{"id":13490,"date":"2018-10-10T17:16:31","date_gmt":"2018-10-10T17:16:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/winecountrygetaways.com\/?p=13490"},"modified":"2018-10-10T19:12:12","modified_gmt":"2018-10-10T19:12:12","slug":"yakima-valley-wine-country-instead-of-the-napa-valley-we-say-yes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/winecountrygetaways.com\/yakima-valley-wine-country-instead-of-the-napa-valley-we-say-yes\/","title":{"rendered":"Yakima Valley Wine Country instead of the Napa Valley? We Say Yes!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are you\u00a0and friends planning a trip to the Napa Valley? Be prepared to spend a small fortune and battle hoards of tourists. Your money might be better spent by taking a trip to the Northwest, to the Yakima Valley wine country in Washington State. Yakima is off the radar for most wine country travelers, but it has so much to offer to the wine enthusiast. We spent five days in Yakima, and we are now deeply enamored by this wine region. Napa Valley<\/a> is historic, but the Yakima Valley also has some great wine adventures in store for visitors.<\/p>\n

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Joe and Janelle in the Yakima Valley – Elephant Hill Vineyard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Yakima Valley Wine country<\/h2>\n
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A good look at one type of soil profile in Yakima Valley wine country. Vineyard belongs to Owen Roe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Yakima Valley Terroir<\/h3>\n

The wines in Yakima Valley wine country are extraordinary and match up with Napa Valley wines. It is not just Chardonnay, Cabernet, and Merlot in Yakima; its diverse soil and weather give it the ability to produce several varieties at quality levels.<\/p>\n

Did you know that Yakima Valley is a desert? The Cascade Mountains to the west bring rain and snow to the coastal side, but only a mere 5 to 6 inches to the Yakima Valley. The dry climate means no mold or mildew, and very few insects. That is why sustainable farming is attainable in the Yakima Valley.<\/p>\n

The soil varies from vineyard to vineyard with\u00a0silt, loam, loess, and cobblestone. The diverse soils side-by-side are due to volcanoes and the ancient Missoula Flood<\/a> waters. Our visit to Owen Roe’s vineyards displayed each of these soil types in separate plots of the vineyards.<\/p>\n

Rivers run east to west providing south-facing hillsides. Red grapes love the sun and get plenty of it facing south. Also, because of the latitude, there are more daylight hours for the red grapes. The evenings cool down,\u00a0 and there you have the ideal climate for red grapes. The Yakima Valley is at the same latitude as Burgundy and Bordeaux.<\/p>\n

Yakima Valley Wineries<\/h3>\n

In our most recent trip to Yakima Valley, we visited several wineries and sampled a large number of Yakima Valley wines and other Washington wines. The quality is there and, for the most part, not at the huge price tag of Napa Valley wines.<\/p>\n

There are 60 wineries in the Yakima Valley and nearly 19,000 acres of vineyards. The wineries are small and family owned. The tasting room fees are low, usually between $5 and $10, and waived with a purchase of wine. It is not uncommon to find the winemaker and\/or owner pouring in the tasting room.<\/p>\n

The Yakima Valley extends 85 miles in length and is wide enough to fit the length of the entire Napa Valley within its width. Besides vineyards and wineries, the Yakima Valley is an agricultural bonanza. Napa Valley has only vineyards, and rightly so. Yakima is diverse, with vineyards and many other crops growing side-by-side. These crops include cherry trees, apple trees, hops, and pears.<\/p>\n