Washington

Question 1

Why is eastern Washington so arid?

Answer 1

As Pacific air hits the Cascade Range it is pushed upward, cooled, and condensed into clouds, which quickly unleash their moisture as precipitation. This creates a rain shadow effect for the Columbia River Basin in eastern Washington—the western slopes of the Cascades receive over 80 inches of rainfall annually

Question 2

Yakima Fold Belt:

Answer 2

Striations in the Columbia Basin that reach from 1,000 to 4,000 feet. The belt covers much of Washington’s vineyard acreage.

Question 3

Associated Vintners:

Answer 3

A group of university friends who established a viticulture enterprise in 1962. Andre Tchelistcheff praised their wines. Today Associated Vintners is known as Columbia Winery and American Wine Growers is Chateau Ste. Michelle.

Question 4

Washington’s 4 cross-border appellations:

Answer 4

• Columbia Valley (Oregon)
• Columbia Gorge (Oregon)
• Walla Walla Valley (Oregon)
• Lewis Clark Valley (Idaho)

Question 5

Columbia Valley AVA:

Answer 5

• 12 sub-AVA’s fall within this vast AVA
• Est. 1984
• Varieties: Riesling, Merlot, Chardonnay, Syrah
• Follows the contours of the Columbia Basin

Question 6

Yakima Valley AVA:

Answer 6

• Est. in 1983 as Washington’s first AVA
• Encompasses three sub-AVA’s:
  
  • Red Mountain
  • Snipes Mountain
  • Rattlesnake Hills

Question 7

Red Mountain AVA:

Answer 7

• Located in Yakima Valley
• Basks in the state’s hottest growing climate
• Home to Col Solare (Antinori + Ste. Michelle collab.)

Question 8

Snipes Mountain AVA:

Answer 8

• Yakima Valley
• An anticline that contains the state’s oldest vinifera plantings: Muscat of Alexandria planted in 1917

Question 9

Walla Walla Valley:

Answer 9

• Sits between the confluence of the Columbia, Walla Walla, and Snake Rivers to the west and the Blue Mountains to the west.
• One-third acreage in Oregon
• 400-2000 ft. a.s.l.
• Mostly loess
• Includes the Rocks of Milton Freewater–flatland, mostly cobblestones near the border where Rhone varieties thrive

Question 10

Horse Heaven Hills AVA:

Answer 10

• A wind-whipped, treeless anticline–horse heaven.
• The anticline runs from Wallula Gap to Columbia Gorge
• Cabernet dominates
• Partly in Oregon
• Wind and low rainfall keep fungal pressure low

Question 11

Wahluke Slope AVA:

Answer 11

• The driest AVA in all Washington–irrigation is necessary
• Cabernet, Merlot, and Syrah dominate