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Winery
Amavi Cellars
Vintage: 2012
2012 has, so far been a positive year for wineries around the world. While it may be a little too early to speak of the wines being made in the northern hemisphere, European and North American wineries have already begun reporting that their harvesting season has been generally very good, and are predicting to continue with the kind of successes they saw in 2011. However, 2012 has been something of a late year for France, due to unpredictable weather throughout the summer, and the grapes were ripening considerably later than they did in 2011 (which was, admittedly, an exceptionally early year). French wineries are claiming, though, that this could well turn out to be advantageous, as the slow ripening will allow the resulting wines to express more flavour and features of the terroir they are grown in.
The southern hemisphere has seen ideal climatic conditions in most of the key wine producing countries, and Australia and New Zealand particularly had a superb year, in particular with the Bordeaux varietal grapes that grow there and which love the humidity these countries received plenty of. Also enjoying a fantastic year for weather were wineries across Argentina and Chile, with the Mendoza region claiming that 2012 will be one of their best vintages of the past decade. Similar claims are being made across the Chilean wine regions, where Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon had an especially good year. These two grape varietals also produced characterful wines on the coastal regions of South Africa this year.
Varietal: Syrah
Whilst there remains plenty of debate over which is the 'correct' name for the Shiraz/Syrah grape varietal, nobody is in any doubt about the influence and popularity this grape has had over recent decades. For centuries, this varietal has been used in single variety and blended wines in the regions of France it is most closely associated with, yet the 20th century saw it become one of the definitive grape varietals of New World red wines, where its big, robust character and spicy, berry-rich flavors proved to be a hit with international audiences. Today, Shiraz/Syrah is said to be the seventh most widely planted grape varietal in the world, and is used for a remarkably wide variety of quality red wines – including still, sparkling and fortified varieties.
Region: Washington State
Washington is the second largest wine producing region in the United States, after California, with over forty thousand acres currently under vine, and over six hundred wineries currently operating there. Since the first wineries were established there in 1825, Washington has produced a wide range of wines, made mostly with classic Old World grape varietals. Indeed, their Merlot and Chardonnay wines were immensely popular over the past few decades, and helped establish this state as a serious producer in regards to New World fine wines. The dry and arid eastern side of the country is heavily irrigated, and holds over ninety-nine percent of the state's wineries, each producing the state's characteristic bright, fruit-forward red wines and dry, crisp acidic white wines, both of which are increasing in popularity around the world.
Country: United States
The first European settlers to consider growing grapevines in the United States must have been delighted when they discovered the now famous wine regions within California, Oregon and elsewhere. Not even in the Old World are there such fertile valleys, made ideal for vine cultivation by the blazing sunshine, long, hot summers and oceanic breezes. As such, it comes as little surprise that today more than eighty-nine percent of United States wines are grown in the valleys and on the mountainsides of California, where arguably some of the finest produce in the world is found. However, American wine does not begin and end with California, and due to the vast size of the country and the incredible range of terrains and climates found within the United States, there is probably no other country on earth which produces such a massive diversity of wines. From ice wines in the northern states, to sparkling wines, aromatized wines, fortified wines, reds, whites, rosés and more, the United States has endless surprises in store for lovers of New World wines.
Appellation: Walla Walla
The beautiful wine region of Columbia Valley in Washington State is one of the true gems of the United States' wine industry, full of innovative wineries and dedicated vintners, keen to prove that their terroir is as good as any found elsewhere in the world. Within Columbia Valley, we find the beautiful sub-region of Walla Walla, typified by its gently sloping hills and dry, arid soil. The sub-region of Walla Walla has been building up a powerful reputation for excellence over the past few decades, and many successful vintages in the late 90's prompted the opening of several new wineries within the area, boosting the local industry and increasing competition. The key grape varietals of Walla Walla are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which love the hot climatic conditions and dry, arid soils of the region, and produce magnificently complex and flavorful wines.