2014 Washington State Vintage

Washington's 2014 growing season was defined by warmth from the very start. Following a dry winter, steady heat built consistently through the summer without the extreme heat spikes that had caused stress in 2013. This sustained warmth allowed vines to acclimate and ripen fruit evenly. By early August, Prosser had already accumulated 1,994 growing degree days, well above the long-term average of 1,719 for that date. An Indian summer brought warm, pleasant conditions through the end of harvest, and there was no significant rain and no early freezes.

• Dry winter preceded the season, with some areas receiving as little as half of average annual precipitation
• Steady, unrelenting heat accumulated throughout summer without damaging spikes unlike the 2013 vintage
• By August 10, Prosser had accumulated 1,994 growing degree days versus a long-term average of 1,719
• Harvest concluded approximately two weeks ahead of schedule with no disease pressure and no rain events

Red Mountain was the warmest sub-region in Washington during 2014, followed by the western Wahluke Slope and the Horse Heaven Hills. Walla Walla Valley heat units reached approximately 3,300 degree days, significantly above the regional average, enabling full phenolic maturity for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Winemakers across Walla Walla, the Columbia Valley, and Red Mountain reported clean, ripe fruit with beautifully structured tannins. Larger producers benefited from blending flexibility across Columbia Valley's diverse microclimates, while boutique Walla Walla estates celebrated concentrated, estate-grown fruit.

• Red Mountain was the warmest area in Washington wine country throughout the 2014 growing season
• Walla Walla Valley accumulated approximately 3,300 heat units, well above the average of 2,850
• Horse Heaven Hills and Wahluke Slope also saw above-average heat accumulation and strong fruit development
• Columbia Valley's scale allowed producers to blend across diverse sites for consistency and complexity

Pioneering Walla Walla estates such as Leonetti Cellar, founded in 1977 by Gary and Nancy Figgins, and Woodward Canyon, founded in 1981 by Rick and Darcey Fugman-Small, were among the historic producers whose reputations for age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon made 2014 a vintage to watch closely. Gramercy Cellars, founded by Master Sommelier Greg Harrington in 2005 and known for lower-oak, lower-alcohol wines suited to the dinner table, noted that 2014 allowed earlier phenolic ripeness than 2013. Across the board, winemakers reported that even in a warm year, red tannins were elegant rather than massive.

• Leonetti Cellar, Walla Walla Valley's first winery (founded 1977), produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese, and a Reserve blend from estate fruit
• Woodward Canyon, the second Walla Walla winery (founded 1981), noted its estate vineyard averaged around 2.9 tons per acre and praised fruit quality given the warmth of the vintage
• Gramercy Cellars (founded 2005 by Greg Harrington) reported that 2014 provided sufficient phenolic ripeness to pick earlier than usual, especially for Rhone varieties
• L'Ecole No 41 winemaker Marty Clubb praised estate fruit from Seven Hills and Ferguson vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley

Now at approximately 11 years of age, the finest 2014 Washington Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlots are in or approaching their prime drinking window. The vintage's combination of concentrated fruit, warm-season richness, and elegant tannin structure points to excellent mid-term cellaring. Top-tier reds from Walla Walla and Red Mountain have the density to continue developing through the late 2020s, while wines from more accessible producers are showing beautifully now with secondary complexity emerging.

• Top Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignons: entering prime drinking window, with potential through 2028 to 2032
• Red Mountain reds: concentrated and structured, continuing to develop through the late 2020s
• Premium Merlots: showing complexity and integration now, cellaring potential to 2027 to 2030
• Whites and Rieslings from 2014 are past their peak for most examples and best consumed promptly

The 2014 vintage followed the historically hot 2013 season and preceded the powerful 2015 vintage, sitting in a remarkable run of warm growing years for Washington. While 2013 saw extreme heat spikes in July and August that challenged vine balance, the heat in 2014 arrived earlier and was more consistent, allowing better acclimation. The 2012 vintage is considered the state's benchmark for balance and elegance, tracking to 20-year averages, while 2014 brought greater concentration. At the state level, 2014 marked the moment Cabernet Sauvignon solidified its position as Washington's leading variety by tonnage.

• 2014 vs. 2013: similar or slightly higher total heat units, but steadier accumulation and less extreme heat spikes made 2014 easier to manage in the vineyard
• 2014 vs. 2012: 2012 tracked to 20-year averages with ideal balance; 2014 brought more concentration and richness from greater heat accumulation
• 2014 vs. 2015: both warm vintages, but 2015 recorded even higher total degree days (approximately 3,433 in Walla Walla)
• For the first time in state history, Cabernet Sauvignon surpassed Chardonnay and Riesling as Washington's most produced grape variety in the 2013 tallies released during 2014

The 2014 vintage is a useful case study in how consistent warmth without heat extremes can produce wines of both power and finesse. Washington's continental climate, with its long summer days and sharp diurnal temperature swings, preserved natural acidity even in a very warm year, resulting in wines with structure alongside the vintage's characteristic richness. This contrasts with the narrative in cooler European regions, where warm vintages may compromise acidity. Students should note that 2014 also illustrates how Washington's irrigated viticulture allowed growers to manage vine stress efficiently through a high-heat season.

• Washington's diurnal temperature variation helped preserve acidity in 2014 despite record heat accumulation
• Irrigated viticulture in Eastern Washington gave growers tools to manage vine stress during the warm season
• The vintage demonstrates how consistent heat, without extreme spikes, differs from erratic heat in its effect on tannin development and flavor complexity
• 2014 marked the Walla Walla Valley and Columbia Valley AVAs' 30th anniversaries, a milestone for Washington wine's modern era