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Grapes Washington’s Puget Sound is not only picturesque, but it’s near major population centers. A research climatologist identified about 20,000 acres in the Puget Sound area suitable for growing wine grapes. by Melissa Hansen W ashington’s Puget Sound has long been associated with rain, and more rain—not a climate thought to be conducive to wine grape production. But a detailed look at the region’s topography, soils, growing degree-days and changing climate show good potential for grape growing in the region. While the majority of the state’s grape production is located in the arid region on the east side of the Cascade Mountains, Puget Sound has a surprising depth of wine Puget Sound POTENTIAL grape history. It was home to the state’s first bonded win- ery, St. Charles Winery on Stretch Island, founded by Lambert Evans, who planted grapes in 1872. More than a century later, in 1977, Gerard Bentryn established one of the region’s first commercial vineyards with vinifera-type grapes at his Bainbridge Island Vineyard and Winery, planting cool climate varieties like Madeleine Angevine, Muller Thurgau, and Madeleine Sylvaner. The Puget Sound American Viticultural Area was approved in 1995, the fourth AVA in the state, before Red Mountain, Horse Heaven Hills, and others. Within its 7,500-square-mile boundary, about 200 acres of grapes are planted today, representing 20 vineyards. About 100 wineries are located within the AVA, with 20 of those focusing on locally grown grapes and wines. The other wineries truck grapes over from the state’s eastside to make their wines. Puget Sound potential Dr. Gregory Jones, research climatologist at Southern Oregon State University in Ashland, began studying the Puget Sound’s wine grape growing potential about six years ago, he said during statewide wine grape talks last winter. His study identified more than 20,000 acres suit- able for varieties with annual heat units ranging from 1600 to 2300 growing degree-days (with a base tempera- ture of 50°F from April 1 to October 31). About 12,000 of those acres had between 1900 and 2300 growing degree- days. His involvement with the area stemmed from research he did on behalf of a group of North Olympic Peninsula growers and communities to learn if the region was suit- able for wine grape production in terms of soil, climate, and topography. Computer models were used to map the region, overlaying growing degree-days, frost-free days, soil type, slope, aspect, and such, to identify areas suit- able for wine grape production. He notes that a similar project is under way in eastern Washington, led by Washington State University’s Dr. Joan Davenport. The Pacific Northwest climate is influenced by surface temperatures of the Pacific Ocean, and atmospheric cir- culation or zonal (air) flows across the region. On top of that, the climate interacts with the El Niño (or La Niña) Southern Oscillation, which lasts from three to seven www.goodfruit.com GOOD FRUIT GROWER JUNE 2011 35 SAN JJUAN VINEYARDS