Lake Chelan AVA
Submitted June 1st, 2009
We are very fortunate to have an area in our own back yard that has just been awarded its own AVA, which stands for American Viticulture Area. There were 193 AVAs as of February, 2009 and the Lake Chelan AVA is the 11th in the State of Washington and the State’s second in 2009. Prior to the installation of the AVA system, wine appellations of origin in the United States were designated based on state or county boundaries. An American Viticulture Area (AVA) is a federally recognized grape growing area, historic-ally recognized and having soil and growing conditions unique to the surrounding area. Sometimes it is also called an “Appellation”, a term which can also be used for other agricultural designations as well.
Unlike most European wine appellations of origin, an AVA specifies only a geographical location from which at least 85% of the grapes used to make a wine must have been grown. American Viticultural Area designations do not limit the type of grapes grown, the method of vinification, or the crop yield. When a US winery wants to tell you the geographic pedigree of its wine, it uses a tag on its label called an Appellation of Origin.
Current regulations impose the following additional requirements on an AVA:
- Evidence that the name of the proposed new AVA is locally or nationally known as referring to the area.
- Historical or current evidence that the boundaries are legitimate.
- Evidence that growing conditions such as climate, soil, elevation, and physical features are distinctive.
Grapes have been grown in the Lake Chelan area since 1891. The first commercial wine grapes were planted in the Chelan Valley in 1998. Since those ‘98 grapes were planted, the dream and goal was to be recognized as an American Viticulture Area by the Federal Government.
The 24,040-acre AVA is entirely within the Columbia Valley. It is home to 15 wineries and 260 acres of vineyards. Lake Chelan is the third deepest lake in the nation at 1,486 feet and has a cooling effect upon the surrounding area that contributes to the area’s distinctive growing characteristics. At present the grapes planted are predominately Syrah, Merlot, Malbec, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir, although there is experimentation with many other varieties in the area
One of the unique characteristics is Lake Chelan’s higher elevation and more temperate climate than the more southern AVAs also contained within the Columbia Valley. Because of the ice age glaciers which formed Lake Chelan, the soil surrounding it has distinctive properties such as coarse, sandy sediment with notable amounts of quartz and mica, which results in grapes with discernable textures, minerals, and nutrients. The AVA is also distinguished by a significant “lake effect” which creates mild and favorable temperatures for surrounding areas, resulting in a longer growing season and a reduced risk of frost. Since the vineyards are cooler than much of the rest of the Columbia Valley, the bud break is later, and the more moderate temperatures caused by Lake Chelan results in even ripening conditions later in the year. This translates into intense fruit flavors and a high acidity.
It will be exciting to watch the development of this area, and to experience the taste of the wines of Lake Chelan as the local wineries continue to experiment with various grape varieties in order to determine a notoriety of their own for specific varietals, as Oregon has with its Pinot Noir.
Bruce Campbell