Established in 2006 The Wahluke Slope AVA Wahluke, was named after a Native American word for "watering place," is an

American Viticultural area An American Viticultural Area (AVA) is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States, providing an official appellation for the mutual benefit of wineries and consumers. Winemakers frequently want their consumers to know about th ...

located within

Grant County Grant County may refer to: Places ;Australia * County of Grant, Victoria ;United States *Grant County, Arkansas *Grant County, Indiana *Grant County, Kansas *Grant County, Kentucky *Grant County, Minnesota *Grant County, Nebraska *Grant Co ...

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

and is home to more than 20 vineyards and at least three wine production facilities. It is part of the larger

Columbia Valley AVA The Columbia Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area which lies in the Columbia River Plateau, through much of central and southern Washington State, with a small section crossing into the neighboring state of Oregon. The AVA includes the dr ...

. The 80,490 acre region features approximately 8,931 acres of vineyards: nearly 15 percent of the total wine grape acreage in the state. Top grape varieties: Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Chardonnay, and Chenin Blanc, but this area is primarily known for

Merlot Merlot is a dark blue–colored wine grape variety, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name ''Merlot'' is thought to be a diminutive of ''merle'', the French name for the blackbird, probably a reference to t ...

and

Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Sauvignon () is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Australia and British Columbia, Canada to Leban ...

Geography and climate

The Wahluke Slope AVA is located in the

Wahluke Slope Wahluke Slope is a geographic feature in Grant, Benton and Adams Counties of Eastern Washington. It is a broad, south-facing slope with a grade of about 8%, situated between the Saddle Mountains and the Columbia River's Hanford Reach. It has been ...

Grant County, Washington Grant County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, the population was 99,123. The county seat is Ephrata, and the largest city is Moses Lake. The county was formed out of Douglas County in February 1909 ...

. It extends from the Columbia River in the west, the

Hanford Site The Hanford Site is a decommissioned nuclear production complex operated by the United States federal government on the Columbia River in Benton County in the U.S. state of Washington. The site has been known by many names, including SiteW ...

boundary in the southwest, the north bank of the Columbia River on the south up to the

Wahluke Slope Wildlife Refuge Established in 2006 The Wahluke Slope AVA Wahluke, was named after a Native American word for "watering place," is an American Viticultural area located within Grant County, Washington and is home to more than 20 vineyards and at least three ...

in the east, and along the elevation of the

Saddle Mountains The Saddle Mountains consists of an upfolded anticline ridge of basalt in Grant County of central Washington state. The ridge, reaching to 2,700 feet, terminates in the east south of Othello, Washington near the foot of the Drumheller Channel ...

on the north. Wahluke Slope has one of the driest, warmest climates in the state, allowing nearly complete control of vine vigor and ripening through irrigation. The entire 81,000-acre appellation sits on a large alluvial fan, making the soils notably uniform over a large area. The topsoil is deep, wind-blown sand with a depth, on average, of more than 5 feet (150 cm). This provides both ample drainage for vinifera vines and greater uniformity in plant vigor and ripening than seen in other areas of Washington. The major distinguishing feature of the Wahluke Slope is its uniformity in aspect, soil type, and climate. The entire appellation lies on a broad, south-facing slope with a constant, gentle grade of less than 8%. This, along with the proximity to the Columbia River, helps minimize the risk of frost, which can affect other areas of the state. The highest temperature ever measured in Washington state, up until 2021, was recorded at Wahluke on July 24, 1928, at . This record was later tied at

Ice Harbor Dam Ice Harbor Lock and Dam is a hydroelectric, concrete gravity run-of-the-river dam in the northwest United States. On the lower Snake River in southeastern Washington, it bridges Walla Walla and Franklin counties. Located northeast of Bu ...

in 1961. The temperature was eventually surpassed on June 29, 2021, when

Hanford Hanford may refer to: Places *Hanford (constituency), a constituency in Tuen Mun, People's Republic of China *Hanford, Dorset, a village and parish in England *Hanford, Staffordshire, England *Hanford, California, United States *Hanford, Iowa, ...

reached . The area is largely within the

Mattawa, Washington Mattawa is an incorporated city in Grant County, Washington, United States. The population was 3,335 at the 2020 census. History The town of Mattawa was originally platted in 1909 by E. and Eva Campbell, but was not incorporated at that tim ...

99349 area code.

References

Middle-saddle-mountains-sentinel-gap-looking-northwesterly-P4140091

{{Washington State hills and ridges American Viticultural Areas Geography of Grant County, Washington Washington (state) wine 2006 establishments in Washington (state)

Geography and climate

See also

References