Washington
State on a Roll: The Suave 2022s and Seductive 2023sBY ERIC GUIDO |
OCTOBER 23, 2025Nothing
makes me happier than returning from a wine region with good news, and that is
precisely what Washington State’s later-release 2022s and earlier-release 2023s
have provided. First and foremost, I am pleased to say that I underestimated
the 2022 vintage when I tasted through the wines last year. It was a season
full of potential, but much of what I tasted in 2024 didn’t thrill me. My opinion
has changed, as many of the more prominent wines now display a fantastic mix of
complexity, power and structure. As for 2023, the vintage's brightness, energy
and depth are wildly exciting. There’s a lot to love about both years, and the
future appears to be very bright for 2024 and 2025.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1761081227242-The+Tranche+vineyards+with+the+Walla+Walla+Valley+AVA+with+the+Blue+Mountains+in+backdrop_Vinous.jpg">The Tranche vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA, with
the Blue Mountains in backdrop.

I’ve
described the region, climate and terroir at length in the past, and I encourage
readers to check out my recent articles for a deep dive into the world of
Washington Wine: <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/washington-state-2021-and-2020-from-the-frying-pan-to-the-fire-jan-2024">Washington State 2021 and 2020: From the Frying Pan to the
Fire</a> and
<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/rhones-on-the-rise-washington-state-takes-the-lead-aug-2023">Rhônes on the Rise: Washington State Takes the Lead</a>.
For now, there are more pressing things to discuss.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1761081568880-Sunrise+over+the+Columbia+River%2C+which+helps+to+supply+water+throughout+Washington+State_Vinous.jpg">The Columbia River helps to supply water throughout Washington State.Revisiting the 2022 Vintage



During
last year’s tastings through Washington State’s 2022s, I was perplexed by many
of the wines in front of me. I expected more. The cold and wet start to the 2022
season enlarged canopies, berries and clusters. It also caused uneven fruit-set
and prolonged flowering. Veraison took place weeks later than usual. Though
July and August brought warmer temperatures, many vineyard managers wondered if
the fruit would achieve physiological ripeness before the freeze that usually comes
every fall and forces the end of harvest. Luckily, an Indian summer saved the
season, allowing winemakers to wait well into October to begin picking. Everyone
rushed to harvest at the same time which, combined with large yields,
overloaded the system, creating a scarcity of labor, a lack of bins to fill and
a shortage of available fermentation vats. The season was abundant, the harvest
was rushed in many cases and winery space was at a premium.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1761081463644-A+pioneer+of+the+region%2C+Christophe+Baron+of+Bionic+Wines+proved+skeptics+wrong+by+exceling+with+Rhone+Varieties+in+what%27s+now+the+Rocks+District+of+Milton+Freewater_Vinous.jpg">A pioneer in the region, Christophe Baron of Bionic
Wines proved skeptics wrong by excelling with Rhône varieties in what is now The
Rocks District of Milton-Freewater.Challenges aside, a cool vintage was welcome in a region
where recently, each season has been warmer than the last. I was excited by 2022’s
potential, but my first tastings revealed much inconsistency. Having now tasted
another 350 wines from 2022, I maintain that it is a producer-dependent year. The
winemakers and vineyard managers who succeeded were those that sacrificed
yields and took the time to manicure their canopies and vines. Winemakers who had
grown accustomed to warm-vintage fruit over the course of a decade suddenly had
to bend their brains around new styles of fermentation and barrel-aging
regimens. Ultimately, many producers put in the effort to understand how to
make the best wine possible. Though the 2022s underwhelmed me in 2024, their
current performance overwhelms me in 2025, as reflected in my notes.The Idyllic 2023 VintageThe only thing more difficult than reviewing a challenging
vintage is reviewing one where there’s little challenge to speak of. That’s
exactly what I faced while tasting Washington’s 2023s. Obviously, it’s not
difficult to taste the wines. In fact, tasting the majority of these wines was
a pure pleasure. They are bright and energetic with crisp fruit profiles,
stunning aromatics and an acidic spine that propels them across the palate, hemmed
in by beautifully formed tannins. However, the difficulty is getting winemakers
and vineyard managers to detail how the wines actually came to be. I heard refrains
like, “It was a perfect season,” “There was nothing in particular to speak of,”
and “It was a relaxing harvest,” over and over again. If the wines hadn’t been as
good as they were, I might have thought the whole thing was an organized
cover-up for a poor season. Thankfully, that is not the case.





The
2023s excel through balance, ample structure and overall approachability. Wines
from throughout the region that are typically stern and youthfully monolithic
possess a surprising level of dimension and verve in 2023. That said, those
same wines usually mature beautifully and blossom over time, so it will be
interesting to follow the 2023s’ trajectories. It’s difficult to compare 2023
to any other vintage. The wines seem to have the vibrant fruit of 2021 and the
balanced structure of 2018, but that energy—I just haven’t seen it before.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1761081512905-The+biodynamic+vineyards+of+Domaine+Magdalena+in+the+Red+Mountain+AVA_Vinous.jpg">The biodynamic vineyards of Domaine Magdalena in the Red Mountain AVA.After a cool and wet winter, the 2023 season started with a
warm spring that led to an early budbreak. Heat continued through the summer
months, coupled with dry conditions that pushed ripeness ahead. Vineyard
managers in Washington are well-equipped for these conditions, but even so, it
seemed as if 2023 would be another excessively hot vintage. However, conditions
improved near the end of August, with unexpected cool weather and light
precipitation slowing down the ripening process and allowing the vines to find
balance. This cool period is the reason for the vibrant acidity present in the
2023s. Ideal conditions and significant diurnal shifts remained through the
autumn, allowing producers all the time they needed to make harvest decisions
based on proper physiological ripeness, especially tannin ripeness.

The
2023 vintage allowed Washington State winemakers to show what they can
accomplish when they’re not constantly battling Mother Nature. The wines
maintain a profile that many would expect from a cool vintage, yet with the
inherent power of the region. Red Mountain stands out as a notable example. These
wines typically display aggressive tannic structures that require serious aging
or winemaking wizardry to balance. However, the 2023s are serene and
harmonious. The Syrahs take on deeper floral characteristics, perfumed yet
complex. Many of the wines are already surprisingly drinkable but also built for
the cellar. That may be 2023's only fault. Many wine lovers may devour their
stashes long before the wines reach full maturity.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1761081287137-The+Andrews+Family+VIneyard+in+the+Horse+Heaven+Hills+AVA_Vinous.jpg">The Andrews Family Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA.When There’s Blood in the Streets…Washington State winemakers and growers have suffered
significant losses amidst the current economic climate. The number one fear
producers express to me in my tastings and visits across the world is that
younger generations simply aren’t drinking wine. Even well-established
producers with a solid foundation of loyal collectors have felt the pangs of
recent trends as new mailing list signups slow. Proprietor Charles Smith of
House of Smith explained that he has decided to shrink his massive portfolio and
reorganize his brands to streamline messaging to consumers. He’s intently focused
on offering good value while upholding the highest quality standards. Additionally,
Duckhorn has decided to phase out the Canvasback brand and sell the associated
vineyards.This brings up a salient point: Whereas Washington State
used the consistent growth of licensed wineries as a marketing tool in the
past, those licenses have shrunk over the last two years. In 2023, the
Washington State Wine Commission reported over 1,050 wineries. Today, that
number is around 1,000. Most winemakers admit that the industry grew too quickly
over the last decade—there were just under 650 licenses in 2015. The
combination of a tariff war with Canada that continues to ban American wines from
entering their country, a younger generation that seems more interested in
microbreweries and CBD gummies than wine, and an industry that got too big too
fast has created a perfect storm economically.





