Sunday, March 21, 2010

Washington State - Columbia Valley terroir

Columbia Valley gets more sun that Napa, but temperature is lower, giving grapes the chance to reach physiological ripeness without the extreme high alcohol of CA

Vines have a goodly amount of stress and strain upon them, and produce powerful extracted wines, without the overbearing high sugar that leads to high alcohol. 

Sub AVAs get instense and complex, show old world styles of complexity with the fruit forwardness of California
Merlot takes on Pomerol characters

AVAs in Columbia Valley are specific to precipitation first, climate second.

Volcanic and Sandy Loam soils

Lower yields, maceration and sangee, + soil, precip, and heat are the rubiks cube of elements

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