Columbia Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located within the Columbia River Plateau landform encompassing much of central and southern Washington and crossing the state boundary into northern Oregon south of the Columbia River. The viticultural area includes the drainage basin of the Columbia River and its tributaries through much of Washington. It was established as the nation's 72nd, Washington's third and Oregon's fourth appellation on December 13, 1984 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Drs, Walter Clore and Wade Wolfe of Prosser, Washington on behalf of Washington's oldest and largest winery, Chateau Ste. Michelle, and by William Blosser of the Sokol Blosser Winery, Dundee, Oregon, proposing the viticultural area named "Columbia Valley." Allen Shoup, president of Chateau Ste. Michelle, understood the importance of obtaining AVA status to grow the reputation of the Northwest viticulture industry
From the Wikipedia article Columbia Valley AVA, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Columbia Valley is an appellation in Washington State, United States. We track 15 of its wines in stock at 9 shops, from 6 wine houses, from € 13.38; mostly red, white.
- Country
- United States
- Region
- Washington State
- In our wines
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Merlot
- Styles
- Red 10 · White 4 · Sparkling 1
- Prices
- from € 13.38 · median € 24.35 / 75 cl
Vintages
per year: wines in stock, prices, and the critics' scores the shops quote| Vintage | Wines | From | Median / 75 cl | Critics' score | Growing season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | – | – | – | – | coolso far −0.6 °C · 1,185 GDD · 124 % rain |
| 2025 | – | – | – | – | average −0.3 °C · 1,248 GDD · 88 % rain |
| 2024 | – | – | – | – | averagedrydry harvest +0.1 °C · 1,340 GDD · 58 % rain |
| 2023 | – | – | – | – | hot +1.2 °C · 1,542 GDD · 99 % rain |
| 2022 | 1 | € 35.75 | € 35.75 | – | warm +0.8 °C · 1,516 GDD · 112 % rain |
| 2021 | 1 | € 23.41 | € 23.41 | – | hotdrywet harvest +1.5 °C · 1,548 GDD · 65 % rain |
| 2020 | – | – | – | – | warm +0.5 °C · 1,325 GDD · 94 % rain |
| 2019 | 3 | € 19.94 | € 25.29 | – | averagewet harvest ±0.0 °C · 1,328 GDD · 96 % rain |
| 2018 | 2 | € 13.38 | € 19.74 | – | warmdry harvest +0.6 °C · 1,401 GDD · 90 % rain |
| 2017 | – | – | – | – | warm +0.5 °C · 1,426 GDD · 100 % rain |
| 2016 | – | – | – | – | warm +0.6 °C · 1,378 GDD · 129 % rain |
| 2015 | – | – | – | – | hotdry +1.8 °C · 1,605 GDD · 61 % rain |
| 2014 | – | – | – | – | hot +1.1 °C · 1,469 GDD · 109 % rain |
| 2013 | – | – | – | – | averagewetwet harvest +0.4 °C · 1,389 GDD · 130 % rain |
| 2012 | – | – | – | – | averagedry harvest ±0.0 °C · 1,260 GDD · 123 % rain |
| 2011 | – | – | – | – | cold −1.3 °C · 1,106 GDD · 97 % rain |
| 2010 | – | – | – | – | coldwetwet harvest −1.0 °C · 1,054 GDD · 140 % rain |
| 2009 | – | – | – | – | average +0.2 °C · 1,403 GDD · 78 % rain |
| 2008 | – | – | – | – | cooldry −0.7 °C · 1,218 GDD · 50 % rain |
| 2007 | – | – | – | – | averagedry −0.3 °C · 1,252 GDD · 65 % rain |
| 2006 | – | – | – | – | average +0.3 °C · 1,337 GDD · 92 % rain |
| 2005 | – | – | – | – | averagewet harvest +0.3 °C · 1,277 GDD · 112 % rain |
| 2004 | – | – | – | – | hot +1.0 °C · 1,421 GDD · 105 % rain |
| 2003 | – | – | – | – | warmdrydry harvest +0.9 °C · 1,454 GDD · 63 % rain |
| 2002 | – | – | – | – | averagedrydry harvest −0.3 °C · 1,248 GDD · 57 % rain |
| 2001 | – | – | – | – | cooldry harvest −0.5 °C · 1,236 GDD · 81 % rain |
| 2000 | – | – | – | – | cool −0.6 °C · 1,108 GDD · 81 % rain |
| 1999 | – | – | – | – | colddrydry harvest −1.2 °C · 1,049 GDD · 67 % rain |
| 1998 | – | – | – | – | warm +0.6 °C · 1,396 GDD · 96 % rain |
| 1997 | – | – | – | – | coolwetwet harvest −0.6 °C · 1,216 GDD · 139 % rain |
| 1996 | – | – | – | – | cold −1.3 °C · 1,039 GDD · 116 % rain |
| 1995 | – | – | – | – | coldwetwet harvest −1.0 °C · 1,148 GDD · 138 % rain |
| 1994 | – | – | – | – | warm +0.5 °C · 1,343 GDD · 124 % rain |
| 1993 | – | – | – | – | cooldry harvest −0.8 °C · 1,107 GDD · 109 % rain |
| 1992 | – | – | – | – | warmwet +0.5 °C · 1,321 GDD · 132 % rain |
| 1991 | – | – | – | – | cooldry harvest −0.7 °C · 1,142 GDD · 128 % rain |
| 1990 | – | – | – | – | averagewetdry harvest +0.2 °C · 1,324 GDD · 142 % rain |
| 1989 | – | – | – | – | averagedry harvest −0.4 °C · 1,152 GDD · 103 % rain |
| 1988 | – | – | – | – | average +0.1 °C · 1,222 GDD · 86 % rain |
| 1987 | – | – | – | – | warmdrydry harvest +0.7 °C · 1,341 GDD · 67 % rain |
| 1986 | – | – | – | – | coolwet harvest −0.6 °C · 1,160 GDD · 89 % rain |
| 1985 | – | – | – | – | coldwet harvest −1.0 °C · 1,117 GDD · 95 % rain |
| 1984 | – | – | – | – | coldwetwet harvest −2.4 °C · 903 GDD · 143 % rain |
| 1983 | – | – | – | – | coldwet harvest −1.4 °C · 1,003 GDD · 116 % rain |
| 1982 | – | – | – | – | coldwetwet harvest −1.2 °C · 1,131 GDD · 136 % rain |
Growing season (April–October; October–April south of the equator): mean temperature against Columbia Valley's 1991–2020 normal (hot: 1 °C or more above, warm: 0.5 °C, cool/cold below), growing degree days (warmth for the vines, base 10 °C) and rain against normal, with the harvest month (September/March) flagged when very wet or dry. Monthly data from NASA POWER (MERRA-2) at one point in the appellation. The current year is compared with the same months of a normal year (“so far”); its latest months are preliminary and revised by NASA later.
Critics' score: the average of the best 100-point score quoted for each wine of that vintage, as the shops quote them. A few quoted wines make a thin average; the number of wines is in brackets.
Columbia Crest 6 · Chateau Ste. Michelle 2 · Buried Cane Wines 1 · Chehalem Estate Vineyard 1 · Col Solare - Antinori 1 · Saviah Cellars 1