SEATTLE (Oct. 30, 2024) — Beverly, Washington, has been officially designated as the state’s newest American Viticultural Area (AVA), following the publication of the final rule by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) on October 29, 2024. This new designation recognizes Beverly as a distinct wine grape-growing region.
Tom Merkle, Director of Vineyard Operations for Four Feathers Wine Services, which manages three vineyards within the newly established AVA, describes Beverly as a “super-hot, windy location on the Columbia River in central Washington.” He highlights that the region’s vines produce small berries with thick skins, resulting in wines that are intensely complex and age exceptionally well.
Nestled in central Washington, the Beverly AVA lies between the Royal Slope to the north and the Wahluke Slope to the south, and it is completely encompassed by the larger Columbia Valley.
To qualify as an AVA, a region must exhibit distinctive features. Kevin Pogue, a Professor of Geology at Whitman College and the author of the AVA petition for Beverly, identifies three key characteristics that define the area: heat, wind, and soil composition.
Heat: Beverly ranks among the warmest regions in Washington, receiving only five inches of precipitation annually, one of the lowest levels in the Columbia Valley, thanks to a pronounced rain shadow effect.
Wind: Located just two miles north of Sentinel Gap, a natural break in the Saddle Mountains, Beverly experiences accelerated wind speeds as air flows through the gap. This increased wind flow results in higher average and maximum wind speeds than those found in the nearby Royal Slope, contributing to smaller canopy sizes and thicker berry skins.
Soils: The region’s soils are formed from sediment deposited by the Missoula Floods, which were slowed by the constriction at Sentinel Gap. This geological history has created extremely well-drained soils that offer growers better control over water stress.
The combination of these factors makes the AVA particularly suited for cultivating red wine varieties, with vineyards primarily planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc. “All in all, it’s a place to grow robust red wines,” Pogue noted.
Spanning 2,415 acres, Beverly is one of Washington’s smallest AVAs. The area derives its name from an unincorporated town established in the early 1900s when railroad lines were first introduced to the region.
Kristina Kelley, Executive Director of the Washington State Wine Commission, remarked, “Beverly, Washington marks our state’s 21st AVA, with the last seven approved since 2020. Each new AVA signifies continued growth and maturity for the Washington wine industry.”
Wineries will be able to submit requests for a Certificate of Label Approval (COLA) to the TTB for labels using the Beverly, Washington AVA as the appellation of origin starting November 29, 2024. Kelley expressed anticipation for the new AVA’s inclusion on wine labels, stating, “We look forward to seeing the Beverly, Washington AVA on labels shortly.”
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