Pacific Northwest swelters

It’s not so much of a heatwave as it is a suffocating blanket. Until yesterday, 14 July, the Walla Walla Valley in Eastern Washington State had a record-breaking 15 out of 16 days of temperatures above 100 °F/38 °C, with two days in a row topping out at 111 °F/44 °C. 

‘That’s the longest stretch of heat I’ve ever seen’, says Bob Betz of Betz Family Winery, who has been making wine in the area since 1975. ‘It’s really dramatic and continues to amaze all of us.’ 

Brandon Moss, partner and assistant winemaker at Gramercy Cellars...