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Washington now home to nearly 1,000 wineries

Washington produces nearly 70 wine grape varieties - a ratio of about 36 percent white and 64 percent red.
Credit: Rostislav_Sedlacek
Credit: Rostislav Sedlacek

Cheers to Washington's growing wine industry. Did you know Washington is now the second-largest producer of premium wine in the country, behind California?

Impress even your most wine-obsessed friends with these fast facts from the Washington Wine Commission:

Number of wineries:

940+

Number of wine grape growers:

350+

Varieties produced:

Nearly 70

Number of AVA's (American Viticultural Areas):

14

Ratio of red to white:

64 percent red to 36 percent white

Wine production:

Approx. 17.5 million cases

Wine grape acreage:

55,000+ acres

Record harvest:

2016 with 270,000 tons

Most recent harvest:

2017 with 229,000 tons

Total Economic Impact:

$4.8 Billion

Wine market segment:

Washington State is focused on the premium wine market segment (wines sold for $8 and higher).

Average hours of summer sunlight:

16 hours per day, about one more hour than California's prime growing region

Annual rainfall:

Eight inches in Eastern Washington (the major grape growing region)

35-38 inches in Western Washington

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