America's Best Wine Region Pt 1
With today’s Fruit Grower Report, I’m Bob Larson. More accolades for the burgeoning wine industry in Washington state as the Walla Walla Valley is named “America’s Best Wine Region” by USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice awards.
Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance executive director, Robert Hansen says everyone in the valley’s wine industry is thrilled by the news …
HANSEN … “It’s really great. It’s a great accomplishment for us and a great honor. A little bit humbled, but you know we’re a small community, but we provide great minds and, you know, beautiful opportunities for people to visit and lots of things to do here. So, I think it’s a well-deserved recognition and I’m really happy we got it.”
Hansen says USA Today considers many of the qualities that Walla Walla brings …
HANSEN … “We have all the right ingredients to craft exceptional wines with the climates, the geology, the long growing season with hot summer days and cool nights, and the rainfall from one side of the valley goes from 9-inches to 22-inches on the other side. So, I think the reverse geology, which is made up of the Missoula flood soils creates pretty incredible growing opportunities for over 40 great varieties on about, almost 3,000 acres here.”
And, Hansen says more investments are being made all the time …
HANSEN … “Exactly! I just noticed an article in a magazine a couple of days ag that, a new winery just purchased a large area of land here to grow grapes on. So, it’s continually growing and it’s very exciting for us.”
Walla Walla Valley was a finalist for the award the past three years.
Tune in tomorrow for more on America’s Best Wine Region award to the Walla Walla Valley.
