Red Mountain AVA
| Red Mountain AVA | |
|---|---|
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| Appellation type: | American Viticultural Area |
| Year of establishment: | 2001 |
| Country: | United States |
| Part of the wine-growing region: | Yakima Valley AVA , Columbia Valley AVA |
| Growing period: | 180 days |
| Cultivation climate: | Temperate zone |
| Precipitation (annual mean): | 150 mm to 200 mm per year, so very dry |
| Recognized cultivation area: | 1600 hectares (4040 acres ) |
| Planted acreage: | 240 hectares (710 acres ) |
| Grape varieties: | Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon , Merlot , Cabernet Franc , Syrah and Sangiovese |
| Wine quantity: | Red wine, single variety or blended (similar to bordeaux) |
Red Mountain AVA (recognized since 2001) is a wine-growing region in the south of the US state of Washington . The area is part of the supra-regional Columbia Valley AVA and is located in the southern area of the Yakima Valley AVA . With just under 1,600 hectares of approved vineyards, Red Mountain AVA is the smallest wine-growing region with a protected designation of origin in the state of Washington. The area lies between the towns of Benton City and Richland . The previously established vineyards are used to produce international red wines .
Despite the short history, some producers are already attracting attention internationally.
Geography and climate
The soils of the American Viticultural Area (AVA for short) Red Mountain were created during the Missoula Floods . Geologists estimate that the floods were repeated about 40 times over two millennia between 13,000 and 15,000 years ago, with intervals of approx. 55 years in which Lake Missoula was refilled. The area got the name Red Mountains from the red-flowered roof brine .
The alkaline soil contains a lot of gravel and calcium carbonate . High temperature differences between day and night ensure that the wines have a strong acid structure.
The area has an arid climate, with mean maximum daily temperatures during the growing season of 32 ° C and night temperatures of 10 ° C.
history
John Williams from Kiona Vineyards , who planted the first commercial vineyards in the 1970s, is considered a pioneer of viticulture in this region . First national recognition since the beginning of the 1980s under the name Yakima Valley encouraged the winemakers to apply for their own designation of origin. Lorne Jackson of the Hedges Cellars was the driving force in applying for this status. He was supported by the wineries Kiona Vineyards, Blackwood Canyon Vinters, Sand Hill Winery, Seth Ryan Winery and Terra Blanca Winery.
In 2007, Chateau Ste Michelle and the Italian Piero Antinori invested 6.5 million US dollars in the Col Solare joint project .
The internationally known wine critic Robert Parker awarded the Cabernet wines from Quilceda Creek 100 points for the 2002 and 2003 vintages.
See also
Individual evidence
- ^ T. Parker: Discovering Washington Wines, p. 31. Raconteurs Press 2002. ISBN 0971925852 .
- ↑ Washington Wine ( Memento of the original from March 30, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ A. King: Red Mountain Rising: Tiny Wine-Producing Region Drawing Worldwide Attention ( Memento of the original from October 9, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Wine Press Northwest, October 9, 2006.
- ↑ a b c B. Schoenfeld Gold Rush on Red Mountain, Wine Spectator, May 15, 2007.
- ^ T. Parker: Discovering Washington Wines, p. 40. Raconteurs Press 2002. ISBN 0971925852 .
- ↑ a b J. Gaffney: Washington Wineries Seek New Appellation ( Memento of the original from September 6, 2004 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Wine Spectator, April 24, 2000.
- ^ T. Parker: Discovering Washington Wines, p. 41. Raconteurs Press 2002. ISBN 0971925852 .
- ^ T. Parker: Discovering Washington Wines, p. 85. Raconteurs Press 2002. ISBN 0971925852 .
Web links
- in English