Columbia Valley AVA
Columbia Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) which lies within the Columbia River Plateau, through much of central and southern Washington state, with a section crossing the state boundary into northern Oregon south of the Columbia River. The viticultural area includes the drainage basin of the Columbia River and its tributaries through much of Washington. It was established by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury on December 13, 1984 after evaluating the petition filed by Drs, Walter Clore and Wade Wolfe of Prosser, Washington on behalf of Washington’s oldest and largest winery, Chateau Ste. Michelle, and by William Blosser of the Sokol Blosser Winery, Dundee, Oregon. Allen Shoup, president of Chateau Ste. Michelle, understood the importance of obtaining appellation status to grow the reputation of the Northwest viticulture industry.
| Wine region | |
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1984 |
| Years of wine industry | 153 |
| Country | United States |
| Part of | Oregon, Washington |
| Sub-regions | Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley AVA, Candy Mountain AVA, Goose Gap AVA, Horse Heaven Hills AVA, Lake Chelan AVA, Naches Heights AVA, Rattlesnake Hills AVA, Red Mountain AVA, Rocky Reach AVA, Royal Slope AVA, Snipes Mountain AVA, The Burn of Columbia Valley AVA, The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater AVA, Wahluke Slope AVA, Walla Walla Valley AVA, White Bluffs AVA, Yakima Valley AVA |
| Growing season | 180-200 days |
| Climate region | Continental/Mediterranean |
| Precipitation (annual average) | 6–8 inches (152–203 mm) |
| Soil conditions | Sand & silt loess over gravel-slackwater sediment with basaltic bedrock |
| Total area | 11,520,000 acres (18,000 sq mi) |
| Size of planted vineyards | Total: 60,079 acres (24,313 ha) Washington: 59,234 acres (23,971 ha) |
| Varietals produced | Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Muscat Canelli, Muscat Ottonel, Orange Muscat, Pinot Gris / Grigio, Riesling, Roussanne, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Siegerrebe, Viognier, Barbera, Black Muscat, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay Beaujolais, Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, Mourvedre / Mataro, Nebbiolo, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Sangiovese, Syrah / Shiraz, Tempranillo / Valdepenas, Zinfandel, Lemberger |
| No. of wineries | 244 |
| Wine produced | Varietal, Dessert / Late Harvest, Meritage and Sparkling wine |
| Comments | Map depicts Columbia Valley AVA in Washington omitting area in northern Oregon south of the Columbia River. |
Columbia Valley's geography covers approximately 23,000 square miles (14,720,000 acres) extending 185 miles (298 km) from the east to west and 200 miles (322 km) from north to south. ATF included the entire valley within the viticultural area except the portion between Banks Lake and the Snake River. Therefore, the Columbia Valley appellation encompasses 18,000 square miles (11,520,000 acres).
Columbia Valley viticultural area is the largest wine region in Washington containing about 99% of the state's viticulture acreage of over 59,000 acres (23,876 ha) and seventeen appellations currently within its boundary. Grapes grown here include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Riesling, Syrah, Pinot Gris, and Sauvignon blanc. Concord grapes and other Vitis labrusca grapes are grown in the region as well. The unique climates of the area allow the Columbia Valley to produce wines that are very fruit-forward, like California wine, but which also retain some of the balance and structure of European wine.