WINE MORE FOR THE ROAD

Go wine-tasting in the vineyards of Washington State and you'll have a grape time, says LAURA HILL

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WHEN most people think of a wine road trip in the US, they think of California.

So when I told people I was going on a vineyard tour in Washington State, they were surprised, with many telling me they "didn't know they made wine that far north".

Neither did I, so I packed waterproofs and jumpers for my flight to Seattle expecting typical Pacific Northwest Coast rainy weather. I was pleasantly surprised a few days later to find myself sitting on a sunny terrace overlooking acres of vineyards, with temperatures in the high 20s in mid-October.

Far from being "too far north", much of Washington State's wine country is on a latitude of 46 degrees north similar to regions including Burgundy and Bordeaux, boasted my tour guide. And with an extra two hours of sunlight per day than California on average, the region has perfect conditions.

So why is Washington wine not better known worldwide? The answer is partly because Washingtonians are keeping it to themselves.

"Around 75% of wine made here is consumed within the state itself," Adam Acampora of Woodinville Wines explained. That and the fact many wineries are small, with most making 5,000 cases per year or less.

So for the time being, it seems the best way to sample the wines of this well-kept secret region is to travel there and take a road trip.

It would be criminal to head to Washington and skip over Seattle so my first stop was the famous Space Needle.