Although Washington is a relative newcomer in the wine industry, the elements of great winemaking have been here all along, waiting to be discovered.

The state is at the same latitude as the Burgundy and Bordeaux wine regions of France. We get an average of 17.4 hours of sunlight - two more than California - which allows grapes more time to ripen. Cool nights give the fruit high acidity, making the wine rich, flavorful and well balanced. It's no wonder Washington is now the second largest producer of wine in the nation.

Washington wines are highly prized. As the international awards stack up, the media is taking note, too. Among recent accolades, Wine Spectator chose 13 Washington wines in its Top Picks for 2005. Wine & Spirits magazine selected four Washington wines in its 100 Best Wines of the Year in 2006. And Decanter magazine, in its 2005 World Wine Awards, honored 12 Washington wines.

In 1981, Washington had 19 wineries. Today, more than 400 (and counting) wineries and 350 grape growers contribute to an industry worth $3 billion annually. More than 20 wine grape varieties grow well here. The leading red varieties include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, and leading white varieties include Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.

There are nine official appellations (wine-growing regions recognized as American Viticultural Areas) in Washington, each with its own characteristics: Yakima Valley, Walla Walla Valley, Columbia Valley, Puget Sound, Red Mountain, Columbia Gorge, Horse Heaven Hills, Wahluke Slope and Rattlesnake Hills.

The majority of the state's wineries are located east of the Cascade Mountains, where the climate is sunny and the soil sandy. Here on the west side of the mountains, the conditions are perfect for certain kinds of grape varietals and fruit, as well as some hard-to-find grape varieties. In comparison, it's drier and sunnier here than in many wine-grape growing regions in Europe.

About 35 wineries in the Puget Sound appellation grow more than 80 acres of vineyards. The Puget Sound appellation breaks down into three sub-areas: Woodinville, Seattle and North Sound.

Woodinville is home to more than 20 wineries, including pioneers Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columbia Winery, and smaller boutique wineries, such as the Betz Family Wineries and Woodhouse Family Cellars. Two annual festivals in the area, Passport to Woodinville in April and the St. Nicholas Day Open House in December, allow visitors access to local wineries.

Several boutique wineries are located around Seattle, primarily using grapes grown elsewhere in Washington and Oregon. Tasting rooms are within easy reach, including the Hedges Cellars Tasting Room (the winery is in the Red Mountain appellation) in Issaquah and The Tasting Room, a cooperative venture near Pike Place Market. The E.B. Foote winery, one of the oldest in Washington, has a tasting room in Burien open several days a week.

North Sound Wineries includes 10 wineries and a wine specialty shop, located on Bainbridge Island, the North Olympic Peninsula and Whidbey Island. The group holds three annual wine events: Red Wine and Chocolates in February; Spring Barrel Tasting, held over Memorial Day weekend; and Passport to Autumn, held Veteran's Day weekend.