2023 Washington State Vintage

The 2023 season carried a hangover from the one before it. A cold snap in late December 2022 struck vines that, after that year's delayed harvest, had not necessarily fully hardened off, and some appellations, Lake Chelan among them, saw significant damage and crop loss in 2023 as a result. Spring was cool and in some locations fairly wet: Red Willow Vineyard in the Yakima Valley had 1.5 inches of precipitation in March and April, against a Columbia Valley annual average of 6 to 8 inches. The cool start delayed bud break by a couple of weeks. Bud break began in the Columbia Valley on April 20 and ran 10 to 14 days behind recent years in most regions, as much as three weeks behind in the Columbia Gorge. General bud break at Red Willow came on April 29, the latest there since the cool years of 2010 and 2011. Then May turned. Temperatures ran well above average, and parts of the Yakima Valley set record highs for the dates of May 19 to 21. “Everything just took off,” said Sadie Drury, and Mike Sauer at Red Willow called it “the fastest growth that I’ve ever seen on wine grapes”. Washington went from a delayed bud break to a slightly advanced bloom, which began in the Columbia Valley on May 22, only a handful of days behind recent hot vintages. “Everything bloomed at the same time,” said James Mantone, owner and winemaker at Syncline Winery, which sources fruit from the Columbia Gorge, Horse Heaven Hills and Yakima Valley. June was hot in the Columbia Valley and put the state on pace for record heat accumulation. Veraison started July 12 in the Columbia Valley, several days ahead of the last decade's dates apart from the cool 2022 vintage. July steadied out, still above average but not hot enough to shut the vines down. The season's one heat spike came August 14 to 16, when triple-digit temperatures crossed the Columbia Valley; such heat was not unprecedented, but the timing was not ideal. Moderate September and October temperatures followed and stretched the season out, and the fall weather allowed winegrowers and winemakers to pick fruit at their own pace. The harvest totaled 159,000 tons, a 34 percent decrease from 2022. Kristina Kelley, executive director of the Washington State Wine Commission, put the small crop down mostly to forces in the local and national wine market. The overall wine market was in decline, due to factors including the economy, inventory management, the growing number of beverage choices and changes in consumer behavior.

• A late December 2022 cold snap caught vines that had not necessarily fully hardened off; Lake Chelan saw significant damage and crop loss in 2023
• Spring was cool and in places fairly wet; Red Willow Vineyard had 1.5 inches of precipitation in March and April
• Bud break began April 20 in the Columbia Valley, 10 to 14 days behind recent years and up to three weeks behind in the Columbia Gorge
• A warmer than average May, with record highs May 19 to 21 in parts of the Yakima Valley, caught the vines up; bloom began May 22 in the Columbia Valley
• June was hot and put the state on pace for record heat accumulation; veraison started July 12, ahead of the last decade's dates apart from 2022
• Triple-digit temperatures crossed the Columbia Valley August 14 to 16, then September and October turned moderate
• The crop came in at 159,000 tons, down 34 percent from 2022

Cabernet Sauvignon remained Washington's top variety in 2023 at 48,369 tons, or 30 percent of total production. Riesling overtook Chardonnay for second place at 24,357 tons, or 15 percent, and Chardonnay came third at 22,149 tons, followed by Syrah, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris. Those top seven varieties accounted for 88 percent of the crop, and red varieties made up 59 percent of total production, up from 57 percent in 2022. Price moved the other way from volume: growers received an average of $1,542 per ton, up $172 over 2022, and Cabernet Franc drew the highest average price per ton for the second year in a row, at $2,254. Separately, at a July 12 meeting with its growers, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, the Northwest's largest winery, moved to substantially reduce its fruit contracts, planning to cut its total anticipated grape supply by 40 percent over the next five years. In the direct-to-consumer channel, 2023 shipment volume fell 6.5 percent year over year, while Washington State wineries outperformed all other regions with a 5.5 percent increase in shipment volume over 2022, and shipments of Washington Cabernet Sauvignon jumped 22.4 percent in volume.

• Cabernet Sauvignon led at 48,369 tons, 30 percent of total production
• Riesling overtook Chardonnay for second at 24,357 tons, 15 percent; Chardonnay was third at 22,149 tons, ahead of Syrah, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris
• The top seven varieties accounted for 88 percent of the crop; reds were 59 percent of production, up from 57 percent in 2022
• Average price rose to $1,542 per ton, up $172 over 2022
• Cabernet Franc drew the highest average price per ton for the second consecutive year, at $2,254
• Ste. Michelle Wine Estates told its growers in July it planned to cut its anticipated grape supply by 40 percent over five years
• Washington direct-to-consumer shipment volume rose 5.5 percent in 2023 against a 6.5 percent decline across the channel

The Washington State Wine Commission called the 2023 harvest small yet extremely high in quality, and Kristina Kelley said, “Despite the small crop, there will be plenty of world-class Washington wine coming out of this vintage”. She credited the moderate fall: “That extended hang time really allowed the flavors to develop nicely, with good acid and balance throughout”. Northwest Wine Report called 2023 an "easy" growing season marked by high quality and low stress, coming after a series of growing seasons that had their share of challenges.

• The Washington State Wine Commission called the harvest small yet extremely high in quality, crediting extended hang time for flavors with good acid and balance
• Northwest Wine Report framed 2023 as high quality and low stress after a run of challenging seasons