Washington Flashcards
Basic Information and History
2nd to California in terms of v. vinifera wine production volume. Majority of vineyards are in the Columbia Valley AVA in eastern part of the state. Cascade Mountains block Pacific for warm dry conditions. Smaller number in the cooler, wetter Puget sound in the west.
First grapes planted at Fort Vancouver by the Hudson Bay Co in 1825. 1854 hybrids arrived in Puget Sound and by 1860 in Walla Walla Valley.
Large scale irrigation from meltwater of the Cascade Mountains began in 1903 unlocking the potential of the arid climate. German and Italian immigrants planted grapes from home in the Yakima and Columbia Valleys and acreage expanded with the first Columbia River Valley Grape Carnival held in 1910.
40 wineries after prohibition and then commercial scale plantings in the 60’s. 1969 law passed ending protectionism and allowing import of wine from out of state (California, Europe). Faced with this threat, the industry needed to improve and helped by Andre Tchelistcheff who was advising Ste. Michelle vintners on producing v. vinidera. Becase Chateau Ste. Michelle in 1976 and is now over half of the state’s production. Quilceda Creek and Cayuse are others.
Grape Varieties and Winemaking
70 Diff varieties without one being dominant. 58% black.
Cab Sauv: 26% Merlot: 18% Chardonnay: 17% Riesling: 17% Syrah: 8%
Warm sunny dry conditions but with cold nights leads to ripe fruit flavors and sometimes high alcohol but with med plus to high acidity. Often high amounts of new oak, but a number are using older or larger (espec for Syrah). A proportion of whole bunch or stem also for Syrah.
Riesling was most planted but decreasing. Generally off dry with 10 - 15 g/l RS. Recently experimenting both with drier and sweeter styles; botrytized or ice wine styles. Cool fermentation in stainless but experimenting with lees, skin contact, ambient yeast, and / or old oak.
Columbia Valley AVA
Covers 1/3 of the state (3.5M ha) and includes 99% of state’s plantings. Several smaller AVA’s (Yakima Valley, Red Mountain, Horse Heaven Hills, Wahluke Slope, Rattlesnake Hills, Walla Walla Valley).
Cascades shelter to produce an arid desert like area with around 150 - 200m rain. Continental climate with hot summers rapidly cooling in the autumn and cold winters. Latitude of 45 - 50N for daylight hours that are long (1 hr > CA on avg). Sugar accum’s rapidly in summer, but cool autumn temps allow flavors and tannin to develop. High diurnal ranges retain acidity. Climate change is a concern.
Basalt bedrock with sandy silty loess and alluvial topsoils are a result of several cycles of Missoula flood events, volcanic activity and glacial movement. In south central Washington a number of ridges (anticlines) are found where the bedrock rises towards the surface creating sloped sites with various aspects and altitudes. Soils are free draining and low in nutrients. Irrigation is essential in most sites. Water from Columbia River and tributaries along with underground aquifiers. Drip most common and some overhead spraying.
Low phylloxera risk from sandy soils for some potential for own rootstock. Low disease and pest pressure reduces pesticides. Frost and winter freeze main hazards.
Yakima Valley AVA
Oldest appellation in the state and largest sub AVA of Columbia Valley AVA. 7,600 ha and 1/3 of state production.
Climate and soils generally the same as the wider Columbia Valley but a number of sites within that are cooler and better for white production and warmer for black.
Chard most; Cab Sauv, Merlot, Syrah, Riesling. Frost and winter freeze in valley floors so many on slopes.
Three sub AVA’s: Red Mountain, Rattlesnake Hills, Snipes Mountain. All on elevated ridges that enable air drainage and reduce freeze and frost.
Red Mountain AVA
Sub AVA in the east of Yakima Valley and largest plantings of three sub AVA’s (small but densely planted).
Vines on southwest facing slopes and one of the warmest climates in Washington.
Soils are poor in nutrients and this with careful irrigation makes low yields of concentrated fruit.
Black dominates particularly Cab Sauv with full body, ripe wines with high alcohol and acidity (diurnal range).
Rattlesnake Hills AVA
Sub AVA of Yakima Valley
Located on south facing slopes of Rattlesnake Hills at higher altitudes than much of the surrounding land in Yakima Valley.
Temperatures more temperate. Riesling most planted, then Merlot and Cab Sauv.
Horse Heaven Hills AVA
Between Yakima Valley to the north and Columbia River and Wash / Oregon border to south.
6,500ha (25% of total production). Black grapes (66% of production); Cab Sauv, Merlot, Syrah. Chard and Riesling most planted white.
Many on south facing slopes for warm conditions producing ripe, full bodied reds often with high alcohol. Whites are also ripe fruit.
Sloped topography together with Columbia River in the south produce strong winds which protect from spring and autumn frosts; extending the growing season, and further reducing disease pressure.
Wahluke Slope AVA
Center of the Columbia Valley AVA and some of the warmest and driest conditions in the state.
3,600 ha. All on gentle south facing slopes maximizing sun.
Mainly red; Cab Sauv, Merlot, Syrah.
Sandy free draining soils and water availability almost entirely from irrigation.
Slopes and proximity to Columbia River ensure airflow, reducing frost risk and winter freeze.
Walla Walla Valley AVA
Fastest growing AVA. Multistate with almost half in Oregon.
On Washington side, 705ha and over 100 wineries. Many in northeast corner of the AVA in Blue Mountain foothills. With altitudes up to 600m, the eastern side of the appellation is cooler and wetter than the western side.
Wide range of varieties can ripen. Topography does not permit cool air to drain properly from the Blue Mountains so spring and autumn frosts are a risk.
Cab Sauv, Merlot, Syrah, Cab Franc, Malbec, Chard, Viognier, Semillon as well as Italian, Spanish and Rhone varieties.
Vinea: growers alliance committed to sustainable practices.
Puget Sound AVA
Northeast corner of Washington. Only AVA west of the Cascade Mountains.
Runs along the Pacific Ocean from Canada down to Olympia but only 42ha planted.
Warm and dry in summer with mild wet winters (up to 1,500mm)
Hybrids dominate (Madeleine Angevine, Muller Thurgau, Siegerrebe), Pinot and Riesling most planted v. vinifera.
Business
2nd largest producer with 1.4 - 1.6m hL and $4.8B.
From 10 wineries in 1975 to 200 in 2000 to over 940 today. Area under vine doubled since 2000 to over 22,000ha
Chateau Ste. Michelle dominates producing 81M L.
Most production sold in state with only largest co’s receiving distribution outside. Exports are very small but to Canada, UK, Japan.
Cellar door very important with many having one in Seattle.
