Washington State/Oregon Flashcards
AVA's, Producers, Geography, etc.
What comapny is Washington State’s largest producer?
Chateau St. Michelle Estates
Where is the majority of the wine in Washington State produced? What are the climatic factors?
east of Cascade Mountains, within the Columbia Basin, on 46th parallel
- hot summers, diurnal shift
- rainshadow from mountains
- freezing winters; mitigate disease
- elevation and aspect for vineyards are key
What are two viticultural techniques for vines to survive the winter cold in WA State?
Dual trunk training
buried canes
What is the composition of geology of Washington State? Can you list the history?
17-6 million years ago basalt lava flows through WA & ID; basalt lava flows
18,000-12,000 years ago Missoula Floods, end of last Ice Age flood waters backed up at Wallula Gap; alluvial deposits
windblown loess
Name the two Associations that are now known as Columbia Winery and Chateau St. Michelle.
Associated Vintners, 1962 now Columbia Winery
American Wine Growers, 2 post-Prohibition Puget Sound Fruit wineries that transitioned to vinifera, Ch. St. Michelle
What are the main white and red varietals of Washington State?
Chardonnay
Riesling
Pinot Gris
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Syrah
What three AVA’s in WA are shared with Oregon?
Columbia Valley (1984)
Walla Walla Valley
Rocks of Milton-Freewater*
What AVA’s in Washington State are not located within the Columbia Valley AVA?
Puget Sound AVA
Columbia Gorge AVA
What was the first AVA in Washington State?
Yakima Valley AVA (1983)
located within Columbia Valley
What are the nested AVA’s in the Yakima Valley AVA?
Red Mountain AVA (2001)
Snipes Mountain AVA (2009)
Rattlesnake Hills AVA (2006)
Of the nested AVA’s in Yakima Valley AVA which one is the STATE’S smallest AVA?
Red Mountain AVA
Name three producers of Red Mountain AVA.
Col Solare (Antinori x Ch. Ste. Michelle)
Yakima Valley AVA is home to two Washington State First’s. Name which vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah were first planted.
Otis Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, 1957
Red Willow Vineyard, Syrah, 1986
What are the geographic influences of Walla Walla Valley AVA?
- at the confluence of three major rivers: Columbia, Walla Walla, Snake
- buttressed by Blue Mountains
- easternmost nested AVA of Columbia Valley AVA
- subregions: Mill Creek and North Fork of Walla Walla Valley
Producers of Walla Walla Valley AVA
Leonetti Cellars (Gary Figgins) Woodward Canyon Winery (Rick Small) L'Ecole (Baker Ferguson) Waterbrook (Eric Rindal) Cayuse (Christopher Baron) Pepper Bridge (Norm McKibben) Waters Winery Gramercy Cellars Va Piano Buty Winery
What winery’s reputation helped establish Rocks of Milton-Freewater AVA?
Cayuse
What is the driest AVA in all of Washington State?
Wahluke Slope AVA
What was the first commercial vineyard in Wahluke Slope AVA?
Weinbau Vineyard
When was the Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley AVA established? What is the dominant varietal?
2012, Riesling
What AVA in Washington State is located outside area of impact for the Missoula Floods?
Lake Chelan AVA (2009)