Columbia Valley Wine Country
Columbia Valley Wine Country was designated as a Washington wine appellation in 1984. Sprawled across nearly half of Washington State, the Columbia Valley appellation is approximately 18,000 square miles and 11 million acres. The Columbia Valley’s most northern point borders Canada, and it’s most southern point extends into Oregon.
Geologists believe the Columbia Valley Wine Country’s land is what’s left to be an ancient volcano. With this kind of soil, the annual rainfall of 6 – 8 inches, and the river systems that bring additional water to the vineyards, Columbia Valley is able to produce premium wine grapes and wine varietals including Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.
As the climate and soil became clear, the Columbia Valley was subdivided into additional regions, and three more appellations were designated, including Horse Heaven Hills and Rattlesnake Hills in 2005. |
