Puget Sound AVA

Puget Sound AVA
Wine region
Type American Viticultural Area
Year established 1995[1]
Country United States
Part of Washington
Growing season 210 days
Climate region Temperate, Maritime
Precipitation (annual average) 15 inches (38 cm) to 60 inches (152 cm)
Soil conditions Semi-permeable cemented subsoil
Size of planted vineyards 100 acres (40 ha)
Grapes produced Madeleine Angevine, Madeleine Sylvaner, Muller Thurgau, Pinot gris, Pinot noir, Siegerrebe[2]
No. of wineries 12
Wine produced Varietal, Sparkling wine, Dessert wine

The Puget Sound AVA is an American Viticultural Area in western Washington state. It is the only AVA in the state of Washington that is located west of the Cascade Mountains.[3]

Geography and climate

A Regent wine produced from grapes grown in the Puget Sound AVA.

The AVA encompasses the entire Puget Sound area from the Canada–US border to just south of Olympia.[4]

Rainfall in the Puget Sound AVA ranges from 15 inches (38 cm) to 60 inches (152 cm) annually, which is similar to many European grape growing areas and the Willamette Valley AVA in Oregon. Most of that rainfall occurs in the winter time. Summers are mild, sunny and dry. Irrigation is a necessity in some of the drier locations. The AVA is suited to cool climate varieties such as Madeleine Angevine, Madeline Sylvaner, Muller-Thurgau and Siegerrebe with some clonal varieties of Pinot noir and Pinot gris and Chardonnay growing well in warmer locations. Many new varieties showed promise during tests at the Washington State University Mount Vernon Agricultural Research Station. Those include Regent, St. Laurent, Zweigelt, Dornfelder and Garanoir.[5]

The region is almost entirely within hardiness zone 8b.

History

One of the earliest recorded plantings in the Puget Sound area was done in 1872 by an American Civil War veteran named Lambert Evans on Stretch Island, near modern-day Allyn-Grapeview. Evan planted several varieties of Vitis labrusca there.[6]

Wineries

The Puget Sound AVA contains many wineries, most of which get their grapes from Eastern Washington. There are about 12 wineries that either grow their own grapes or buy grapes from growers in the Puget Sound AVA.

References

  1. ↑ Code of Federal Regulations. "§ 9.151 Puget Sound." Title 27: Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; Part 9 — American Viticultural Areas; Subpart C — Approved American Viticultural Areas. Retrieved Jan. 30, 2008.
  2. ↑ Appellation America (2007). "Puget Sound (AVA): Appellation Description". Retrieved Jan. 30, 2008.
  3. ↑ T. Parker Discovering Washington Wines pg 30 Raconteurs Press 2002 ISBN 0-9719258-5-2
  4. ↑ T. Parker Discovering Washington Wines pg 49 Raconteurs Press 2002 ISBN 0-9719258-5-2
  5. ↑ G.A. Moulton and J. King "Growing Wine Grapes in Maritime Western Washington" Washington State University Extension Publishing EB2001
  6. ↑ T. Parker Discovering Washington Wines pg 7 Raconteurs Press 2002 ISBN 0-9719258-5-2

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