Washington 2018 reds: top-scoring wines from Yakima Valley

A place all its own in Washington State, the Yakima Valley has cooler growing season temperatures than both the Walla Walla and Red Mountain AVAs.

Scroll down for the top-scoring Yakima Valley 2018 red wines

The Yakima Valley AVA was founded back in 1983 and is the largest sub-AVA of the Columbia Valley AVA, cultivating 6,879 hectares of wine grapes, with more than 40 varieties planted.

Washington 2018 red wines: full report and top-scoring wines

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Individual analysis by AVA:

 Columbia Valley | Horse Heaven Hills | Red Mountain | Walla Walla Valley

Plus: Top-value Washington 2018 reds – the best to buy

This is Washington State’s first federally recognised AVA and now includes more than 60 wineries.

Most widely planted to Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, many sites are higher elevation, leading to good natural acidity in the wines but also a protective measure for freeze.

Riesling and Syrah represent significant acreage, with Syrah increasing in higher-elevation plantings.

Cooler-climate Syrah from the famed Boushey Vineyard here has a strong following while Grenache from the same vineyard can evoke very delicate and high-toned red fruits with citrus rind and tilled soil accents.

Merlot and Syrah planted here also display a pretty core of red fruits typically with lighter damp earthy tones and good finesse.

This is an arid site with 20cm of annual rain as vines are set on Yakima Valley soils are strongly influenced by the Missoula Floods, which were a series of dramatic cataclysms in prehistoric times. Moderate to deep silt-loam is layered over gravel or directly onto basalt bedrock in the valley.

Typically the Yakima Valley has roughly a 190-day growing season with the more mountainous sites being some of the coolest in the state.

Top Yakima Valley producers:

• Cote Bonneville
• Avennia
• B. Leighton
• Owen Roe
• WT Vintners

The top-scoring Yakima Valley 2018 red wines

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