The Rattlesnake Hills AVA is an American Viticultural Area

American Viticultural Area

An American Viticultural Area is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau , United States Department of the Treasury....

 located in Yakima County

Yakima County, Washington

Yakima County is the second largest county by area in the U.S. state of Washington. It is named after the Yakama tribe of Native Americans. In the 2010 census, its population was 243,231...

, Washington. United States Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, statutorily named the Tax and Trade Bureau and frequently shortened to TTB, is a bureau of the United States Department of the Treasury....

 (TTB) awarded Rattlesnake Hills its appellation status on March 20, 2006, making Rattlesnake Hills Washington’s ninth federally recognized American Viticultural Area. The Rattlesnake Hills AVA is entirely contained within the Yakima Valley AVA

Yakima Valley AVA

The Yakima Valley AVA was the first American Viticultural Area established within Washington State, gaining the recognition in 1983. Part of the larger Columbia Valley AVA, Yakima Valley AVA is home to more than of vineyards, giving the area the largest concentration of wineries and vineyards in...

, which is in turn is entirely contained within the larger Columbia Valley AVA

Columbia Valley AVA

The Columbia Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area which lies in the Columbia River Plateau, through much of central and southern Washington state, with a small section crossing into the neighboring state of Oregon. The AVA includes the drainage basin of the Columbia River and its tributaries...

. The hills form the northern boundary of Yakima Valley, and the AVA includes land between the north bank of the Sunnyside Canal and the entirety of the southern slopes of the Rattlesnake Hills

Rattlesnake Hills

The Rattlesnake Hills is a 16 mile long anticline mountain ridge in Yakima County and Benton County in the U.S. state of Washington. Also known as Rattlesnake Mountain and Rattlesnake Ridge, it should not be confused with the much smaller Rattlesnake Ridge located near the west end of Ahtanum Ridge...

 between Outlook

Outlook, Washington

Outlook is an unincorporated community in Yakima County, Washington, United States. Outlook is located along Interstate 82 and U.S. Route 12 west of Sunnyside. Outlook has a post office with ZIP code 98938....

 and the Wapato Dam. The AVA is centered around the city of Zillah

Zillah, Washington

Zillah is a city in Yakima County, Washington, United States with a population of 2,964 at the 2010 census.-History:Zillah was founded in 1891 following the completion of the Sunnyside Canal project, an irrigation scheme delivering water from the Yakima River to the arid lower Yakima Valley. Walter...

. With elevations ranging from 850 feet (259 m) to 3085 feet (940 m), this AVA contains the highest point in the Yakima Valley AVA

Vineyards

Vineyards in Rattlesnake Hills AVA include the Morrison Vineyard, planted in 1968 to Riesling

Riesling

Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally...

 and Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...

 for Chateau Ste. Michelle

Chateau Ste. Michelle

The Chateau Ste. Michelle is a winery in Woodinville, Washington. The winery is noted for its best-selling Riesling bottlings. Chateau Ste. Michelle is the largest single producer of Riesling wine in the United States. The winery also produces wines of other varietals and some experimental wines...

. It is the oldest vineyard in the AVA. In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, the Hyatt Vineyard, Whisky Canyon, Outlook, and the Portteus Vineyard were also planted.

Opposition to AVA

When an AVA designation for the Rattlesnake Hills was proposed it created controversy among some Washington winemakers and vineyard growers. One of its most notable opponents was grower Dick Boushey of Boushey Vineyards in the Rattlesnake Hills (but not within the boundaries of the AVA). Boushey argued that the area did not have distinctive terroir

Terroir

Terroir comes from the word terre "land". It was originally a French term in wine, coffee and tea used to denote the special characteristics that the geography, geology and climate of a certain place bestowed upon particular varieties...

that would merit an AVA stating "I know of no regional style, specific variety or type of wine that is unique to this proposed area. The granting of this proposal would confuse consumers and undermine the existing Yakima Valley Appellation."