Oregon and Washington

Question 1

Eastern Washington experiences what type of climate?

Answer 1

Continental

Question 2

What is the soil type in Eastern Washington and where did it come from?

Answer 2

Basalt overlayed with sediments (sand/silt/loam) left by the floods from the last ice age 12,000-18,000 years ago.

Question 3

Largest AVA in Washington

Answer 3

Columbia Valley AVA

Question 4

Geographic features relevant to Columbia Valley AVA

Answer 4

Columbia River Basin.

Question 5

Washington’s first AVA. Date recognized?

Answer 5

Yakima Valley 1983

Question 6

Nested AVAs of Yakima valley

Answer 6

Snipes Mountain, Rattlesnake Hills, Red Mountain, Candy Mountain, Goose Gap

Question 7

Most planted variety of Rattlesnake Hills

Answer 7

Merlot

Question 8

Washington’s warmest growing region

Answer 8

Red Mountain

Question 9

Most planted varieties in Walla Walla

Answer 9

Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot

Question 10

Top producers of Cabernet in Washington

Answer 10

Leonetti Cellar (Calabrian immigrants who started planting Aglianico and sangiovese in the region in the late 90s and early 2000s)

L’Ecole N° 41 (3rd winery in Walla Walla. Still family-owned.

Question 11

Oregon AVAs that are shared with Washington

Answer 11

Columbia Gorge, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley, The Rocks of Milton Freewater

Question 12

What’s up with the soils in The Rocks of Milton Freewater AVA?

Answer 12

They have a basalt cobblestone topsoil that resembles the galets of CDP.

Question 13

What is the far eastern AVA in Oregon?

Answer 13

Snake River Valley AVA

Question 14

The Willamette Valley sits in between which geographic features?

Answer 14

The Cascades and the Coastal Range

Question 15

When did viticulture begin in Oregon?

Answer 15

1960s. Devit Lett and Charles Coury travelled NOrth from California.

Question 16

Which Oregon bottling performed well in a French competition and brought attention to the region?

Answer 16

Lett’s 1975 South Block Reserve

Question 17

Sub AVAs in the Willamette valley (as of Nov 2022)

Answer 17

Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills, Ribbon Ridge, McMinnville, Yamhill-Carlton District, Chehalem Mountains, Van Duzer Corridor, Laurelwood District, Tualatin Hills AVA, Lower Long Tom, Mount Pisgah-Polk County

Question 18

What is Jory?

Answer 18

Volcanic soil that is well-drained. Common in the red hills of the Dundee Hills AVA

Question 19

Where might you find the most tannic styles of Pinot Noir and why?

Answer 19

McMinnville and Eola Amity Hills AVAs because the wind from the Pacific funnels through the Van Duzler Corridor.

Question 20

Varietal wines in Oregon must contain a minimum of ____________ of the stated varietal

Answer 20

90%

Question 21

A wine labeled by an AVA within Oregon must contain a minimum of ________ of grapes grown in the respective appellation

Answer 21

95%

Question 22

Who are the top producers in the Dundee Hills?

Answer 22

Eyrie, Drouhin, Ken Wright, Arterberry Maresh

Question 23

Top producers in Eola Amity Hills

Answer 23

Cristom, Antica Terra, Lingua Franca, Walter Scott

Question 24

Top producers in Ribbon Ridge

Answer 24

Beaux Frères Winery, Walter Scott, Brick House Winery