Horse Heaven Hills

Located in southeastern Washington, and is part of the larger Columbia Valley AVA
Naturally bounded on the north by the Yakima Valley appellation and on the south by the Columbia River
Elevations range from 200 feet (61 m) in the south to 1,800 feet (549 m) at the northern boundary
Cowboy James Kinney named this area in 1857 after discovering his herd of horses eating
the native grasses on the hillside, stating this is “Horse Heaven”
The region has the distinction of being home to some of the state’s oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines
First vines were planted here in 1972 by Walter Clore, a Washington State University researcher who believed that eastern Washington had the potential to be a great wine region
Only 6″ to 9″ of rain per year, primarily in winter months (drip, micro sprinklers and overhead
irrigation is used)
Grapes planted in the south-facing slopes of the Horse Heaven Hills benefit from strong winds that arrive from the west via the Columbia Gorge, reducing the likelihood of rot and fungal diseases
Steep south-facing slopes also provide well-drained, sandy-loam soils
Primary grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Syrah with 37 total varieties planted
Home to the single largest wine making facility in Washington, the Columbia Crest Winery
This AVA produced the 1st, 2nd & 3rd “100 point” wines in the State of Washington