The Rocks AVA

Rough location of The Rocks AVA (red) within Walla Walla AVA (black)
Cayuse Vineyards in The Rocks

The Rocks District of Milton–Freewater Viticultural Area (The Rocks AVA) is a sub-appellation of the Walla Walla Valley AVA, which itself is a sub-appellation of the Columbia Valley AVA.[1][2][3] It is named for a unique alluvial fan resulting in rocky soils with "baseball sized" basalt cobbles[4] covering the earth,[2] and is notable as being "the only AVA in the United States whose boundaries are defined by the soil type".[5] The AVA was published for comment in the Federal Register in February, 2014,[6] and is expected by many[7][8][5] to be accepted later in 2014.

The AVA, unlike the Walla Walla Valley AVA, and the Walla Walla Valley itself, lies entirely within the state of Oregon. This has implications for use of the appellation on wines produced in Oregon and Washington. Because Federal rules require wines to be fully finished in the state in which the AVA lies,[9][10] only a handful of Oregon wineries,[11][12] out of the more than 100 wineries in both states in the Walla Walla Valley,[8] would be permitted to use the appellation on their product.[13] At the same time, Oregon wineries as far away as Portland could use the appellation.[3] This has caused some, labeled "prominent dissenters" by Wine Spectator's Harvey Steiman, to oppose the AVA.[3] Other reactions were less pointed with wine publishers using terms like "a bit of controversy"[13] and "the location...creates some nuances".[12] One of the same publishers said a "sub-appelation was ... inevitable given the uniqueness of the soils and resulting wines".[12]

Washington State geologist and terroir consultant Kevin Pogue submitted the proposal for the new AVA to the U.S. government.[1][2][4][3][13][6]

Unique wine flavors are said to result from the mineral composition, hydrology, and temperatures of the rocks.[14][3][15][16] Wine Spectator's two top-rated Northwest wines as of 2013, both Syrahs, and both of which scored 98 out of 100, were from the AVA.[17]

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Richard 2013a.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Richard 2013b.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Steiman 2013.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Holden 2014.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Kimbel 2014.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Federal Register 2014.
  7. ↑ Veseth 2014 "Everyone expects the TTB to soon act on a proposal for Walla Walla’s first sub-AVA – The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, which will officially recognize this unusual land."
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Marquardt & Darr 2014 "Walla Walla Valley is anticipating the Fall 2014 announcement of a new AVA — The Rocks of Milton-Freewater on the Oregon side of Walla Walla Valley..."
  9. ↑ Hermann & Kipp 2014.
  10. ↑ Kingery Ritter & Trinidad 2014.
  11. ↑ Degerman 2014.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Sullivan 2013a Sullivan states only Cayuse, Otis Kenyon, Watermill and Zerba wineries meet the criterion.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Perdue 2014 "The [Rocks AVA] petition is surrounded by a bit of controversy because it is wholly within Oregon though entirely within the Walla Walla Valley. Under current federal labeling laws, Washington wineries that use grapes from 'The Rocks' would not be able to use that AVA name on the label. Instead, they would need to refer to it as coming from the Walla Walla Valley. This would apply even to Washington wineries that own vineyards within the AVA. Only Oregon wineries would be able to use the designation."
  14. ↑ Pogue 2009.
  15. ↑ Sullivan 2013b "Stylistically, the wines are known for their outrageous, earthy, meaty aromas and flavors. In contrast to Syrah grown elsewhere in the Northwest, many of the wines off The Rocks emphasize the savory aspects of the grape instead of the fruitiness."
  16. ↑ Cayuse 2014 “The rocky soil offers excellent drainage and limited nutrients, the vines have to struggle to survive, thus reducing production and concentrating the fruit’s flavor. High density planting forces their root systems to compete and dig deeper for moisture and sustenance, and the heat transmitted by the stones helps the grapes to ripen."
  17. ↑ Richard 2013c "Reynvaan syrah Walla Walla Valley Stonessence 2010 snagged the [2013] No. 11 spot with a score of 98. The only other Northwest wine to ever receive 98 by the magazine is Christophe Baron's No Girls syrah Walla Walla Valley La Paciencia Vineyard 2009. The two wines that scored 98 come from grapes grown on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley, in what could become next spring a sub AVA called the Milton-Freewater Rocks District."

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