WASHINGTON

Question 1

What 2 vine training methods are commonly employed to mitigate cold, harsh Washington winters? Explain each.

Answer 1

Dual-trunk vine training: growers train 2 trunks in parallel with 1 vine from the ground up; it serves as insurance, halving the chances of losing the entire canopy. Hard freezes make vines susceptible to crown gall affliction.
Burying the fruiting cane: if the canopy dies over the winters, the grower can still pull up the fruiting can and get a crop the following year (typically used with low trained cordon vines)

Question 2

What is crown gall affliction and its primary cause(s)? How does it affect the plant?

Answer 2

Crown Gall affliction is caused by a soil borne bacteria that enters through pruning wounds, freeze injuries, abrasions - it can affect anything with a trunk or wood. The “galls” are tumor-like protrusions. It causes decline and eventually mortality. There are no cures except vine removal. The bacteria is almost universal in soils.

Question 3

What two major geological forces shaped the Columbia Basin’s geography and how?

Answer 3

1) extreme volcanic activity: occurred 17 to 6 million years ago during the Miocene Epoch. Biggest basalt lava flows documented so far.
2) the Missoula floods: 18k to 12k years ago - catastrophic floods occurred 2-3x a century; covering extensive area and depositing sediment. Areas 1200ft up are not affected - there, basalt remains closer to the surface where lower areas see a layer of more recent sediment covering the basalt

Question 4

Explain why the topsoils of the Columbia Basin could be described as Eolian?

Answer 4

Shaped by the wind: after the Missoula Floods, the landscape was devoid of vegetation or anything to keep the ground in place. Winds blowing across the SW eroded the volcanic and flood materials, creating a layer of windblown loess that forms the region’s silt loam topsoils.

Question 5

Why are vines successful on the Columbia Basin’s fertile and nutrient rich silt-loam soils while similar soils in Willamette Valley are preferred for other agriculture, less ideal for grapes?

Answer 5

The Columbia Basin’s climate and precipitation naturally limit vine vigor. Cement-like calcium carbonate hardpans are also common, limiting root depth and nutrient uptake.

Question 6

Who is widely acknowledged as the “father of Washington Wine” and what were his contributions to Washington’s wine industry?

Answer 6

Dr. Walter Clore: essentially, he spearheaded efforts to prove that vinifera could survive Washington’s harsh winters.

Question 7

Who were the Associated Vintners? When were they founded and what are they known for?

Answer 7

A group of university friends who dabbled in home winemaking in the ’50s, founded this group in 1962 and then planted the Harrison Hill Vineyard on Snipes Mountain in 1963. Tschelistcheff came to sample their wines in 1967-after that they bonded their winery and began selling commercially. They are now known as Columbia Winery.

Question 8

Who was the American Wine Growers? When were they founded and how did they get there start - what are they known as now?

Answer 8

A conglomeration of two post-Prohibition Puget Sound fruit wineries trying to transition to vinifera. Tschelistcheff consulted for them in the late 60s and on

Question 9

What are Washington’s top 5 planted white grapes? Bonus if in descending order of importance.

Answer 9

Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer

Question 10

What are Washington’s top 4 planted red grapes? Bonus for naming them in descending order of importance.

Answer 10

Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Syrah
Cabernet Franc

Question 11

What was Washington state’s first AVA? Year?

Answer 11

Yakima Valley, 1983

Question 12

What are Yakima Valley’s 3 nested AVAs?

Answer 12

Red Mountain
Snipe Mountain
Rattlesnake Hills

Question 13

What agricultural products besides vinifera is Yakima Valley most known for?

Answer 13

Concord grapes
Orchards - apples and stone fruits. Apples and cherries still often fetch more money than grapes.
Hops - over 70% of the nation’s hops are grown here

Question 14

Where was Washington’s first Syrah planted and when?

Answer 14

1986 - Red Willow Vineyard in Yakima Valley

Question 15

Where was Washington’s first Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted and when?

Answer 15

Boushey Vineyard in Yakima Valley - 1957

Question 16

Which of Washington’s AVAs sits in the hottest growing climate?

Answer 16

Red Mountain AVA. It is also the smallest and most densely cultivated.

Question 17

What is the name of Antinori and Chateau Ste. Michelle’s joint project? Where is it located?

Answer 17

Col Solare

Red Mountain AVA

Question 18

Ciel du Cheval, Kiona, and Klipsun are all important vineyards in what AVA?

Answer 18

Red Mountain AVA

Question 19

Force Majeure and Upchurch Vineyards are important wineries in what AVA?

Answer 19

Red Mountain AVA

Question 20

Snipes Mountain AVA: describe its location, a very brief history, and what is happening here.

Answer 20

SM is a raised fold (anticline) in the middle of the Yakima Valley. AVA circa 2009. 900 acres planted.

• defined by elevation: 750ft min on the south slope; 820ft on the north. Vines go up to the summit at 1310ft.
• William Bridgman’s 1917 Muscat of Alexandria vines are here
• Harrison Hill with its 1963 Cab Sauv is here
• Upland Vineyards is the only estate producer, farming 750 acres. Much is machine harvested and destined for Chateau Ste Michelle but higher tier vineyards are bottled individually and treated with more precision

Question 21

Walla Walla Valley: describe its location, brief history, general lay of the land.

