Book Description

“So You Think You Know Pacific Coast Wines” is designed to simplify your understanding by identifying growing trends, grape descriptions, the histories and future direction of the California, Washington and Oregon wine industry. This book concisely profiles each state’s leading growing regions, rainfall statistics and prominent grapes based on the most recent available harvest data. The 2020-2021 edition is ideal for wine collectors, winemakers and anyone who appreciates a world class Pacific Coast grown vintage. The following facts are just ten from hundreds of little known essentials included in the book: 1. California is the top producing state, Washington second and Oregon fourth (behind New York) in American wine grape production. California harvested over 3.9 million tons and Washington 201 thousand tons during the 2019 harvest. Oregon harvested 101 thousand tons during the 2018 harvest. Washington’s harvest is only 5.2% and Oregon’s 2.6% of California’s overall production. Oregon’s production is 50% of Washington’s. 2. Cabernet Sauvignon is California’s second most popular and highest priced red wine grape. It is Washington’s most popular and fifth highest priced and Oregon’s fifth most popular grape. The average Napa Valley grown grape is priced between two and sixteen times more than competing states and regions within California. 3. California harvested 3.9 million tons of wine grapes during the 2019 harvest, a 9.4% reduction from the 2018 largest historic harvest. 4. California has 4,610+, Washington 1000+, and Oregon 790+ wineries.. California has seventeen designated growing regions. Washington has fourteen and Oregon five. 5. Washington’s red grape varietals harvested 121 thousand tons in 2019. The closest California equivalent was the Monterey and San Benito Counties growing region (122.3 thousand tons). 6. Pinot Noir is Oregon’s largest harvested grape accounting for 58.8% of the state’s wine grape production and fifth highest priced. It is California’s fifth most popular. 7. Oregon’s production most closely compares with the Napa Valley growing region of California (159.7 thousand tons in 2019). 8. Chardonnay is California’s largest harvested grape accounting for 36% of the white wine grapes and 16.3% of the state’s overall yield. It is Washington’s second largest wine grape, most popular white wine grape. It is Oregon’s third largest produced. 9. California’s wines were considered the equal to European’s elite vintages in 1890. Following the phylloxera pest and Prohibition, the state would not regain their global reputation until the mid-1970s. Washington’s international reputation began during the 1990s and Oregon’s during the 1980s. 10. Real Estate valuation remains the most important financial consideration influencing the value of varietal grapes. Top-tiered Washington vineyards have commanded pricing between $75,000-$80,000 per acre. Large established vineyards have been documented to sell for $25,000-$30,000 and bare unplanted terrain often averages $10,000-$15,000 per acre. In Napa County, secondary vineyard lands begin at $90,000-$165,000 an acre. Prime vineyards range between $225,000-$300,000 and upwards per acre.