Horse Heaven Hills AVA
Horse Heaven Hills is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in southeastern Washington lying in portions of Klickitat, Yakima, and Benton counties, north and west of the Columbia River and south of the Yakima Valley and lies within the vast Columbia Valley appellation. Horse Heaven Hills was established by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau {TTB), Treasury on June 30, 2005 after reviewing the petition filed by Paul D. Lucas on behalf of regional wine grape growers. Horse Heaven Hills viticultural area is about 60 miles (97 km) long and 22 miles (35 km) wide located 115 miles (185 km) east from Vancouver, Washington. The appellation encompasses 570,000 acres (891 sq mi) with about 6,400 acres (2,590 ha) under vine.
| Wine region | |
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
|---|---|
| Year established | 2005 |
| Years of wine industry | 52 |
| Country | United States |
| Part of | Washington, Columbia Valley AVA |
| Climate region | Continental/maritime |
| Soil conditions | quick-draining silty loam |
| Total area | 570,000 acres (891 sq mi) |
| Size of planted vineyards | 6,040 acres (2,444 ha) |
| No. of vineyards | 20 |
| Grapes produced | Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin blanc, Grenache, Malbec, Marsanne, Merlot, Mourvedre, Petit Verdot, Riesling, Roussanne, Sauvignon blanc, Syrah, Viognier, Zinfandel |
| No. of wineries | 11 |
| Wine produced | Varietal, Dessert wine, Meritage, Sparkling wine |
Horse Heaven Hills borders the Yakima Valley AVA to the north and the Columbia River to the south. Its elevations vary from 200 feet (61 m) above sea level at its southern boundary to 1,800 feet (549 m) at the northern boundary. Grapes planted in its south-facing slopes benefit from strong westerly winds via the Columbia Gorge, reducing botrytis or mildew issues and thickens grape skins producing fruit with a higher skin-to-juice ratio.