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A Process of Discovery
The Columbia Gorge
 Washington's
western- and southern-most boundary of the Columbia Valley
appellation lies at the edge of the Columbia River, the
Washington's shared border with Oregon. Here the proposed
Columbia Gorge
appellation (AVA) begins, in the middle of the Cascade
Mountains, but at sea-level! This growing region is unique in
that it is the only such sea-level passage through a
mountain range in any West Coast state. Grape
growers representing more than 400 vineyard acres and
wineries from both sides of this small, central section of
the Columbia River Gorge worked together to propose the Columbia Gorge AVA
in 2001.
The area straddles the Columbia River Gorge beginning at a
point approximately 60 miles
east of Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington, and continues eastward for about
10 river miles, where its eastern boundary abuts
the western edge of the Columbia Valley appellation.
The proposed area stretches across the river to include
lands in both Washington and
Oregon, and includes parts of
Hood River and Wasco Counties in Oregon, Skamania and
Klickitat Counties in Washington.
Growers here find climatic conditions like none other in
this sea-level mid-section of the Cascades Range. Influences
of
the marine environment to the west collide here with the dry desert
air from the east, with the Columbia River and its Gorge
providing a good stir to these warm and cold air masses to create
a micro climate like none other. Warm growing days
(to ripen grapes) and cool
summer nights (for maintaining good acid levels and
flavors) are the norm in the proposed Columbia Gorge AVA,
and the small area's habitat bares little resemblance to its
drier, warmer
neighbor to the east, the Columbia Valley appellation.
Pockets
of old vineyards found near Bingen, Washington, suggest
the conclusion about the suitability of growing wine grapes
in this area is not a new one.
Seven Washington
wineries and four Oregon wineries
currently call the Columbia River Gorge home.
Taste Columbia Gorge Wine
What's ahead?
Washington wine industry
insiders are predicting
Wahluke
Slope,
Horse Heaven Hills and
the
Columbia Gorge
AVA applicants all will be approved some time this year.
Some say Horse Heaven Hills will be first; others say
the Columbia Gorge, with its three-year-old application
submission date. All those involved agree the
application, evaluation and authorization process is slow.
Odds are good
other
Washington
State AVA applications will be submitted in the meantime.
In fact, the parties of one new Washington growing area
– the
Lake Chelan
"region"
– have only to hear their application package has been
legally filed before becoming one of the State's AVA applicants,
waiting to be evaluated for official authorization.
It is less
likely that the
Columbia
Cascade Winery Association
will complete its application this year. A far more
complex proposal must be prepared to define what amounts to
a "macro" AVA, just as the Columbia Valley appellation is a
"macro" AVA within which other noteworthy sub regions have
and will distinguish their growing area as AVAs in their own
right. Association leaders suggest application may
have to be made for two separate AVAs, rather than a single
Columbia Cascade
appellation.
If you have not heard, both the
Lake Chelan and
Columbia Cascade areas are experiencing a flurry of
activity; new vineyards are being planted and new
wineries are emerging with remarkable speed.
Conversely, the proposed
Rattlesnake Hills growing region holds some of the
oldest vineyards of Washington State, and both established
and new wineries are conveniently located for travelers
along the I-82 corridor east of the City of Yakima to the
Outlook area, just west of Sunnyside. Gail Puryear,
co-owner of Bonair, is taking the lead in completing the AVA
application for Rattlesnake Hills.
Columbia Cascade Wine Country
Those working to gain American Viticultural Area designation
for this region include growers, winery owners and winemakers
who for years have lived and worked in the large area they
have named the Columbia Cascade region. Initially,
their efforts focused on geographically defining their
proposed AVA as the area that lies east of the Cascade
Mountains – with its
southern boundary being Interstate 90 in Grant County, its
northern limit created by Okanogan County and its Canadian
border. Throw in all of Chelan and Douglas counties
and it is little wonder the challenge of defining and
proposing the contiguous lands is difficult.
Lakes, rivers, valleys and mountains influence the climate
and soils of this area. Douglas County, for example,
is bounded on the east and the north by the Columbia River.
Chelan County's eastern boundary shares the same stretch of
the Columbia River with Douglas County, and the proposed
Lake Chelan region actually lies within the proposed
"macro" Columbia Cascade AVA. Okanogan County in the north
shares the desert climate of Canada's only true desert in
the southern Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. The
Okanogan/Okanagan River and the dry, warm environment of the
area is ideal for growing wine grapes and other crops.
(Note the U.S. spelling of Okanogan versus the Canadian
spelling, Okanagan.)
The
Columbia
Cascade Winery Association was formed several years
ago to provide a vehicle through which growers and wine
producers could work together toward promoting their growing
region and their wines. The association currently
represents area growers and 23 wineries, including all six
from the
Lake Chelan area. Although these wineries have already
put together their own AVA application proposing the Lake Chelan
area, they continue to support the efforts of fellow
industry neighbors in a mutual effort to win AVA authorization for
the "macro" appellation of the Columbia Cascade area as
well.
Touring the beautiful valleys of the Columbia Cascade area
provides constant variation in scenery, everything from lush
forests in the west to sagebrush in the south
and mixed
sagebrush and pine in the north. The eye of the
traveler is continually treated with picture-postcard beauty.
The scope of this beauty and the corresponding wide variety
of micro climates throughout this area do, however, create a
real challenge for members of the
Columbia
Cascade Winery Association.
In an effort to make the case for AVA authorization of their
"macro" appellation, they must define distinct, yet common, geographic
characteristics of the area they propose. The common
influence throughout the region is the Cascade Mountain
Range on the west. The mountains maintain dormancy during the winter
thanks to cold air descending from high altitudes. At the
same time, many sites are frost free from April 1 through
October 31, ample time to ripen even the most demanding
grape varieties.
"Discussions are ongoing," admits Terry Flanagan, winemaker at
Ryan Patrick Vineyards, acknowledging the challenge of
identifying and documenting geographic continuity for the
large growing area.
"Most likely we will end up with two separate AVAs, one for the
southern portion of the region and one for the north. The
region to the south, around Trinidad, Quincy, and George,
has several hundred acres of existing vineyards, and we are currently
discussing the formation of an 'Ancient Lakes' AVA."
Taste Columbia Cascade Wine
Lake Chelan
wine country - continue...
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