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The Washington wine regions are growing rapidly, with many new viticulture areas in the central region receiving recognition in the last 20 years. Located within the larger Columbia Valley AVA, the following sub AVAs are nestled here in central Washington: White Bluffs, Wahluke Slopes, Royal Slopes, Ancient Lakes, Lake Chelan and Rocky Reach.
The White Bluffs AVA was established in 2021 and has 1,127 planted acres. The name for this AVA originates with the unique terrain feature deposited by the Missoula Floods as a layer of ancient lakebed sediment named the Ringold Formation. Due to this soil feature, the vines planted here are cut off from the basal bedrock in the nearby regions (White Bluffs AVA, Washington Wine). The vines sit between 800 ft to 1,000 ft in the Ringold Formation, which has soil higher in sodium, potassium and calcium (Sullivan, Sean P.). The clay component of the soil retains water for the vines, which is beneficial since the annual precipitation is about six inches (White Bluffs AVA, Washington Wine).Â
The AVA sits on a plateau rising from the Pasco Basin that puts the vines about 200 ft above the surrounding area and dramatically effects the growing season. The growing season is extended as much as 45 days, adding protection from frost. The predominant varieties for the White Bluffs AVA are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc (White Bluffs AVA, Washington Wine).
The Wahluke Slopes AVA was established in 2006 and has 8,491 planted acres, producing a total of almost 20 percent of Washington's annual grape production (The Wahluke Slope AVA, Discover Washington Wine). The defining feature of the region is the ancient alluvial fan where the top soil is mostly wind-blown sand at a depth of about five ft. The terroir is well draining and has a slope of eight percent. The elevation for the region is a range from 425 ft to 1,480 ft, but most vineyards are planted below 1,000 ft (Wahluke Slope AVA, Washington Wine).Â
The climate is generally warm and dry, only receiving about six inches of precipitation annually. Irrigation is used to help supplement the vines' hydration needs. Additionally, a strong wind is present in the region and thus the grapes grown are smaller and more concentrated (The Wahluke Slope AVA, Discover Washington Wine). The predominant varieties for this region are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay (Wahluke Slope AVA, Washington Wine). The wines produced from these grapes are full-bodied and fruit forward in flavor (The Wahluke Slope AVA, Discover Washington Wine).
The Royal Slopes AVA was established in 2020 and has 1,900 planted acres. The region is situated between the Wahluke Slopes and Ancient Lakes AVAs. The climate for this region is warmer than the Ancient Lakes region to the north and cooler than the Wahluke Slopes to the south. The annual precipitation is about six to eight inches. The soil composition is predominantly fine sand along with silt and sandy loam (Royal Slope AVA, Washington Wine).Â
The region topography is sloped southward and the elevation starts lower at 610 ft in the south east and rises 1,756 ft as it reaches the top of Frenchmen Hills ridge. The slope of the region allows the cool air to flow south through the vineyards and extends the growing season. This helps the grapes retain their acidity. The soil composition and elevation range allow for a variety of grapes to be grown. The predominant varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Chardonnay (Royal Slope AVA, Washington Wine).
The Ancient Lakes AVA was established in 2012 and contains 1,604 planted acres. Located in the more northern part of the state, the region is named for the 35 lakes that are scattered throughout (Ancient Lakes of the Columbia Valley AVA, Washington Wine).Â
The region is mostly planted with white grape varieties that thrive in higher elevation. The elevation range is 1,200 ft to 1,500 ft (Ancient Lakes of the Columbia Valley AVA). The higher elevation for this region keeps the climate cooler. The average precipitation for the area is about six inches annually (Ancient Lakes of the Columbia Valley AVA, Washington Wine).
Like many of the other regions, the soil was deposited by the ancient Missoula Floods. The predominant composition found in this AVA is fine sand along with silt and sandy loam. Additionally, there is a slope for the region towards the eastern boundary at four percent. On the western boundary is the Columbia River and it provides protection from early and late frosts (Ancient Lakes of the Columbia Valley AVA, Washington Wine).
Riesling is the top planted grape in the Ancient Lakes AVA and has notes of lemon, lime and green apple with retained acidity and minerality (The Ancient Lakes AVA, Discover Washington Wine).
Farther north is the Lake Chelan AV, established in 2009 and containing 301 planted acres. The region is named after the narrow, glacier-carved lake that wraps the northern boundary of the AVA. The climate for this region is unique due to proximity of the lake boasting moderate temperatures, with cooler summer days and warmer summer nights. (Lake Chelan AVA, Washington Wine). This provides a longer growing season for the grapes and reduces the risk of frost damage (Lake Chelan Wine Alliance).
