Winemakers hope new growing regions ultimately lead to greater recognition for the state

   

Washington State suddenly finds itself with a surfeit of new grape growing appellations, with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) announcing the approval of two new American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). This comes on the heels of two approvals last year, as growers and winemakers increasingly subdivide the Columbia Valley, Washington’s largest growing region. 
 “I love the specificity,” says Bob Betz, MW, founder of Betz Family Winery, of carving up the Columbia Valley. “I love the precision and detail that it brings to the consumer.”
Image of Bacchus and Dionysus vineyards in White Bluffs by Richard Duval.