All Things Avennia: Yakima Valley AVA

Photo taken at Red Willow Vineyard, Yakima Valley AVA

Watch a recording of the session here.

Fact Check

1)    In talking about the Missoula Floods, I mentioned that it happened in about a 55-year cycle, a few dozen times over a 2,000-year period, where Lake Missoula would keep reforming and flooding…

There is some debate about how many times it actually flooded and if Lake Missoula (from a plugged Clark Fork River) was the only source of flooding. It’s possible that the Okanogan Ice Sheet plugged up the Columbia River at Glacial Lake Columbia and that too could’ve flooded at some point during the same period. There’s a great website resource if you’re interested in learning more about these floods here.

2)    I said that Red Willow Vineyard is the highest elevation vineyard in Yakima Valley…

While it is the highest solely in Yakima Valley AVA, Elephant Vineyard in Rattlesnake Hills AVA (within Yakima AVA) reaches up to 1460ft elevation.

3)    When speaking of fining agents, I talked about how they’re made up of protein, but also bentonite which is a type of clay…

Protein agents, like albumin (egg whites), casein (milk), isinglass (fish swim bladder), and gelatin (from tendons and muscles) are used specifically to bind to tannins and bitter phenolic compounds. Bentonite is used more in white wines and binds to proteins and polysaccharides. Bentonite can also be used before fermentation in white grape juice to remove solids and clarify it before fermentation starts.

There are also non-animal-protein, synthetic agents like PVPP (ready for this one… Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone) and nylon that can do similar fining of small phenolic compounds for vegan conscious winemakers.

4)    When mentioning restaurants or places to eat/drink in Yakima, I said Breakside Brewery…

I meant Bale Breaker. Breakside Brewery is in Portland, OR. Oops!