Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/123973
NORTHWEST WATCH SEAN P. SULLIVAN A RED-WINE WORLD The problem with Washington whites appears to be one of both perception and reality. Many wine novices – and even some wine experts – seem to have the idea that white wines are somehow "lesser" wines, that red wines are the stuff of serious folk. How often does someone in the tasting room hear a man or woman say, "I'll skip the white wines?" Whether it's because consumers don't like them, or they don't think that they are supposed to like them, doesn't really matter. This perception has a far-reaching effect – one that goes straight to the pocketbook. "Washington consumers aren't willing to pay for white wine," said retailer Doug Charles of Compass Wines in Anacortes, Wash. He should know: He's been selling Washington wine for more than a decade. Consumers, however, don't seem to have this issue for Washington reds, where many bottles can cost $40 or more. "The thing that works against white wine is that people don't take them seriously," lamented winemaker Marie-Eve Gilla of Walla Walla's Forgeron Cellars. She said she believes the consumer perception about white wine has an even more pernicious effect in Washington. Consumers don't take white wines seriously, so winemakers don't take them seriously. "Not many people are willing to put in the effort to even make white wines or to make them well, for that matter," Gilla said, who produces chardonnay and other white wines in addition to her reds. This is not hyperbole. Many Washington wineries do not even offer a white wine in their lineup. Others farm out the production of the whites they do make to custom-crush facilities and focus on their reds. More than a few Washington winemakers have told me over the years that the only reason they offer a white wine is to have something "for women" (insert cringe here). PRODUCTION CHALLENGES Part of the reason some Washington winemakers don't make white wines – especially with the majority of these winemakers minted in the last 10 years – is because they are harder to make and to make competently. "White wines in certain ways are less forgiving," explained Mike Januik of Januik Winery and Novelty Hill in Woodinville. "From a technical perspective, there are more things that you kind of have to be aware of and protect against making white wine." • Flexo Roll Printing • Digital Sheet & Digital Roll Printing • Die Cut, Foil Stamping & Embossing • Branding & Design Services Mike Januik of Januik Winery believes that fewer whites are made in Washington because they are more difficult than reds to get right. • Knowledgeable of TTB Regulations From product labels to packaging and marketing solutions, our turn-key approach enables us to deliver quality on time, every time. P.O. Box 1069 • Thomasville, NC 27361 800-678-9019 • www.wrightlabels.com 32 V I N E YARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT | May - June 2013 Januik, who has produced wine in Washington for 30-plus years, noted that these aspects include a multitude of details, from oxygen exposure to fermentation temperatures, malolactic fermentation, and the selection of oak. "Your choice of oak has a real impact on what the wine is going to end up like," he said. "There are oak barrels that I would never consider using for white wines." w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m