Vintages

2004 Washington State Vintage

A January freeze cost the Walla Walla Valley most of its crop, then a hot season and a cool fall gave small berries and concentrated fruit statewide.

Temperatures dipped into the minus teens Fahrenheit in Washington's vineyards the night of January 4 and the morning of January 5, causing the first freeze damage to grapevines since the February 1996 event that wiped out about half the state's crop. At least some buds were killed; vine kill, which happened in 1996, apparently did not recur. Walla Walla took the worst of it. A hot growing season followed by a cool fall created a longer harvest, which began in some areas unusually early in August and ended with final berries picked in early November. Berries were small with concentrated, quality fruit, and the statewide crop of 100,500 tons was offset by an increase in bearing vineyard acres coming into production.

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Growing season

Winter set the terms for 2004. Temperatures dipped into the minus teens Fahrenheit in Washington's vineyards the night of January 4 and the morning of January 5, causing freeze damage to grapevines for the first time since the February 1996 event that wiped out about half the state's crop. Portions of some vineyards dropped to minus 15 degrees overnight. Great Northwest Wine's retrospective of Washington winter events records January temperatures falling from 18 degrees to minus 17 in just two hours. The freeze followed a week of already cold weather and caught the vines dormant under a blanket of snow, which helps insulate them, and it lasted a single night against five days in February 1996. At least some of the buds that would grow out in spring were killed; vine kill, which happened in 1996, apparently did not recur. Walla Walla took the worst of it. Established vineyards such as Pepper Bridge and Seven Hills were severely impacted, and the majority of Walla Walla wineries were begun after 1996 and had never been through a hard winter, and many new vineyards had just gone into the ground and were particularly vulnerable. Damage elsewhere in the Columbia Valley was minimal. Growers can compensate for bud loss by adjusting pruning to allow more bunches on the remaining shoots. Kevin Corliss, chief of viticulture for Stimson Lane, said his guess was that the vines could almost completely compensate for the damage so far. The growing season that followed was hot, then the fall turned cool, creating a longer harvest. Picking began in some areas unusually early in August, and the final berries came in during early November. On yields, the early estimates and the hindsight do not line up. Contemporaneous predictions put crop yields 10 to 15 percent off, possibly 30 percent in Walla Walla, while Great Northwest Wine's later retrospective puts the Walla Walla loss at about 80 percent of that vintage. Statewide, the crop came to 100,500 tons, with the winter damage offset by an increase in bearing vineyard acres coming into production.

Temperatures dipped into the minus teens Fahrenheit the night of January 4 and morning of January 5, with portions of some vineyards at minus 15
A retrospective of Washington winter events records January temperatures dropping from 18 degrees to minus 17 in just two hours
The freeze lasted one night against five days in February 1996 and killed at least some buds; vine kill, which happened in 1996, apparently did not recur
Walla Walla was hardest hit, including established sites such as Pepper Bridge and Seven Hills; damage elsewhere in the Columbia Valley was minimal
A hot growing season and a cool fall created a longer harvest, from an unusually early August start in some areas to final berries in early November
Early predictions put crop yields 10 to 15 percent off, possibly 30 percent in Walla Walla; a later retrospective puts the Walla Walla loss at about 80 percent
The statewide crop was 100,500 tons, offset by increased bearing vineyard acres coming into production

Key Facts

Temperatures dipped into the minus teens Fahrenheit in Washington's vineyards the night of January 4 and the morning of January 5, 2004, with portions of some vineyards dropping to minus 15 degrees overnight
Great Northwest Wine's retrospective of Washington winter events records January temperatures dropping from 18 degrees to minus 17 in just two hours
It was the first freeze damage since the February 1996 event that wiped out about half the state's crop; the 2004 freeze lasted one night against five days in 1996, and killed at least some buds, while vine kill apparently did not recur
Walla Walla vineyards were hardest hit, with established sites such as Pepper Bridge and Seven Hills severely impacted
Contemporaneous January predictions put crop yields 10 to 15 percent off, possibly 30 percent in Walla Walla; Great Northwest Wine's later retrospective puts the Walla Walla loss at about 80 percent of that vintage
A hot growing season followed by a cool fall created a longer harvest, which began in some areas unusually early in August and ended with final berries picked in early November
Small berry size with concentrated, quality fruit, on a statewide crop of 100,500 tons offset by increased bearing vineyard acres

Working around the freeze

The industry's response is part of the story of this vintage. Ste. Michelle Wine Estates offered grapes from many of its best vineyards to boutique wineries, saving them from financial hardship. A few Walla Walla winemaker-growers, notably Christophe Baron of Cayuse and Devin Derby of Spring Valley Vineyards, had been burying shoots in the fall as a form of freeze insurance, and in 2004 that practice let them bring in crops reasonably close to normal. A 2007 Seattle Times retrospective described Spring Valley's 2004 estate wines as among the best they had ever made, and the Cayuse 2004s it had tasted as exceptional and consistent with past vintages. Amavi Cellars, which ordinarily produces 100 percent estate wine, eked out small lots of Les Collines and Seven Hills Syrah, and the same Seattle Times piece called its 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah from Columbia Valley vineyards solidly made, balanced and structured.

Ste. Michelle Wine Estates supplied grapes from many of its best vineyards to boutique wineries hurt by the freeze
Burying shoots in the fall, practiced at Cayuse and Spring Valley Vineyards, let those growers bring in near-normal crops
A 2007 Seattle Times retrospective called Spring Valley's 2004 estate wines among the best they had ever made
Amavi Cellars, normally an all-estate producer, made small lots of Les Collines and Seven Hills Syrah in 2004

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The wines

Winemakers across the state reported small berry size with concentrated, quality fruit. The Washington State Wine Commission's own vintage overview credits the hot season and cool fall with Washington wines with full, rich flavors. The cool fall extended hang time, with the final berries picked in early November.

Small berry size across the state gave concentrated, quality fruit
The cool fall extended hang time to a final pick in early November

Food Pairings

Dry-aged ribeye or bone-in strip steak with roasted garlic and rosemary pan sauceBraised beef short ribs with roasted root vegetables and red wine reductionHerb-crusted rack of lamb with Provencal vegetablesSlow-roasted duck leg with cherry reduction and lentilsHard aged cheeses such as Aged Gouda or sharp Cheddar with charcuterie

Exam Study NotesWSET / CMS

A freeze on the night of January 4 and morning of January 5, 2004 dropped Washington vineyard temperatures into the minus teens Fahrenheit, the first freeze damage since February 1996; it killed at least some buds, vine kill apparently did not recur, and it lasted one night against five days in 1996.
The Walla Walla Valley was hardest hit, including established vineyards such as Pepper Bridge and Seven Hills, while damage elsewhere in the Columbia Valley was minimal.
Loss estimates diverge by date: January 2004 predictions put crop yields 10 to 15 percent off, possibly 30 percent in Walla Walla, while a later retrospective puts the Walla Walla loss at about 80 percent.
The growing season was hot and the fall cool, creating a longer harvest that began in some areas unusually early in August and finished with final berries picked in early November.
Berry size was small with concentrated, quality fruit; the statewide crop was 100,500 tons, offset by an increase in bearing vineyard acres coming into production.

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