Naches Heights AVA – 14th Anniversary

Naches Heights AVA — 14 Years of Place, Elevation, and Wonder

Celebrate the 14th anniversary of the Naches Heights American Viticultural Area (AVA), one of Washington State’s most distinctive high-elevation wine regions.

Naches Heights is located on a million-year-old lava flow, forming a high-elevation plateau between the Naches River and Cowiche Canyon, surrounded by dramatic andesite cliffs. Unlike most regions of the Columbia Valley, that rest on basalt bedrock, Naches Heights is distinguished by andesite bedrock and windblown loess soils known as Tieton Loam.

These geological features, combined with elevation and wide diurnal temperature swings, contribute to the region’s distinctive growing conditions and expressive wines.

The Naches Heights AVA designation was spearheaded by Paul Beveridge through the federal approval process with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), formally recognizing the region as a distinct appellation in 2012.

Today, Naches Heights remains a small but influential AVA, shaped by collaboration, resilience, and a shared commitment to elevating Washington wine through authenticity and land stewardship.