The Ancient Lakes AVA
The Ancient Lakes AVA consists of the western half of the Quincy Basin in Central Washington.
It is wholly contained within the Columbia Valley region and is named after a series of 35 lakes that dot the area.
Here you will find some of the most dramatic landforms in Washington State, many of which were formed by a series of cataclysmic floods at the end of the last Ice Age.
Over 20 different vinifera varieties are planted in this region with white grapes being the emphasis. Riesling is by far the most planted grape, with many of the plantings at Evergreen Vineyard. These wines display aromas and flavors of lime, lemon, and green apple and often have bright acidity and noticeable minerality.
The Ancient Lakes region has an arid, continental climate, receiving an average of 6 inches of rainfall annually. Irrigation is therefore required to grow vinifera grapes.
Being more northerly than many of Washington’s grape growing regions, heat accumulation begins later in the Ancient Lakes and ends sooner, making it one of the cooler growing regions in the state.
Like most of eastern Washington’s growing regions, the soils are defined by the Missoula Floods. While soils vary considerably across the appellation, fine sand, along with silt and sandy loam, are predominant. Some sites, such as Evergreen Vineyard, have significant deposits of caliche, which is rich in calcium carbonate.
The majority of the Ancient Lakes AVA has a gentle slope of less than 4% going toward its eastern boundary. The Columbia River, which defines the appellation’s western boundary, protects many of the areas from early and late season frost, which can affect nearby regions.
Currently, more than 3,000 vineyard acres are planted to 20 different vinifera grape varieties in the AVA. More than a dozen wineries and tasting rooms are located in or nearby this expanding and dynamic wine region.
Wineries within the boundaries of the AVA include Beaumont Cellars, Cave B Estate Winery, Chris Daniel Winery, Errant Cellars, Jones of Washington and White Heron Cellars. You can find contact information for all six of these wineries by logging on to the State-Wide Listing of Washington Wineries located on this website. Look for them under the city of Quincy heading.
