Pacific Northwest

Question 1

Where is Portland, Oregon in relation to the Willamette Valley?

Answer 1

Just north and east of the northern part of the Willamette Valley.

Question 2

Where is Seattle in relation to the Columbia Valley?

Answer 2

West of Columbia Valley.

Question 3

What are the 3 shared AVAs between Oregon and Washington?

Answer 3

1. Columbia Valley AVA
2. Walla Walla Valley AVA
3. Columbia Gorge AVA

Question 4

Locate the following Washington AVAs on a map:

• Yakima Valley AVA
• Horse Heaven Hills AVA
• Red Mountain AVA

Answer 4

Question 5

Where is Ribbon Ridge AVA on this map?

Answer 5

Ribbon Ridge AVA is the smallest in the Willamette Valley

Question 6

Where is Dundee Hills AVA on this map?

Answer 6

Question 7

Where is Yamhill-Carlton AVA on this map?

Answer 7

Question 8

Where is Eola-Amity Hills AVA on this map?

Answer 8

Question 9

Where is Chehalem Mountains AVA on this map?

Answer 9

Question 10

Where is McMinnville AVA on this map?

Answer 10

Question 11

What is the climate of Willamette Valley?

Answer 11

Cool Mediterranean with Maritime influence.

Question 12

What is the general climate of Columbia Valley?

Answer 12

Warm desert

Question 13

• In Oregon, what are the 2 mountain ranges?
• Which one is to the west of Willamette Valley, and which one is east of the Willamette Valley?

Answer 13

1. Coastal Mountain Range to the west (creates a rain shadow);
2. Cascade Mountain Range to the east.

Question 14

In Washington’s Columbia Valley, what is the name of the mountain range that creates a rain shadow?

Answer 14

Cascade Mountain Range (to the west of the Valley)

Question 15

In Oregon, what is the Van Duzer Corridor?

Answer 15

An anomaly in the Coast Range through which oceanic winds funnel into the Valley, creating a cooling effect that occurs as early as 2:00 in the afternoon.

Question 16

What are the effects of the winds that blow through the Van Duzer Corridor?

Answer 16

• This breeze dries out the vine canopy and decreases fungus pressure, making the area highly attractive for grape growing and supporting sustainable practices by drastically reducing the need for fungus spray.
• As a phenomenon of wind protection, the grape skins thicken, leading to an abundance of anthocyanins (color) and tannin.

This is why the grapes in Eola-Amity tend to have thicker skins and, therefore, higher tannins!

Question 17

Which 3 rivers provide a water source to Columbia Valley in Washington?

Answer 17

1. Columbia River
2. Yakima River
3. Snake River

Question 18

Fill in the blank.

Columbia Valley AVA has generally ______-facing slopes.

Answer 18

South-facing

Question 19

What are the 2 main soil types found in Willamette Valley?

Answer 19

1. Volcanic
2. Marine sediment

Question 20

What is the main soil type found in Columbia Valley, Washington?

Answer 20

Gravel

Question 21

With Columbia Valley’s climate being Warm Desert, is irrigation needed or not needed?

Answer 21

needed

Question 22

Fill in the blank.

Varietal-labeled wines from Oregon must contain ____% of the stated variety.

Answer 22

90%

This is different from California’s law where it’s 75%.

Question 23

Fill in the blank.

An Oregon wine labeled with an AVA must contain a minimum ____% of grapes grown in that respective appellation, rather than the 85% mandated by federal law.

Answer 23

95%

Question 24

What style of wine does Oregon produce that Washington doesn’t?

Answer 24

Sparkling wine

Both states make still white, red, and rosé wines.

Question 25

Name a historic winery in Eola-Amity Hills AVA.

Answer 25

Eyrie Vineyards

Question 26

Name 2 important wineries in Dundee Hills AVA.

Answer 26

1. Domaine Drouhin
2. Domaine Serene

Question 27

Which Willamette Valley winery broke ground as the first winery in the Dundee Hills in 1976?

Answer 27

Erath

Founding winemaker was Dick Erath.

Question 28

Ponzi Vineyards was established in this year.

Answer 28

1968

Ponzi was acquired by Bollinger in 2021.

Question 29

Who founded Eyrie Vineyards?

Answer 29

David Lett

He was one of the first winemakers to plant vines in Willamette Valley. Watch this 57-minute doc on Willamette Valley. It’s worth it!

Question 30

What were the Missoula Floods?

Answer 30

• A catastrophic cycle of massive floods that occurred repeatedly at the end of the last ice age, some 12,000 to 18,000 years ago.
• They deposited a thin alluvial topsoil everywhere in Washington and some parts of Oregon.

Question 31

Why is there an absence of phylloxera in Columbia Valley?

Answer 31

Columbia Valley has desert conditions.

Question 32

What are 2 great pairings for Oregon Pinot Noir?

Answer 32

1. Salmon
2. Butternut squash

Question 33

What are good food pairings for Washington State reds?

Answer 33

1. Beef
2. Lamb

Question 34

Name 4 top Washington State wineries.

Answer 34

1. Quilceda Creek
2. L’Ecole No. 41
3. Château Ste. Michelle
4. Leonetti

Question 35

Leonetti is located in this Washington AVA.

Answer 35

Walla Walla Valley AVA

Leonetti is well known for their Merlot.

Question 36

Which winery in Washington is the state’s largest winemaker?

Answer 36

Chateau Ste. Michelle

Question 37

List all 11 sub-AVAs of the Willamette Valley, going (mostly) north to south.

Answer 37

1. Tualatin Hills
2. Laurelwood District
3. Chehalem Mountains
4. Yamhill-Carlton
5. Ribbon Ridge
6. Dundee Hills
7. McMinnville
8. Eola-Amity Hills
9. Van Duzer Corridor
10. Mt. Pisgah - Polk County, OR
11. Lower Long Tom