American Viticultural Area · WA
Red Mountain
Red Mountain is a federally-designated American Viticultural Area in WA, established in 2001. The map below shows its official TTB boundary alongside nearby AVAs.
The Red Mountain boundary is highlighted. Nearby AVAs are rendered in gray — click any of them to view that AVA's page.
At a glance
Established
2001
State
WA
Climate
Hot continental
Signature varietals
Boundary recorded in 27 CFR Part 9 · Source: TTB
About the Red Mountain AVA
Red Mountain, designated 2001, is one of Washington's smallest and most acclaimed AVAs, a southwest-facing slope at the eastern edge of the Yakima Valley in the Columbia Valley. Despite its name, it is not a true mountain but a low, sun-soaked ridge. The site is hot and dry, with strong afternoon winds, very well-drained sandy and calcareous soils, and large day-to-night temperature swings. Red Mountain lies within the Yakima Valley AVA and the larger Columbia Valley AVA.
Cabernet Sauvignon is the signature grape, joined by Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and other warm-climate reds. The intense sun, heat, and wind produce small berries with thick skins, yielding deeply colored, powerfully structured, firmly tannic red wines that are among the most highly regarded in the Pacific Northwest. Demand for its limited vineyard land has made Red Mountain fruit some of the most sought-after in the state.
Nearby AVAs
Other American Viticultural Areas closest to Red Mountain — useful when a vineyard sits inside more than one AVA at once.