Washington

Question 1

Name the AVAs of WA

Answer 1

Puget Sound
Columbia Valley (shared with Oregon)
Yakima Valley
Rattlesnake Hills
Red Mountain
Snipes Mountain
Naches Heights 
Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley
Walla Walla Valley (shared with Oregon)
Horse Heaven Hills
Lake Chelan
Wahluke Slope
Columbia Gorge (shared with Oregon)

Question 2

What are the two newest Washington AVAs?

Answer 2

Naches Heights (2011)
Ancient Lake of Columbia Valley (2013)

Question 3

What two grapes recently overtook Riesling as the most planted grapes?

Answer 3

Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot

Question 4

WA’s smallest AVA

Answer 4

Red Mountain AVA

Question 5

What major mountain range created Washingtons rainshadow effect?

Answer 5

The Cascades

Question 6

Eastern Washington climate and threats from climate?

Answer 6

continental climate, with hot summers and cold winters (Frost and winter freeze are major concerns)

Question 7

Largest AVA in WA?

Answer 7

Columbia Valley AVA (11 million acres)

Question 8

Name Columbia Valleys AVAs

Answer 8

Red Mountain, Yakima Valley, Walla Walla Valley, Wahluke Slope, Snipes Mountain, Rattlesnake Hills, Lake Chelan, Horse Heaven Hills, Naches Heights, and Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley.

Question 9

WAs First AVA? Year? Most planted grape? Sub AVAs?

Answer 9

Yakima Valley, approved as Washington’s first AVA in 1983. Chardonnay is most planted.

Rattlesnake Hills
Red Mountain
Snipes Mountain

Question 10

Where is “the Rocks”? Why is it called that?

Answer 10

Walla Walla - “the Rocks”, features a topsoil of basalt cobblestones that draws comparisons to the galets of Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Question 11

Walla Walla soil and how did it come to be? Most planted grapes?

Answer 11

Basalt bedrock and thin alluvial topsoil. Basalts formed 14m years ago from volcanic erruptions, but were exposed by the same Missoula Floods that washed through the Willamette Valley at the end of the last ice age. Alluvial Topsoil comes from the flood 13,000 years ago.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah are the valley’s three most planted (and most acclaimed) grapes, comprising over 80% of current plantings.

Question 12

Why hasn’t phylloxera been an issue in WA state, especially east of the cascades?

Answer 12

1) Sandy soils
2) frigid winters = phylloxera can’t survive
3) vast distance between vineyards = phylloxera can’t spread

Question 13

What helps mitigate disease pressure in WA State vineyards, especially east of the cascades?

Answer 13

1) severe, frigid winters don’t let pests survive

2) low rainfall / dry, arid climate supresses mildew/fungal issues

Question 14

What techniques do vineyard managers use in washington state to protect vines from harsh winters?

Answer 14

1) Dual-Trunk system

2) Cane burying

Question 15

What great natural event shaped the current soil composition of Washington State wineries?

Answer 15

Missoula floods

Question 16

Major names in WA state wine history

Answer 16

• Dr. Walter Clore (Father of Washington Wines- 1940s, worked to prove Vinifera could grow)
• André Tchelistcheff (1960s, helped consult at wineries that would turn into Ste Michelle and Columbia Winery)
• David Lake MW (1980s, headwinemaker for Columbia Winery)
• Bob Betz MW (Ste Michele)

Question 17

Most planted grapes in WA State

Answer 17

Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot account for 1/3 of all plantings

Question 18

What all encompassing AVA in WA State includes every other AVA except Puget Sound and Columbia Gorge?

Answer 18

Columbia Valley AVA (extends into Oregon)

Question 19

What AVAs overlap Washington and Oregon?

Answer 19

Columbia Valley, Columbia Gorge, Walla Walla

Question 20

Sagemoor Vineyards, Cold Creek, and Stillwater Creek Vineyards are wholey within what WA AVA?

Answer 20

Columbia Valley (Only major vineyards not within a sub-AVA)

Question 21

Who owns Cold Creek Vineayrd?

Answer 21

Chateau Ste Michelle, Columbia Valley AVA

Question 22

Three sub AVAs of Yakima Valley

Answer 22

Rattlesnake Hills, Snipes Mountain, Red Mountain

Question 23

Red Willow Vineyard, Boshey, and Otis Vineyards are in which WA state AVA?

Answer 23

Yakima Valley

Question 24

Warmest AVA in WA

Answer 24

Red Mountain, Yakima Valley

Question 25

Where are the Kiona, Klipsun, and Ciel du Cheval vineyards?

Answer 25

Red Mountain, Yakima Valley

Question 26

Name of WA State winery that is a prestige collaboration between Tuscany’s Antinori and Washington’s Chateau Ste. Michelle. What AVA?

Answer 26

Col Solare, Red Mountain (Yakima Valley)

Question 27

Snipes Mountain is in what AVA? What are its AVA boundaries defined by?

Answer 27

Within Yakima Valley, defined by Elevation (750ft-1310ft)

Question 28

Andrew Will’s estate Two Blondes Vineyard and Côte Bonneville’s Dubrul Vineyard are in what AVA?

Answer 28

Rattlesnake Hills, but labels as Yakima Valley

Question 29

What three rivers meet in Walla Walla Valley?

Answer 29

Walla Walla River, Columbia River, Snake River

Question 30

Where is Leonetti’s Loess Vineyard?

Answer 30

Walla Walla Valley, where Loess is at is deepest in the foothills of the Blue Mountains

Question 31

Cayuse, Woodward Canyon, L’Ecole, and Leonetti are major wineries in which AVA?

Answer 31

Walla Walla Valley

Question 32

What Walla Walla Valley subregion is located entirely within Oregon?

Answer 32

3,770-acre Rocks of Milton-Freewater area, located entirely in Oregon’s Umatilla County, received AVA status in early 2015

Question 33

Sagemoor and Champoux Vineyard are in what AVA?

Answer 33

Horse Heaven Hills

Question 34

Lake Chelan’s predominate grapes are what?

Answer 34

riesling, pinot noir

Question 35

What was the first site on Wahluke slope, planted in 1981?

Answer 35

Weinbau vineyard