Puget Sound AVA

Puget Sound AVA ( recognized since 1995) is an American Viticultural Area in the U.S. state of Washington. Puget Sound is the only nationally recognized wine-growing zone of Washington west of the Cascade Range.

Geography and climate

The American Viticultural Area ( AVA short ) covers the entire territory of the strait of Puget Sound from the Canadian border in the north to the city of Olympia in the south.

Due to the west of the Cascade mountain range lying areas is the precipitate with 400 - 1200 mm / year, significantly higher than in the other AVA 's in Washington, most of whom are summarized in the national Columbia Valley AVA. The northern location usually requires early maturing varieties such as Madeleine Angevine, Madeline Sylvaner, Müller- Thurgau and Siegerrebe but also specially selected clones of the varieties Pinot Noir (called Pinot Noir ) and Pinot Gris (called Pinot Gris ). With a fairly mild winter climate, but some heavy frosts each winter the climate is similar to that of the Muscadet region near Nantes in France.

History

The first documented plantings laid Civil War veteran Lambert Evans 1872 near the strait. On Stretch Iceland near DERS today Allyn Grapeview Evans planted several wild grape Vitis labrusca the selections.

Wineries

Some of the most famous wineries of Washington State as Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Winery, Novelty Hill Januik and Silver Lake are located in Puget Sound AVA. Most vineyards are located near Seattle and Woodinville Wine Country. Despite the small wine-growing area of ​​the vineyard are the farms of considerable size. Chateau Ste. Michelle, for example, is considered the world's largest Riesling producer. The companies usually buy vine material from the nearby Columbia Valley AVA. Currently only handles a single operation, Bainbridge Iceland Winery and Vineyards exclusively vine material from the appellation Puget Sound.