The Lake Chelan AVA has an elevation of 1,100 ft and receives an annual precipitation of 11 inches (Lake Chelan AVA, Washington Wine). While most of the other AVAs in the state are showcasing basalt soil, the Lake Chelan AVA consists of granitic bedrock, glacial sediments along with ash and pumice (Lake Chelan AVA, Washington Wine). The coarse sand has notable amounts of quartz and mica which influence the wines produced with discernable textures, minerals and nutrients (Lake Chelan Wine Alliance). The top wines produced from this region are Syrah, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Merlot and Riesling (Lake Chelan AVA, Washington Wine).Â
The Rocky Reach AVA is one of Washington’s newest federally recognized viticultural areas. Becoming established in 2022 and laying in the top north west area of the Columbia Valley AVA (Rocky Reach is Washington’s 20th American Viticultural Area, Discover Washington Wine). The region has 117 planted acres and, though it sits within the Columbia Valley, boasts a unique soil composition. The soil is predominantly loess, cobblestones and gravel. It shares qualities with Lake Chelan, containing rocks that are silica-rich and composed of minerals such as quartz and mica. The surface cobblestones of the soil retain heat well and radiate heat to the vines, while simultaneously encouraging the vines to root deep (Rocky Reach AVA, Washington Wine).
The elevation of this region remains below 1,600 ft, which is much lower than the elevation of the surrounding AVAs (Federal Register National Archives). Due to the lower elevations the area is warmer in comparison to the surrounding regions and thus has a longer growing season. The annual precipitation is about 11 inches. The predominant grapes grown are Cabernet Sauvignon (Rocky Reach AVA, Washington Wine).
These unique central Washington regions are well suited for individual varietals that are excellent representations of the possibility of wine. The vineyards have individual management techniques distinguished for each AVA, but allow the grapes to fully ripen and bring out the complex fruit flavors, acidity levels and pleasing aromatics of the central Washington wines.
Estate Properties Vineyard & Country Living Northwest Real Estate brokers specialize in vineyards, wineries, farms and small acreage real estate properties. We are licensed in three states - Oregon, Washington and Idaho and have several properties on the market that include vineyards, farms and small acreage properties available for sale. For additional information, please contact our real estate broker professionals. We are experts in our field and are ranked in the top ½ percent of the world-wide Berkshire Hathaway real estate brokers. We can help you buy or sell land throughout the Northwest. If you are considering the sale of your farm, ranch, vineyard, winery or small acreage property, call our knowledgeable realtors for a confidential consultation and complimentary real estate broker’s price opinion. Estate Properties Vineyard & Country Living Northwest Real Estate is your acreage expert. Call 503-212-2718 or email vineyardandcountry@bhhsnw.com.  Â
Click to View References
Washington Wine, Washington Wine website, White Bluffs AVA, accessed 08 November 2023, <https://www.washingtonwine.org/resource/white-bluffs-ava/>
Sullivan, Sean P., Northwest Wine Report website, Meet Washington’s newest AVAs Part 1: White Bluffs, accessed 08 November 2023, <https://www.northwestwinereport.com/2021/06/white-bluffs-appellation.html>
Discover Washington Wine, Discover Washington Wine website, The Wahluke Slope AVA, accessed 08 November 2023, <https://www.discoverwashingtonwine.com/wine-regions/wahluke-slope/>
Washington Wine, Washington Wine website, Wahluke Slope AVA, accessed 08 November 2023, <https://www.discoverwashingtonwine.com/wine-regions/wahluke-slope/>
Washington Wine, Washington Wine website, Royal Slope AVA, accessed 08 November 2023, <https://www.washingtonwine.org/resource/royal-slope-ava/>
Washington Wine, Washington Wine website, Ancient Lakes of the Columbia Valley AVA, accessed 07 November 2023, <https://www.washingtonwine.org/resource/ancient-lakes-ava/>
Ancient Lakes of the Columbia Valley AVA, Ancient Lakes of the Columbia Valley AVA website, Ancient Lakes AVA, accessed 07 November 2023, <https://ancientlakescolumbiavalleyava.com/ancientlakesava/>
Discover Washington Wine, Discover Washington Wine website, The Ancient Lakes AVA, accessed 07 November 2023, <https://www.discoverwashingtonwine.com/wine-regions/ancient-lakes/>
Washington Wine, Washington Wine website, Lake Chelan AVA, accessed 07 November 2023, <https://www.washingtonwine.org/resource/lake-chelan-ava/>
Lake Chelan Wine Alliance, Lake Chelan Wine Valley website 2023, Interesting Facts About the Lake Chelan AVA, accessed 07 November 2023, <https://lakechelanwinevalley.com/about/lake-chelan-ava/>
Discover Washington Wine, Discover Washington Wine website, Rocky Reach is Washington’s 20th American Viticultural Area, accessed 08 November 2023, <https://www.discoverwashingtonwine.com/wine-regions/ancient-lakes/>
Washington Wine, Washington Wine website, Rocky Reach AVA, accessed 08 November 2023, <https://www.washingtonwine.org/resource/rocky-reach-ava/>
Federal Register National Archives, Federal Register website, Proposed Establishment of the Rocky Reach Viticultural Area, accessed08 November 2023, <https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/07/15/2021-15054/proposed-establishment-of-the-rocky-reach-viticultural-area>
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