2011 grape harvest in Washington holds promise of subtle, food-friendly wines

Last year at this time I referred to the 2010 Washington wine grape harvest as "one of the wildest, wackiest, and yet most promising years in the state's history."

Believe it or not, in terms of both craziness and quality, the 2011 harvest might have topped that.

The story behind 2011 starts in November 2010, when an early frost in some vineyards damaged buds that were to be 2011's harvest. Then Eastern Washington experienced another cool, wet spring that resulted in an incredibly late bud break and an equally belated harvest, three to four 4 weeks later than normal, in some areas.

Despite the bizarre weather, the consensus among winemakers seems to be optimistic about this strange yet potentially wonderful vintage. Here's what a few are saying:

John Morgan of Lost River Winery observes that "2011 marked the coolest and latest harvest on record in Washington ... it definitely was a wild ride. This is absolutely a stellar vintage for Syrah, Malbec and all of the whites we brought in. For the rest, time will tell."

Forgeron Cellars' Marie-Eve Gilla says to expect some very Euro-centric wines. "White wines will likely be especially lush ... with the gentle temperatures allowing for the nuanced flavors to come through."

Jean-Francois Pellet of Pepper Bridge Winery notes, "Summer really didn't start until around the Fourth of July ... which is unheard of (in Eastern Washington). Nonetheless, after this late start, the grapes ripened steadily and evenly. It appears Mother Nature was reminding us that we are in the agriculture business, not the manufacturing business."

The overall forecast for 2011 wines: Lower yields, great acidity, likely lower alcohol levels, and subtle fruit flavors with more emphasis on varietal-specific characteristics, such as pepper, smoke, herbs and spices.

If this sounds as if Washington wines are transforming into something more closely resembling their European/Old World-style counterparts, you would be correct. That means we can expect less fruit and alcohol bombs and more food-friendly wines from Washington wineries on the horizon ... a good thing by many wine enthusiast's standards.

Of course we won't know the final verdict until these wines are released, beginning this spring for the whites and 2012 and 2013 for many of the reds. But one thing is certain, the 2011 vintage, with all of its challenges, will certainly test the skills of the state's winemakers. The pretenders will be separated from the contenders as Washington wines make their way to consumers, who ultimately have the final word.