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Columbia Valley AVA
Columbia Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located within the Columbia River Plateau landform encompassing much of central and southern Washington and crossing the state boundary into northern Oregon south of the Columbia River. The viticultural area includes the drainage basin of the Columbia River and its tributaries through much of Washington. It was established as the nation's 72nd, Washington's third and Oregon's fourth appellation on December 13, 1984 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Drs, Walter Clore and Wade Wolfe of Prosser, Washington on behalf of Washington's oldest and largest winery, Chateau Ste. Michelle, and by William Blosser of the Sokol Blosser Winery, Dundee, Oregon, proposing the viticultural area named "Columbia Valley." Allen Shoup, president of Chateau Ste. Michelle, understood the importance of obtaining AVA status to grow the reputation of the Northwest viticulture industry
Columbia Valley's geography covers approximately 14.72 million acres (23,000 sq mi) extending 185 miles (298 km) from the east to west and 200 miles (322 km) from north to south. ATF included the entire valley within the viticultural area except the portion between Banks Lake and the Snake River. Therefore, the Columbia Valley appellation encompasses 11.52 million acres (18,000 sq mi).
Columbia Valley viticultural area is the largest wine region in Washington containing about 99% of the state's viticulture acreage of over 59,000 acres (23,876 ha) and eighteen appellations currently within its boundary. Grapes grown here include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Riesling, Syrah, Pinot Gris, and Sauvignon blanc. Concord grapes and other Vitis labrusca grapes are grown in the region as well. The unique climates of the area allow the Columbia Valley to produce wines that are very fruit-forward, like California wine, but which also retain some of the balance and structure of European wine.
The name "Columbia Valley" was derived from the river that flows through and defines the region. In 1792, the river was named after the American-built 212-ton fully-rigged ship "Columbia Rediviva" commanded by Captain Robert Gray when he discovered the river mouth on the Pacific coast and navigated into it. In 1804–1806, the Lewis and Clark Pacific Expedition explored and mapped the area, as their maps detail both the Columbia River and the Columbia Valley. Later, other explorers and pioneers referred to the treeless basin in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho as the "Columbia Valley", "Columbia Plain", "Great Columbia Plain", " Columbia Plateau", "Columbia Basin" and "Inland Empire." The term "Columbia Valley" is widely used today to refer to the viticultural area, and appears in literature, magazines, newspapers, and illustrated in maps.
Grapes are not indigenous to the Columbia Valley viticultural area, but both Vinifera and Labruscavines are grown. The oldest planted Vinifera vines still in existence were planted by German immigrants in the Tampico vicinity, west of Union Gap, in 1871. Others were planted in the Kennewick area in 1895, and in the Walla Walla area by 1899. Planting of premium Vinifera grapes began in the Columbia Valley in the mid-1960s. By 1981 there were over 6,610 acres (2,675 ha) of Vinifera grapes including 2,700 acres (1,093 ha) of bearing vineyards. Predominant varieties include White Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewurztraminer, Merlot, Semilion, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat, Pinot Noir, and Grenache. Nearly 20,000 acres (8,094 ha) of Concord grapes also grow within the appellation, but are not used for wine production.
The Columbia Valley is a large, treeless basin surrounding the Yakima, Snake and Columbia Rivers in Washington and Oregon while all surrounding areas are forested. The area is distinguished by its broadly undulating or rolling surface, cut by rivers and broken by long sloping basaltic uplifts extending generally in an east–west direction. The area is dominated by its major rivers. The Cascade Range forms its western boundary with the Palouse regions bordering the area to the east. To the north, the Okanogan Highlands form the boundary while on the east, the Greater Spokane area and the eastern portion of the high rolling Palouse Prairie constitute the boundary of the valley. The southern boundary is defined by the Blue Mountains, the 2,000 feet (610 m) contour line and the foothills of the Cascade Mountains southwest of the Columbia River. Elevation in surrounding areas exceeds 2,000 feet (610 m) while the elevation in the Columbia Valley generally does not exceed 2,000 feet (610 m). It encompasses the valleys formed by the Columbia River and its tributaries, including the Walla Walla, the Snake, and Yakima Rivers. Columbia Valley stretches between the 46th parallel and 47th parallel which puts it in line with the well-known French wine growing regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy. The northern latitude gives the areas two more hours of additional daylight during the summer growing season than California wine regions receive. Columbia Valley's soils were formed by the Missoula Floods, a series of cataclysmic events over 15,000 years ago. Most vineyards lie below the floodwaters, with soils of windblown deposits of sand and silt loess, overlying gravel and slackwater sediment with a basaltic bedrock. The volcanic and sandy loam soil of the valley offers good drainage and is poor in nutrients, ideal in forcing the vine to concentrate its resources into the grape clusters.
