Wine Spectator Names Columbia Crest Producer of Year's ``Top Washington Wine''

Business Wire, Dec 16, 1999

PATERSON, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 14, 1999--

Wine Spectator, the nation's leading wine enthusiast publication, has named a Columbia Crest Estate Chardonnay as the "Top Washington Wine" released during 1999.

For the second time in three years, the magazine also has named an Estate Chardonnay as one of the "Top 100" exciting wines in the world. The wine is among three from the Northwest to make the list that editors cull from the 10,500 new releases evaluated during 1999. The wine ranked 40th, and an Estate Chardonnay ranked 56th among wines released in 1997.

Columbia Crest's Estate-designated wines are crafted mainly from the 2,200 acres of vineyards adjacent to the winery. Winemaker Doug Gore says proximity to the grapes means he begins styling the wine outside the winery. "We're walking the vineyards every day and deciding how to best capture the distinctiveness of Columbia Valley fruit. Of all the lots harvested for the Estate Chardonnay, just seven percent make up the final blend," Gore says.

Founded in 1985, Columbia Crest is the No. 1 producer of premium wine in Washington State and a leader in the field of vineyard research. The winery's 2,200 acres of Estate vineyards are the site of irrigation, crown gall and integrated pest management research as well as the propagation of virus-free root stock. Columbia Crest is best known for its award-winning Merlot, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.