Wine Tour
Washington Wine Country

The Evergreen State has been adding some new colors lately in the straw-colored hues of fine Riesling, Chardonnay and other white wines, and the deep ruby-red of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
The agricultural centers of Eastern Washington and the rural west-side provide a firsthand look at vineyard of fine winegrapes as well as modern farming of dozens of other crops.
Washington's largest cities are also home to some spectacular winemaking facilities. You can take advantage of epiciurean delights and cultural events just minute away from some ot state's esteemed wine producers. Washington is home to four officially recognized viticultural appellations as classified by the federal government.

Three of the currently-approved areas are in the warmer, drier eastern portion of the state. Two of them, the Yakima Valley and the Walla Valley appellations, are located within the larger Columbia Valley appellation.

Columbia Valley
Washington's largest viticultural region, the Columbia Valley, extends from its northernmost boundary near the Okanogan wilderness south into Oregon and east along the Snake River to the Idaho border. The western border of the appellation follows the Cascade Mountains to the beginning of the Columbia Gorge.
The wide range of varietals planted throughout the region includes the noble varieties Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Riesling and Pinot Noir.

Yakima Valley
This is Washington's first approved viticultural area, established in 1983. The foothills of the cascades form the western boundary with the area extending east to the Kiona Hills near Richland. The Yakima River and the Roza and Sunniside canals form a network of irrigation that has led to the state's highest percentage of vineyard plantings per square mile.
The Yakima Valley appellation is bisected by Interstate 82, forming a convenient route for tourists to visit the many wineries concentrated in this area.

Walla Valley
The Walla Valley includes areas in both Washington and Oregon. Vineyards are planted in both states and have proven successful with varieties ranging from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to Riesling and Chardonnay.

Puget Sound
The Puget Sound basin offers a temperate climate that rarely suffers from prolonged freezing weather in the winter and often enjoys a long and warm summer growing season.
Since the accumulated heat units are less than required for any varietals, growers have adapted with early-ripening varieties Chardonnay, Pinot Noir as well as lesser known varietals.

Red Mountain - Benton Country
Many of the award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon that emerged from Washington's first quarter-century of fine winemaking used a percentage of their fruit from the vineyards sloping down from Red Mountain toward the Yakima River. This site offers good air drainage and light soils that encourage grape vines to seek nutrients via deep roots. Irrigated vineyards allow grape growers to control vine vigor and ease the vines into dormancy before winter.

Southwest Washington
Southwest Washington's vineyards are tucked into pockets along the Lewis River in the North part of Clark County. Planted primarily in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, other varietals have been quite successful on warmer, south-facing slopes.

For more Information, contact:
Washington Wine Commission
500 Union St, Suite 945, Seattle, WA 98101-USA
Tel: 206-667-9463 - Fax: 206-583-0573
email: jdoak@washingtonwine.org - http://www.washingtonwine.org/.

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