The Washington Wine Commission helped to pay for the economic impact study. Executive director Steve Burns said industry insiders thought the economic impact on Washington was nearly $1 billion.
"This surprised us,' Burns said. "We exceeded our estimates by more than twice the amount. It's growing much faster than we assumed. We have a very strong future."
The Northwest wine industry has more than doubled during the past decade, bringing in tourism dollars, tax revenues and licensing fees. Twenty-nine thousand acres of grapes grow in the state, producing 4.9 million cases at a retail value of $576 million.
"The industry's solid growth curve validates its importance to the state economy, especially during a time when other industry markets are weak," said Vic Motto, principal of Motto Kryla & Fisher, the company hired to conduct the research.
"Washington's aggressive growth is moving at a faster rate than the general economy."
The good economic news could spill over into Oregon, where the industry is currently in a state of introspection and reorganization. The Oregon Wine Advisory Board (OWAB) has been without a director since September of 2000.
The lack of an executive director has concerned some Oregon wine producers, but the job is currently being revamped to be more responsive to the industry, said Maria Ponzi, spokeswoman for Oregon's Ponzi Vineyards, and member of the OWAB. She said industry leaders are getting together to hammer out expectations and job responsibilities of the OWAB executive director.
"It's disappointing that we can't move faster, but we have to be patient," Ponzi said. "We are taking the time to do it right. We have many new players and personalities now. Hopefully we will come back strong and take our unique place in the Northwest wine industry."
Oregon wine sales are by no means flat. According to recent statistics, wine sales in Oregon stirs up more than $120 million for the economy. The state ranks second in the nation for the number of wineries, behind California, but fourth in production output, behind Washington and New York.
Burns said the two states try to work together to increase wine sales in the Northwest, even though the industry is very competitive.
"We're better friends than we are enemies," Burns said. "We promote cooperatively together. We wish them good luck in the search for a new executive director."
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