Washington's new and proposed AVAs

Wines & Vines, August, 2005 by Paul Franson

Much of Washington's wine country is contained in the huge Columbia Valley AVA, a region so vast it's already spawned three sub-appellations: Yakima Valley, Red Mountain and Walla Walla. That subdivision is likely to continue as growers seek to gain recognition for their own regions, and already two others have applied for distinctive status: Rattlesnake Hills and Wahluke Slope north of Yakima and Red Mountain.

Not as far along in the process are two other areas that are working toward applying for AVAs, Lake Chelan and Columbia Cascade.

In addition, one region outside the Columbia Valley AVA--Columbia Gorge--was approved last year, and Horse Heaven Hills, along the Columbia River, was granted approval on June 30.

Columbia Gorge AVA

The Columbia Gorge, near the mouth of the Columbia River, has a distinctive climate more similar to the Willamette Valley of Oregon than the great wine region of Eastern Washington. It's suitable even for Pinot Noir, a grape rarely grown in Washington.

The Columbia Gorge AVA joins the Puget Sound AVA, which was recognized in 1995, as the only two Washington AVAs outside the Columbia Valley.

The AVA lies near sea level, in a gap among the Cascade Mountains, creating a unique growing region heavily influenced by the Pacific Ocean, as well as the continental high desert climate to the east. It lies on both sides of the river, starting 60 miles east of Portland, Ore. and Vancouver, Wash., straddling the river gorge for 15 miles until it meets the western edge of the Columbia Valley AVA. The soils were deposited from floods, volcanic eruptions and landslides, and many are excellent for grape-growing.

Temperatures vary significantly from one end of the region to the other, and vineyards are exposed to conditions as different as fewer than 1,800 degree-days to more than 3,000. The area has generally warm days and cool nights during the summer. Rainfall also varies, from 36 inches of rain annually in the west to only 20 inches in the east.

The vineyards are planted at altitudes of 70 to 2,700 feet, many on steep slopes and in all exposures. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir excel in the western end of the gorge and in the high mountain sites, while Syrah and Cabernet flourish in the eastern region.

There are traces of old vineyards near Bingen, Wash., but most of the planting is since the '70s, and there are now more than 400 acres planted to vines. There are about a dozen wineries in the area, divided between Oregon and Washington.

Horse Heaven Hills

The Horse Heaven Hills AVA stretches 60 miles from east to west, and 22 miles deep on a high plateau between the Columbia River and the Yakima Valley AVA to the north.

The area was named by an old rancher who sighted the vast region while pursuing lost stock, but the oldest vineyards date from 1972, when Don Mercer planted a 5-acre parcel of Cabernet Sauvignon at Phinny Hill. Between 1978 and 1981, Stimson Lane (Now Ste. Michelle Wine Estates) planted 2,000 acres in Paterson, including Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and Grenache grapes. The company's large Columbia Crest Winery is on the region's edge, overlooking the Columbia River.

The Horse Heaven Hills are a series of south-facing slopes that create a watershed, with dozens of valleys running in spokes from the north to south along the Columbia River.

The hills are swept by strong winds that blow through the Columbia River Valley, and they are a prominent characteristic of the area. One consequence of the winds is a reduction in canopy size and density of grapes on the vines. Another is a reduction in vine disease, resulting from the drying of wet plant surfaces on which fungal spores or bacteria may have landed.

The area is one of the warmest growing regions in the Columbia Valley region of Washington state. Harvest time in the Horse Heaven Hills may start up to two weeks before that in the Yakima Valley 40 miles to the northwest.

Further, the warm growing season allows growers to ensure full maturity in mid- to late-season grape varieties, while receiving the benefit of extended time on the vine. The length of the growing season produces unique fruit characteristics, resulting in many vineyard-designated wines. It also decreases the risk of fall frost and harvest time disease. Plantings greatly accelerated after local vineyards survived the freeze of 1996, which destroyed much of Washington's winegrape crop.

The heat in the area is comparable to the Walla Walla Valley AVA, but 10% less than the Red Mountain area to the immediate north.

The Horse Heaven Hills AVA covers 570,000 acres of open, dry plains and hills, of which 90% could be planted to winegrapes if adequate irrigation were available (but it isn't). At least 6,000 acres are planted in more than 20 vineyards.

The region lies at 500 to 1,600 feet, but most of the vineyards are in the lower, sandy areas.

The area receives significantly less rainfall than the Walla Walla Valley AVA to the east and Chelan to the north. Annual rainfall averages 9 inches. By comparison, Walla Walla and Chelan average 19.7 and 13.2 inches of annual rainfall, respectively. The Yakima Valley averages 7.8 inches of annual rainfall.