Eighteen appellations currently designate separate viticultural areas with their unique properties within the vast Columbia Valley area but share common characteristics. They are Ancient Lakes of the Columbia Valley, Candy Mountain, Goose Gap, Horse Heaven Hills, Rattlesnake Hills, Lake Chelan, Naches Heights, Red Mountain, The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, Rocky Reach, Rocky Slope, Snipes Mountain, The Burn of Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley, Wahluke Slope and Yakima Valley. North of the Rattlesnake Hills is a region commonly known as Columbia Cascade, but it is not a recognized American viticultural area. Other distinctive wine growing regions that have not yet partitioned for AVA status include the Othello region located in Adams County and the Tri-Cities area around the towns of Kennewick, Pasco and Richland.
Climate differentiates the Columbia Valley viticultural area from surrounding areas. In general, the Columbia Valley viticultural area is characterized as experiencing a growing season of over 150 days, a total degree day average of over 2,000, and annual rainfall of 15 inches (381 mm) or less. Most of the land in the Oregon portion of the Columbia Valley is located on north facing slopes. This differs from Washington State where nearly all vineyards are located on south facing slopes. This difference makes the Oregon portion of the valley physically and climatologically distinct from Washington.
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Columbia Valley AVA
Columbia Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located within the Columbia River Plateau landform encompassing much of central and southern Washington and crossing the state boundary into northern Oregon south of the Columbia River. The viticultural area includes the drainage basin of the Columbia River and its tributaries through much of Washington. It was established as the nation's 72nd, Washington's third and Oregon's fourth appellation on December 13, 1984 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Drs, Walter Clore and Wade Wolfe of Prosser, Washington on behalf of Washington's oldest and largest winery, Chateau Ste. Michelle, and by William Blosser of the Sokol Blosser Winery, Dundee, Oregon, proposing the viticultural area named "Columbia Valley." Allen Shoup, president of Chateau Ste. Michelle, understood the importance of obtaining AVA status to grow the reputation of the Northwest viticulture industry
Columbia Valley's geography covers approximately 14.72 million acres (23,000 sq mi) extending 185 miles (298 km) from the east to west and 200 miles (322 km) from north to south. ATF included the entire valley within the viticultural area except the portion between Banks Lake and the Snake River. Therefore, the Columbia Valley appellation encompasses 11.52 million acres (18,000 sq mi).
Columbia Valley viticultural area is the largest wine region in Washington containing about 99% of the state's viticulture acreage of over 59,000 acres (23,876 ha) and eighteen appellations currently within its boundary. Grapes grown here include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Riesling, Syrah, Pinot Gris, and Sauvignon blanc. Concord grapes and other Vitis labrusca grapes are grown in the region as well. The unique climates of the area allow the Columbia Valley to produce wines that are very fruit-forward, like California wine, but which also retain some of the balance and structure of European wine.
