How many AVAs are too many? Take the Napa test… Today, I was chatting with someone about Naches Heights, Washington’s newest American Viticultural Area. “When does Washington have enough appellations?” my friend asked. “Twelve seems like a lot.”
While 12 might seem like quite a few for just one state, consider this: Napa Valley – an area that is about three miles wide and 27 miles long – has 16 AVAs. That’s right. An area much more compact than the Yakima Valley has more appellations than the entire state of Washington.
Napa Valley AVA‘s
•Los Carneros
•Howell Mountain
•Wild Horse Valley
•Stags Leap District
•Mt. Veeder
•Atlas Peak
•Spring Mountain District
•Oakville
•Rutherford
•St. Helena
•Chiles Valley
•Yountville
•Diamond Mountain District
•Oak Knoll District
•Calistoga
•Napa Valley
Other comparisons between tiny Napa Valley and the entire state of Washingto
•Napa Valley has 43,000 acres of wine grapes, while Washington has a bit more than 40,000 acres.
•Napa Valley has about 300 wineries, while Washington has more than 750.
Washington’s AVAs
After Tuesday’s announcement on the approval of the Naches Heights American Viticultural Area, here is an updated list of Washington’s appellations in order of when they were approved.
- Yakima Valley (1983)
- Columbia Valley (1984)
- Walla Walla Valley (1984)
- Puget Sound (1995)
- Red Mountain (2001)
- Columbia Gorge (2004)
- Horse Heaven Hills (2005)
- Wahluke Slope (2006)
- Rattlesnake Hills (2006)
- Snipes Mountain (2009)
- Lake Chelan (2009)
- Naches Heights (2011)
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