The Yakima Valley AVA, part of the Columbia Valley AVA, carries the distinction of being the first American Viticultural Area to be established within Washington State, as early as in 1983. Yakima Valley AVA covers more than 11,000 acres of vineyards, and plantings include a wide array of grapes: Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Gris, and Syrah.

This is a prolific wine-growing region, yielding almost 40% of Washington State’s annual wine production. Major sub appellations include Rattlesnake Hills to the north of the Valley’s borders, the Horse Heaven Hills to the south and Red Mountain to its eastern boundaries.

A system of canals and wells, along with the Columbia, Yakima and Snake Rivers, supplies growers in this dry valley with ample water to carefully control irrigation of their vineyards. The availability of water has transformed the Yakima and Columbia Valleys into the largest and most productive wine regions in the Northwest.