To
make matters worse, the massive changes at Ste. Michelle Wine Estates have had
a drastic impact on growers. For decades, Ste. Michelle was the largest buyer
of grapes in the state. That changed quickly following Sycamore Partners'
acquisition of Ste. Michelle in October 2021. Since then, the brand has closed
tasting rooms, laid off staff and reduced its purchasing by over 40%. Justin
Andrews, of Andrew’s Family Vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA, explained
that about 40% of their 4,000 acres of vines remain unclaimed. The family
continues to farm and maintain the vineyards in hopes that things will change
in the coming years. It's difficult to fully capture how much the changes at
Ste. Michelle Wine have affected the landscape across Washington, since the
majority of the state’s producers do not own estate vineyards, instead purchasing
fruit from established vineyards.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1761081650450-Exploring+Cabernet+Sauvignon+From+Across+the+Red+Mountain+AVA_Vinous.jpg">An assortment of Cabernet Sauvignons from across the Red Mountain AVA.But there is a silver lining. As I mentioned, most
winemakers agree that the rapid growth of Washington wine has saturated the
market, and a correction is needed. The current situation is providing just that.
Moreover, the rising quality of wine and a series of good-to-excellent vintages
have established Washington as the United States’ top source for relative
value. It is astounding how often I encounter a Washington wine that costs
significantly less than I would assume. I’m not talking about mass-produced,
manufactured “products” that we find on supermarket shelves or the endcap of a
liquor store. I’m talking about artisanal, low- to medium-production wines that
overdeliver in every possible way. These wines are often made with the goal of
introducing consumers to a brand, using fruit that would have otherwise been reserved
for prestige-level bottlings. The pricing on most Bordeaux blends and varietal
Cabernet Sauvignons—where Washington truly excels—is far below that of other
domestic regions.And so I say, when there’s blood on the streets, buy
property. I firmly believe that the issue of attracting younger wine lovers is
just a phase. I do not doubt that a new wave of wine drinkers is waiting in the
wings. For any winery that holds the line and roughs it through these
challenging times, I expect there will be significant rewards. What’s more,
Ste. Michelle Wine Estates' shrinking assets and staff reductions suddenly made
choice vineyard sites with proper vine age available to other wineries, while
simultaneously flooding the market with highly experienced, well-trained
winemakers who quickly transitioned into new roles at other wineries. Marchesi
Antinori purchased Ste. Michelle’s 50% stake in Col Solare in 2024, giving them
complete control over the winery. Quilceda Creek purchased Duckhorn's 16.8-acre
Long Winds Vineyard in Red Mountain, which may become another single-vineyard
bottling in their portfolio. The list goes on and on.



Washington
producers should keep their heads down, stay the course and fight the good
fight. The story of Washington wine's renaissance has just begun.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1761236803449-Brother+and+sister+team%2C+Christophe+Hedges+and+Sarah+Hedges+Goedhart+of+Hedges+Winery_Vinous.jpg">Brother and sister team, Christophe Hedges and Sarah Hedges Goedhart of Hedges Winery.Growth Investing: Trading Winemakers Like Baseball Players



One
of the most interesting and unique aspects of reviewing Washington wine is tracking
winemakers from vintage to vintage. This is serious business, as winemakers
leave more of an imprint here than in most areas. That's not to say Washington
State ignores terroir, but its terroir can be communicated in drastically different
ways depending on who ferments, ages and blends the wines. If you love what a
particular winemaker did at one brand, you certainly want to check out what
they’re doing at the next. Here is a brief rundown of some of the key players and
their movements over the last two years.