The name "Columbia Valley" was derived from the river that flows through and defines the region. In 1792, the river was named after the American-built 212-ton fully-rigged ship "Columbia Rediviva" commanded by Captain Robert Gray when he discovered the river mouth on the Pacific coast and navigated into it. In 1804–1806, the Lewis and Clark Pacific Expedition explored and mapped the area, as their maps detail both the Columbia River and the Columbia Valley. Later, other explorers and pioneers referred to the treeless basin in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho as the "Columbia Valley", "Columbia Plain", "Great Columbia Plain", " Columbia Plateau", "Columbia Basin" and "Inland Empire." The term "Columbia Valley" is widely used today to refer to the viticultural area, and appears in literature, magazines, newspapers, and illustrated in maps.
Grapes are not indigenous to the Columbia Valley viticultural area, but both Vinifera and Labruscavines are grown. The oldest planted Vinifera vines still in existence were planted by German immigrants in the Tampico vicinity, west of Union Gap, in 1871. Others were planted in the Kennewick area in 1895, and in the Walla Walla area by 1899. Planting of premium Vinifera grapes began in the Columbia Valley in the mid-1960s. By 1981 there were over 6,610 acres (2,675 ha) of Vinifera grapes including 2,700 acres (1,093 ha) of bearing vineyards. Predominant varieties include White Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewurztraminer, Merlot, Semilion, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat, Pinot Noir, and Grenache. Nearly 20,000 acres (8,094 ha) of Concord grapes also grow within the appellation, but are not used for wine production.
The Columbia Valley is a large, treeless basin surrounding the Yakima, Snake and Columbia Rivers in Washington and Oregon while all surrounding areas are forested. The area is distinguished by its broadly undulating or rolling surface, cut by rivers and broken by long sloping basaltic uplifts extending generally in an east–west direction. The area is dominated by its major rivers. The Cascade Range forms its western boundary with the Palouse regions bordering the area to the east. To the north, the Okanogan Highlands form the boundary while on the east, the Greater Spokane area and the eastern portion of the high rolling Palouse Prairie constitute the boundary of the valley. The southern boundary is defined by the Blue Mountains, the 2,000 feet (610 m) contour line and the foothills of the Cascade Mountains southwest of the Columbia River. Elevation in surrounding areas exceeds 2,000 feet (610 m) while the elevation in the Columbia Valley generally does not exceed 2,000 feet (610 m). It encompasses the valleys formed by the Columbia River and its tributaries, including the Walla Walla, the Snake, and Yakima Rivers. Columbia Valley stretches between the 46th parallel and 47th parallel which puts it in line with the well-known French wine growing regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy. The northern latitude gives the areas two more hours of additional daylight during the summer growing season than California wine regions receive. Columbia Valley's soils were formed by the Missoula Floods, a series of cataclysmic events over 15,000 years ago. Most vineyards lie below the floodwaters, with soils of windblown deposits of sand and silt loess, overlying gravel and slackwater sediment with a basaltic bedrock. The volcanic and sandy loam soil of the valley offers good drainage and is poor in nutrients, ideal in forcing the vine to concentrate its resources into the grape clusters.
Eighteen appellations currently designate separate viticultural areas with their unique properties within the vast Columbia Valley area but share common characteristics. They are Ancient Lakes of the Columbia Valley, Candy Mountain, Goose Gap, Horse Heaven Hills, Rattlesnake Hills, Lake Chelan, Naches Heights, Red Mountain, The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, Rocky Reach, Rocky Slope, Snipes Mountain, The Burn of Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley, Wahluke Slope and Yakima Valley. North of the Rattlesnake Hills is a region commonly known as Columbia Cascade, but it is not a recognized American viticultural area. Other distinctive wine growing regions that have not yet partitioned for AVA status include the Othello region located in Adams County and the Tri-Cities area around the towns of Kennewick, Pasco and Richland.
Climate differentiates the Columbia Valley viticultural area from surrounding areas. In general, the Columbia Valley viticultural area is characterized as experiencing a growing season of over 150 days, a total degree day average of over 2,000, and annual rainfall of 15 inches (381 mm) or less. Most of the land in the Oregon portion of the Columbia Valley is located on north facing slopes. This differs from Washington State where nearly all vineyards are located on south facing slopes. This difference makes the Oregon portion of the valley physically and climatologically distinct from Washington.