Answer 21

• the easternmost AVA of Columbia Valley; 1/3 of its acreage is in Oregon
• previously known for onions; first vinifera planted by Gary Figgins in 1974; Leonetti Cellars established in 1977
• 2nd WA AVA - 1984
• ## vineyards feasible 850 to 2000ft; Blue Mountains mark eastern border

Question 22

What two “hot spots” in Walla Walla Valley are likely to achieve their own AVAs in the near(ish) future?

Answer 22

Mill Creek

North Fork

Question 23

Who were the 4 ‘founding fathers’ of Walla Walla viticulture and what wineries did they found?

Answer 23

Gary Figgins: Leonetti Cellars
Eric Rindal: Waterbrook
Rick Small: Woodward Canyon
Baker Ferguson: L’Ecole

Question 24

Christophe Baron is known for founding what winery in what AVA?

Answer 24

Cayuse - 1997
He was visiting Walla Walla on a social visit, while he had plans to move to Willamette. He stumbled on a field of CdP-esque stones in the Rocks area across the Oregon border and the rest is history.

Question 25

Where is the Champoux Vineyard located and what is this vineyard known for?

Answer 25

Planted in 1972 in Horse Heaven Hills AVA. It is a standard bearer for quality. Planted by Don Mercer in consultation with Walter Clore. Quilceda Creek and Andrew Will source from here, among others.

Question 26

Alder Ridge, Phinny Hill, and Canoe Ridge are all important vineyards in what AVA?

Answer 26

Horse Heaven Hills

Question 27

What is the driest AVA in all of Washington?

Answer 27

Wahluke Slope AVA - barely sees 6 inches of rain per year. “Wahluke” means “watering hole”

Question 28

Wahluke Slope AVA: describe the position, lay of the land, and general grape growing area.

Answer 28

• North of Yakima Valley where the Columbia River takes a sharp east turn. Gentle grade sloping up from the banks of the river, from 425 to 1480ft.
• Bordered by the Saddle Mtns to the north, Columbia River to west and south, and Hanford Ranch National Monument to the east.
• Uniformly south facing with fairly homogenous deep, well draining windblown sandy soils
• Cab Sauv, Merlot, and Syrah are looking good here

Question 29

Where is Weinbau located and why is it significant?

Answer 29

Wahluke Slope AVA’s first commercial vineyard: planted by the Blue Nun company, which was hoping to cash in on riesling’s early renaissance in Washington but cashed out early. Now one of four sites in the Sagemoor portfolio.

Question 30

Ancient Lakes AVA: where is it, what is it known for, what is it like to grow grapes here?

Answer 30

Due north of Wahluke Slope - incredibly arid but also much cooler thanks to a bunch of glacial lakes. Whites dominate with 80% of plantings, most of which is riesling. Millbrandt Vineyards is the largest operation here.

Question 31

Lake Chelan AVA: where is it, what is it known for?

Answer 31

The northernmost AVA nested within the Columbia Valley AVA - and the only to sit outside of the Missoula Flood zone. It is another glacial lake area - cool with moderated extremes. Pinot Noir and riesling are the early favorites.
Est. 2009, vines only arrived here in 1998.

Question 32

Naches Heights AVA: where is it and why does it matter?

Answer 32

Trick question: it doesn’t really matter (yet).
The least important AVA east of the Cascades, located NW of Yakima. Commercial vines first planted in 2002, AVA granted in 2012. Less than 50 acres of vines exist there now.

Question 33

Columbia Gorge AVA: explain its lay of the land, climate, and importance.

Answer 33

1 of 2 AVAs outside of Columbia Valley, in its basalt foothills of the Cascades along the banks of the Columbia River with Mount Hood in the backdrop.

• wind surfing capital of NA: aka this is a windy AF place
• it rains here; its actually possible to dry farm. Rainfall quadruples as you move west and the scenery changes from arid to forest
• mile wide river is a big moderating factor

Question 34

Where is the Atavus Vineyard and what is its significance?

Answer 34

This is where modern Columbia Gorge viticulture began with Walter Clore’s 1968 experimental planting of pinot noir. Its a dry-farmed vineyard lying at 1700 fit on the shoulder of Mt Adams and gives a good glimpse of the potential of pinot noir in the Gorge.

Question 35

Where is the Celilo Vineyard and why is it significant?

Answer 35

Celilo is planted with pinot noir, chardonnay, and gewürztraminer- its the most notable fruit source in the Gorge and shows what this place has potential for.
75 acres planted in 1972, entirely on the Washington side on Underwood Mtn of the Columbia Gorge AVA.

Question 36

What was Washington’s first bonded winery - where was it located and when was it founded/bonded?

Answer 36

St. Charles in Puget Sound - first planted in 1872 to ‘Island Belle’, a favorite black labrusca variety. Prior to accessible irrigation, viticulture was contained to the west of the Cascades.
St. Charles was purchased in 1918 by Charles Somers and bonded in 1933.