The
most significant development over the last year was Todd Alexander’s exit from Washington State winemaking, which created a massive vacuum at several estates including Force
Majeure, Cimento, WeatherEye Vineyards, From the Sky Down, The Walls and PÁŠXA.
Most of these vacancies have been filled. After over a decade at Betz Family
Winery, veteran winemaker Louis Skinner stepped into the open position at Force
Majeure in March 2025. Skinner brought a European spin to the Betz portfolio
back in the day, and I’m very excited to see what he’ll accomplish at Force
Majeure—he blended the 2023s at both Force Majeure and WeatherEye Vineyards. Meanwhile,
Ackley Brands purchased Betz Family Winery in 2024 and brought on Will Wiles (whose
history includes Col Solare, Columbia Crest and Ste. Michelle) as Director of
Winemaking. Wiles blended the 2023s in conjunction with Bob Betz. In another
exciting trade, Brandon Moss joined Betz as Reserve Winemaker. Moss spent 16
years working directly with Greg Harrington at Gramercy Cellars. Sally Johnson
Blum (previously of St. Francis Winery &amp; Vineyards and Pride Mountain
Vineyards in California) is now the consulting winemaker at The Walls and PÁŠXA,
with Peter Urian as associate winemaker. Urian has been working with The Walls
since 2016. David Wanek of The Walla Walla Land Company brought in Anthony
Yount (of Denner in Paso Robles) to consult and blend the 2023 vintage at
Cimento, a truly exciting project based in The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1761081668276-Brian+Rudin+of+Echolands+%28left%29+with+Billo+Naravane+MW+%28right%29+collaborated+for+the+Basalt+Bash+in+The+Rocks+District+of+Milton-Freewater_Vinous.jpg">Brian Rudin of Echolands (left) and Billo Naravane, MW (right), collaborated for the Basalt Bash in The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater.Other notable developments include Elizabeth Bourcier’s
exit from scene. Her own brand, La Rata, concluded with the 2022
vintage, but she is perhaps best known for her work with Bionic Wines as their vigneronne.
Bourcier’s purview included Cayuse, Horsepower, No Girls and Hors Catégorie.
Stepping into her position is Karin Gasparotti, who served as Bourcier's assistant
vigneronne since 2021 after working at Northstar Winery and Ste.
Michelle.Then there’s Echolands, made famous by Doug Frost MW, MS. After
Canvasback closed, Brian Rudin became general manager and head winemaker in
2023. This, coupled with a massive new winery in the foothills of the Blue
Mountains and estate vineyards planted around it, bodes well for the brand's
future. Also in 2023, Brooke Robertson of Delmas took over full winemaking responsibilities
from Billo Naravane, MW, one of Washington State’s best winemakers. Naravane
continues to excel with his brand, Rasa, and consults and makes wines for
several others. Robertson’s talents are already on display with Delmas’ recent
vintages—it seems that a star is born. Last and certainly not least is Charles
Smith of House of Smith, who is once again the head winemaker for his large portfolio.
Brennon Leighton, former vice president of winemaking and vineyards at House of
Smith, has shifted his focus to his own value-oriented brands under the
umbrella of the B.happy Wine Company.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1761081687619-The+San+Tommaso+Vineyard+with+the+Rocks+District+of+Milton+Freewater+AVA_Vinous.jpg">The San Tommaso Vineyard in The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater.Washington is unlike any other region I cover. The value
proposition is unparalleled. Winemakers are open-minded and happy to take on
experiments and collaborations worldwide. Due to the diverse terroir, the
region can excel with nearly any variety. And, in the end, despite economic
turmoil, spirits remain lifted, and high-quality wine continues to flow.







I
tasted the wines for this article in Washington State in June and October 2025.© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.<hr> You Might Also Enjoy<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/better-late-than-never-washington-state-s-2022-vintage-dec-2024">Better Late Than Never:&nbsp;The 2022 Vintage in Washington State</a>, Eric Guido, December 2024<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/washington-state-2021-and-2020-from-the-frying-pan-to-the-fire-jan-2024">Washington State 2021 and 2020: From the Frying Pan to the Fire</a>, Eric Guido, January 2024 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/rhones-on-the-rise-washington-state-takes-the-lead-aug-2023">Rhônes on the Rise: Washington State Takes the Lead</a>, Eric Guido, August 2023 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/against-all-odds-washington-states-2020s-and-2019s-mar-2023">Against All Odds: Washington State’s 2020s and 2019s</a>, Eric Guido, March 2023

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