VITICULTURAL AREAS & WINERIES
Find out more about our AVAs below.
Washington Wine Country AVAs
An AVA, or American Viticultural Area, is an approved designation for a wine
grape growing area. Highly coveted in the increasingly competitive US wine
industry, the AVA gives winemakers and growers a way to distinguish themselves
in the eyes of consumers and gain national prestige. Washington Wine Country,
the primary vineyard region of the state, currently contains eight designated
AVAs.
Yakima Valley
Established:
1983
Wineries:
50+
Total
acreage: 665,600
Vineyard
acres: 11,000+
Leading
varietals: chardonnay, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, Riesling, syrah
Show me wineries for Yakima Valley
Columbia Valley
Established:
1984
Wineries
50+
Total
acreage: 11,520,000
Vineyard
acres: 16,000+
Leading
varietals: Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling
Note: Columia Valley is the uber AVA that contains Yakima Valley, Walla Walla
Valley, Red Mountain and Horse Heaven Hills AVAs within its borders
Show me wineries for Columbia Valley
Walla Walla Valley
Established:
1984 (expanded in 2001)
Wineries:
70+
Total
acreage: 303,500
Vineyard
acres: 1,200+
Leading
varietals: cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah
Note: Walla Walla Valley includes parts of Oregon
Show me wineries for Walla Walla
Red Mountain
Established:
2001
Wineries:
12+
Total
acreage: 4,040
Vineyard
acres: 710+
Leading
varietals: cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, cabernet franc, lemberger,
sangiovese, malbec, petit verdot
Note: Red Mountain lies west of the Tri-Cities within the Yakima Valley AVA
Show me wineries for Red Mountain
Columbia Gorge
Established:
2004
Wineries:
15+
Total
acreage: 179,200
Vineyard
acres: 350+
Leading
varietals: Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Syrah, Pinot Noir,
Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese
Note: Columbia Gorge includes parts of Oregon
Show me wineries for Columbia Gorge
Horse Heaven Hills
Established:
2005
Wineries:
4
Total
acreage: 570,000
Vineyard
acres: 6,040
Leading
varietals: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot,
Syrah
Note: Horse Heaven Hills is located in Klickitat County within Columbia Valley
AVA
Show me wineries for Horse Heaven Hills
Wahluke Slope
Estalished:
2005
Wineries:
1
Total
acreage: 81,000
Vineyard
acres: 5,200
Leading
varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Riesling
Note: Wahluke Slope lies east of Yakima within the Columbia Valley AVA
Show me wineries for Wahluke Slope
Rattlesnake Hills
Established:
2006
Wineries:
12+
Total
acreage: 68,500
Vineyard
acres: 1,227
Leading
varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Riesling
Note: Rattlesnake Hills lies northwest of the Tri-Cities within the Yakima
Valley AVA
Show me wineries for Rattlesnake Hills