 36,000ha in 32 different AVAs (American Viticultural Areas). The microclimates in their AVAs run the gamut from the Umpqua Valley in southern Oregon, where annual rainfall can total 127cm, to the warmer sections of east-central Washington, where the Wahluke Slope is lucky to get 16cm.
Scroll down for Michael Alberty’s top 18 red wines from the Pacific Northwest
{"content":"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"}
See Michael Alberty’s top 18 Oregon and Washington red wines
{}
{"wineId":"28120","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"28121","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"28122","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"28123","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"28124","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"28125","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"28126","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"28127","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"28128","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"28129","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"28130","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"28131","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"28132","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"28133","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"28134","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"28135","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"28136","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"28137","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{}
You may also like
