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WASHINGTON STATES'S COLUMBIA VALLEY AVA
Head east from Seattle and in two hours you’ll find yourself crossing the mighty Columbia River, entering the heart of Washington State’s wine country. This is the Columbia Valley, where the vast terrain ranges from breath-taking river gorges to undulating hills formed by Ice Age floods and ancient volcanoes.
Separated from Seattle’s rainy, marine climate by the Cascade Mountains, the state’s wine country lies in the rain shadow of the mountains and enjoys only 6 to 8 inches of rain each year. Here, the conditions are ideal for wine grapes.
Columbia Valley AVA Key Facts:
- Northerly latitude provides two hours more sunlight each day during the growing season compared to California vineyard areas, helping develop greater fruit intensity.
- Cool evenings provide more extreme day/night temperature spread, providing crisp acids and ideal balance.
- Vines are planted on their own root stock. Grafting is unnecessary as in other wine regions of the world.
- The Columbia Valley has several distinct sub-AVAs with significant producing acres:
- Yakima Valley - 11,000 acres (1983)
- Walla Walla Valley - 1,000 acres (1984)
- Red Mountain - 700 acres (2001)
- Horse Heaven Hills - 6,000 acres (2005)
- Wahluke Slope - 5,000 acres (2006)
- Rattlesnake Hills - 1,227 acres (2006)
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