Washington

Question 1

What is the US 2nd largest producer of premium wines?

Answer 1

Washington

5% nations total production

Question 2

Where are 95% of WA vineyards located?

Answer 2

East of Cascade Mountains

Question 3

What mountain range provides rainshadow for most of WA

Answer 3

Cascade Mountains

Question 4

What is the climate of Eastern WA?

Answer 4

Continental

• frost and winter freeze concerns
• ample sunshine in summer bc of latitude

Question 5

Soils east of Cascades?

Answer 5

• basalt bedrock
• topsoil of sediments deposited by Missoula Floods
• sandy or silty loam and loess

Question 6

What catastrophic cycle of floods contributed to sediments deposited as topsoil in WA?

Answer 6

• Missoula Floods

- 12,000-18,000 yrs ago

Question 7

Are vineyards in WA spread out or close together?

Answer 7

Spread out

Question 8

What is largest AVA in Washington?

Answer 8

Columbia Valley

Question 9

What is smallest and hottest AVA in WA?

Answer 9

Red Mountain within Yakima

Question 10

What is the first AVA of WA? When?

Answer 10

Yakima Valley
1983

1/3 of WAs vineyards

Question 11

How much of WA landmass does Columbia Valley AVA cover?

Answer 11

1/4

11 million acres

Question 12

What body of water does Columbia Valley follow?

Answer 12

Columbia River basin

Question 13

AVAs of Washington (14)

Answer 13

Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley	2012
Columbia Gorge (shared with Oregon)	2004
Columbia Valley (shared with Oregon)	1984
Horse Heaven Hills	2005
Lake Chelan	2009
Lewis-Clark Valley (shared with Idaho)	2016
Naches Heights	2011
Puget Sound	1995
Rattlesnake Hills	2006
Red Mountain	2001
Snipes Mountain	2009
Wahluke Slope	2006
Walla Walla Valley (shared with Oregon)	1984
Yakima Valley	1983

Question 14

Which are the most important AVAs that are also nested within Columbia Valley AVA?

Answer 14

Yakima Valley
Walla Walla Valley
Horse Heaven Hills

Question 15

3 nested AVAs of Yakima Valley

Answer 15

Rattlesnake Hills AVA
Snipes Mountain AVA
Red Mountain AVA

(NW to SE)

Question 16

What is Washington’s warmest growing region ?

Answer 16

Red Mountain AVA (nested within Yakima)

Question 17

What is Red Mountain AVA known for?

Answer 17

tannic Cab Sauv

Question 18

What is Walla Walla Valley AVA known for?

Answer 18

Premium red wine

• Cab Sauv
• Merlot
• Syrah

(These three are over 80% plantings)

Question 19

Soils of Walla Walla

Answer 19

basalt bedrock and thin alluvial topsoil deposited by the Missoula floods
and loess!

Question 20

Which side of the border does the Rocks of Milton-Freewater fall? WA or OR?

Answer 20

Oregon!

Question 21

When did the Rocks of Milton-Freewater gain AVA status? What is it known for?

Answer 21

Topsoil of basalt cobblestones,

• comparable to galets of No. Rhone
• rhone style wines growing in popularity

Question 22

Leading white grapes of WA?

Answer 22

Chardonnay

Riesling

Question 23

Two most planted varietals in WA?

Answer 23

Cab Sauv
Merlot

(used to be white grapes, but red overtook in 2010)

Question 24

How many bonded wineries currently in business in WA?

Answer 24

650