Market Watch, September 2017

64 MARKET WATCH MARKETWATCHMAG COM SEPTEMBER 2017PHOTO BY KRISTIE SERRA12000 cases a year including top selling Red Holler Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 32 a 750 ml The Preposterous Red Mountain Malbec 38 and Kingpin Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 62 are also strong sellers Sparkman says Washingtons authentic family stories resonate with customers and Jamie Stratton wine director of the two unit Jacob Liquor Exchange in Wichita Kansas agrees Were huge fans of Washingtons terroir people and prices Stratton says He participated in the Washington State Wine Commissions Road Trip program where retailers and restaurateurs visit the states vineyards and wineries Stratton subsequently increased the number of Washington wines at Jacob Liquors and he has also been instrumental in finding distribution for Washington wines in Kansas Every March his team creates displays and hosts tastings for Washington Wine Month in March Jacob Liquor stocks 135 Washington wine SKUs including 75 super premium selections The top selling Washington wines are the 2015 Chateau Ste Michelle Columbia Valley Char donnay 9 a 750 ml and the 2014 Columbia Crest H3 Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 1250 The 2014 Amavi Cellars Walla Walla Valley Syrah 30 and the 2014 Wood ward Canyon Artist Series Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 56 are also gaining traction Were seeing more customers willing to spend 30 to 40 on Washington wine and they often ask for specific AVAs Stratton says Well see exponen tial growth in Washington over the next few years Not only will Washingtons plantings and production grow but the state will evolve in terms of technology and finding its niche in the pantheon of prominent red wines Washington has a spirit of innovation and were not bound by convention says the Washington State Wine Commissions Warner We want to create captivating wines and we believe the best is yet to come mwAngel Antin is a Denver based freelance writer Woodward Canyons top selling wines are its Artist Series Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 59 a 750 ml and its Old Vines Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon 99 Chris Sparkman owner of Woodinville based Sparkman Cellars also endorses continued investment in the states wine industry Duckhorn Cakebread and Terlato have cast their votes for Washington he says adding that he recom mends incremental growth and noting that Washingtons challenges include access to market and increasing land prices He predicts Cabernet Sauvignon will become the states signature varietal and that the Wine Science Center will provide an even stronger labor pool Sparkman produces At Woodinville Washingtons Sparkman Cellars owner Chris Spark man and his wife Kelly produce 12000 cases of wine a year and distribute it as far as Kansas Sparkman family pictured clockwise from left daughter Ruby Leigh Kelly daughter Stella Mae and Chris TOP TEN WASHINGTON STATE WINE BRANDS thousands of nine liter cases Percent Change1 Rank Brand Company 2014 2015 2016 2014 2015 2015 2016 1 Chateau Ste Michelle Ste Michelle Wine Estates 3035 3253 3413 72 49 2 14 Hands Ste Michelle Wine Estates 1662 1848 2025 112 96 3 Columbia Crest Ste Michelle Wine Estates 1032 1062 1233 29 160 4 Two Vines Ste Michelle Wine Estates 609 610 493 02 193 5 Hogue Cellars Constellation Brands 414 410 400 10 24 Total Top Five 6752 7183 7562 64 53 6 Red Diamond Ste Michelle Wine Estates 471 433 339 80 218 7 House Wine2 Precept Wines 168 174 196 36 130 8 Charles Charles Trinchero Family Estates 106 123 150 162 220 9 Radius Precept Wines 110 105 114 48 91 10 Waterbrook Precept Wines 98 108 107 99 08 Total Top Ten 7704 8125 8468 55 42 1 Based on unrounded data2 Includes some wines from other statesSource IMPACT DATABANK 2017MW0917_