Paul Gregutt

Paul Gregutt has been reviewing the wines and wineries of the Pacific Northwest since the mid-1980s. Career highlights include serving as the wine columnist for the Seattle Times (2002 – 2013) and Contributing Editor for Wine Enthusiast magazine (1998 – 2022). He lives with his wife Karen and his rescue dog Cookie in Waitsburg (pop. 1204), a Walla Walla County farm community. When not tasting and writing about wine he writes songs, plays guitar and sings in his band the DavePaul5 (davepaul5.com). Follow his writing here and at www.paulgregutt.substack.com.

Goodbye Cheap Wine? Hello Premiumization!

This new trend seems counterintuitive (at least to me) given that consumers are drifting away from wine and toward a plethora of other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Beer, cocktails,...

More than a Myth: The Finesse of Eyrie Vineyards

"Eyrie's Pinots set a towering standard for ageworthiness; they often don't begin to evolve until most other wines of the vintage have died."

From a PNW Wine-Making Pioneer

Washington was considered to be too hot and dry in the summer, too cold in the winter to grow anything but (maybe) a bit of Riesling. Oregon, the experts said, was simply too cold and too wet to grow wine grapes profitably.

A Passion for Pinots

Pinot Noir is special to me, partly because I live so close to some of the greatest Pinot producers in the world, partly because it is by general acclaim one of the world’s most challenging grapes to grow and wines to make.

Master Merlots and More: L’Ecole No. 41

Way back when Merlot was in the doghouse following the release of the film 'Sideways' it was already known to a handful of producers that Walla Walla was a special place to make this particular Bordeaux red.

Breaking Boundaries in Walla Walla: The Wines of Itä

Apart from my own enthusiasm at seeing Walla Walla wines reach a new and exciting stage in their ongoing evolution, wines such as these wines challenge me to work past my own limitations, spurred on by the simple excitement of trying something new.

Mom and Pop’s Old Vines

My own wine country explorations are often focused on seeking out old vine vineyards, and Oregon has a surprising number tucked away.

Walter Scott: Rise of the Oregon Chardonnays

After decades of site development and evolving winery practices the subtlety and intensity of Oregon’s best Chardonnays clearly differentiates them from the crowded West Coast competition.

Small but Mighty: Washington’s Rosés

For all their charm, rosés are not subject to any particular regulations other than those that apply to every wine of any type. In other words, there is nothing that specifically defines a rosé.

How to Plan a Willamette Wine Tour

This is an overview of my recent three day visit to a dozen Willamette Valley wineries. I want to focus on how I approached planning such a trip and...

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