1995 Washington State Vintage

The 1995 growing season began promisingly with mild, warm weather during winter and early spring. However, conditions shifted dramatically as late spring arrived, with daily temperatures turning surprisingly cool and remaining so into early summer. Bud-break and flowering were delayed by approximately two weeks as a result. Adding to grower anxiety, the season brought more rainfall than the semi-arid Columbia Valley typically receives in summer months. When true summer warmth finally arrived, the grapes entered a slow, steady ripening process that would ultimately benefit quality-focused producers willing to wait.

• Mild winter and early spring gave an encouraging start to the growing season across Washington
• A sharp cool turn from late spring into early summer delayed bud-break and flowering by roughly two weeks
• Unusual summertime rainfall unsettled growers unaccustomed to managing disease pressure in what is normally a dry season
• Harvest extended well into October, reflecting the slow pace of sugar accumulation through the cool summer

Washington's broad geographic diversity meant 1995 played out differently across its sub-regions. Walla Walla Valley, already home to Leonetti Cellar, Woodward Canyon, and L'Ecole No. 41, produced its strongest results from Cabernet Sauvignon where later-ripening sites benefited most from the extended hang time. The Columbia Valley's wide range of mesoclimates produced variable results, with some warmer pockets achieving full ripeness ahead of October rains. Yakima Valley experienced mixed fortunes depending on site elevation and aspect, while Merlot across the state showed an irregular but occasionally impressive performance.

• Walla Walla Valley's pioneering estates, already nationally recognized, used experience and site knowledge to navigate the difficult growing conditions
• Cabernet Sauvignon fared best overall; Decanter described the vintage as yielding 'much good Cabernet' despite its mixed character
• Merlot results were uneven; Decanter called it 'an irregular and variable vintage', though the slow steady ripening suited the variety in the right sites
• Columbia Valley's diverse geography created pockets of success alongside more challenged vineyards, making producer selectivity a key factor in quality

By 1995, Washington's most celebrated small producers had already built their reputations over a decade or more. Leonetti Cellar, bonded in 1977 by Gary and Nancy Figgins, was widely regarded as Washington's first cult winery. Woodward Canyon, founded in 1981 by Rick Small and his wife Darcey Fugman-Small, was the second winery established in Walla Walla Valley and was known for elegant Cabernets. L'Ecole No. 41, founded in 1983 by Jean and Baker Ferguson and based in a historic 1915 schoolhouse, was the third Walla Walla winery. Andrew Will Winery, launched by Chris Camarda with the 1989 vintage and sourcing from benchmark vineyards including Champoux and Ciel du Cheval, was a rising voice for structured, age-worthy Bordeaux-style blends. All four navigated 1995's challenges from positions of established expertise.

• Leonetti Cellar, founded 1977 and described as Washington's first cult winery, brought over 15 years of Walla Walla viticulture experience to the 1995 harvest
• Woodward Canyon (est. 1981) was already celebrated for its structured Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux-style blends by the mid-1990s
• L'Ecole No. 41 (est. 1983) deepened its relationship with Seven Hills Vineyard and was pioneering early single-vineyard Bordeaux blends including the Pepper Bridge Apogee, first produced in 1993
• Andrew Will Winery (est. 1989), sourcing from Champoux and Ciel du Cheval vineyards, was building a reputation for elegant, vineyard-driven Bordeaux blends throughout the early 1990s

Unlike some narratives that portray 1995 as a benchmark Washington vintage, the contemporaneous critical record tells a more nuanced story. Decanter's vintage guide rates Washington 1995 Cabernet Sauvignon at three out of five stars, characterizing it as a mixed vintage with much good wine, and rates Merlot as an irregular and variable year. This honest assessment reflects the genuine difficulty of the growing season: the cool spring, unusual summer rain, and extended ripening tested growers and winemakers alike. The best wines of 1995 reflect the skill and experience of established producers who understood their sites, but the vintage as a whole should not be overstated.

• Decanter's 3/5 rating for Washington Cabernet Sauvignon reflects a vintage of genuine quality variation rather than uniform excellence
• Merlot was the more problematic variety in 1995, with an 'irregular and variable' result across the state according to Decanter
• The 1990s more broadly represented Washington's decade of growing critical recognition, with 1995 one chapter in that emerging story rather than its defining moment
• Quality-conscious producers willing to harvest selectively and wait for full ripeness were best positioned to extract success from a challenging season

At over 30 years of age, the vast majority of 1995 Washington red wines are well past their optimal drinking window. Only the most structured, properly cellared examples from top producers such as Leonetti Cellar, Woodward Canyon, or Andrew Will could plausibly still offer rewarding drinking in the mid-2020s. Mid-tier and entry-level wines from this vintage should be considered past their prime. Any remaining bottles should be inspected carefully for signs of oxidation or cork failure before opening, and decanting is advisable for any wine still showing grip.

• Most 1995 Washington reds are well past their peak; this is not a vintage to seek out speculatively on the secondary market
• Only the most structured examples from the era's top small producers may still show rewarding complexity in ideal storage conditions
• Bottle condition is paramount at this age; high fill levels and sound corks are prerequisites for enjoyable drinking
• Decant any surviving bottle for 30 to 45 minutes before service to allow tertiary aromatics to develop and any remaining tannin to soften

The 1995 vintage sits at an important moment in Washington wine history. Throughout the 20th century, each decade revealed a new facet of Washington's potential, from Rieslings and Chardonnays in the 1970s to the Merlot craze of the 1980s and into the growing prominence of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah in the 1990s. By the mid-1990s, Washington was firmly established as the second largest producer of premium wine in the United States. The Walla Walla Valley AVA had been approved in 1984, largely through the efforts of the pioneering wineries, and the region's reputation for age-worthy reds was already well-founded. Quilceda Creek would not receive Washington's first perfect 100-point score until the 2002 vintage, but the groundwork was firmly in place.

• Washington became the second largest producer of premium wines in the United States during this era, reinforcing the commercial and critical foundation for wines like those of 1995
• The 1990s marked the emergence of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah as Washington's most important red varieties, with Merlot leading red wine production until 2006
• The Walla Walla Valley AVA was established in 1984, giving the region's pioneering estates a recognised appellation identity by the time of the 1995 harvest
• Washington's first 100-point score from Robert Parker came later, for the 2002 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, placing the critical achievements of the 1990s in proper perspective