Purists claim this provides more original flavors in the grapes. The cold does have one major benefit, however: because it staves off the deadly phylloxera louse, nearly all of the vines in Columbia Valley are planted on their own rootstocks. Even so, many grape growers use wind turbines to get air circulating and prevent their vines from the effects of frost. The Columbia River and its tributaries not only provide water but also help to moderate both summer and winter temperatures. On the plus side, where controlled irrigation is possible, this can make a big difference to yields and the quality of the grapes. Hot days here are followed by cool nights, helping to ensure a long and even growing season in which the grapes obtain full ripeness while retaining vital acidity.Īs Columbia Valley is a dry region, irrigation is often required and this restricts the location of its vineyards. The valley lies in a rain shadow caused by the Cascades, which contributes to its dry continental climate. Volcanic, alluvial and windblown material can be found throughout the valley, and soil textures range from silt to gravel to sand.Ĭolumbia Valley is situated between latitudes 46°N and 47°N, the same as the famed French wine regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy. The diversity of soils in the Columbia Valley is a result of these floods and of the consequent weathering of the landscape. During the last Ice Age, the once-sizeable Lake Missoula in Montana broke through its glacial dams, sending huge volumes of water across eastern Washington and into Oregon's Willamette Valley a number of times, depositing soils and shaping the landscape significantly. The Columbia River flows through the rolling, desert-like landscape of the valley, which was carved out thousands of years ago by glacial floods. The Cascade Mountains run along the region's western border, and the barren Channeled Scablands (which are not suitable for viticulture) lie to the east. The Columbia Valley runs for over 300 miles (500km) from around Fort Spokane on the Columbia River, through its most northern sub-AVA, Lake Chelan, before winding roughly south, through the Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley and the Wahluke Slope and west along both northern Oregon and southern Washington before ending at the Columbia Gorge AVA, also shared between both Oregon and Washington. The vast AVA also contains most of Washington's smaller regions, including Red Mountain, the Walla Walla Valley and Horse Heaven Hills. The Columbia Valley AVA is centered around the Columbia River and its tributaries: the Walla Walla, Yakima and Snake rivers. The area covers just over 11 million acres (4.5 million hectares), of which 40,000 acres (16,000ha) are under vine. To find some great wines from Washington State, be sure to visit our Washington State Wine Reviews.Columbia Valley, in the southeastern corner of Washington State, is one of the United States' largest official wine regions (see AVA). These powerful, Rhône-styled bottlings are packed with smoked meat, tapenade and black fruit flavors. Recently, Washington wine trends have begun to favor the production of Syrah-dominant reds. While red wines from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are the most notable, Chardonnay and Riesling have proven to be the favored white varieties, creating dependable wines with plenty of vibrant fruit and crisp acidity. The greatest Washington State wines have been described as having the structure and finesse of the Old World while displaying the flashy and ripe fruit of the New World. Covering almost a third of the state, and even creeping over the state line into Oregon, it encompasses several smaller AVAs, including Horse Heaven Hills, Wahluke Slope, Walla Walla and Yakima Valley. While Washington has 11 defined AVAs, the Columbia Valley is by far the biggest and most prolific. Located just north of Oregon, Washington’s inland AVAs have experienced the most success due to the Cascade Mountains protection from the marine influence of the Pacific Ocean and the Puget Sound. With its dense Cabernet Sauvignons and lush, plummy Merlots, Washington State’s production of quality wines has bloomed over the last couple of decades. This Pacific Northwest region of the US has recently made significant advances in its international wine presence.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |