Candy Mountain AVA Pt 3
I’m Bob Larson. Candy Mountain is Washington state’s newest designated AVA, American Viticultural Area.
Heather Bradshaw, with the Washington State Wine Commission, says for wine grape growers on Candy Mountain, the petition process was worth the wait …
BRADSHAW … “You know they start this process of beginning and AVA, of writing an AVA three of four years ago and it’s just approved a couple of weeks ago And so, this is a long process and it makes those bottlings kind of extra special for those wineries to be able to put the name Candy Mountain AVA on the bottle.”
Bradshaw says Candy Mountain AVA designation with give it’s wine grapes a more specific identity in terms of location …
BRADSHAW … “And you know, it’s kind of also a marketing decision. And some wineries may choose to put Columbia Valley or Washington State on the bottle, especially if they’re distributing far and wide where Candy Mountain might not mean much to somebody who’s on the East Coast.”
Bradshaw says Candy Mountain followed Royal Slope as the second AVA designation in the month of September alone, with more likely to come …
BRADSHAW … “Yeah, we have six AVA’s that are currently in the petition process right now, and of course we’re on government time. So, we’re not sure when they’re going to be approved. I would anticipate that the next one might come early next year.”
Candy Mountain is part of a chain of four mountains in the area, including Red Mountain, Badger Mountain, and Little Badger Mountain.
