Red Mountain (Benton County, Washington)

For other mountains in Washington named Red Mountain, see Red Mountain § United States. For the wine region, see Red Mountain AVA.

Red Mountain is located in the southeast corner of Washington state near the Tri-Cities between Rattlesnake Mountain and Candy Mountain. This region is situated among the Columbia, Snake and Yakima Rivers. The mountain covers an area of approximately 4,040 acres (6.31 sq mi). Its name is derived from the red-wine springtime bloom of the drooping brome or "cheatgrass" on its slopes.^[3]

Red Mountain
Red Mountain as seen from the east in 2007.
Highest point
Elevation	1,410 ft (430 m) NGVD 29[1]
Prominence	720 ft (220 m)[1]
Coordinates	46°17′52″N 119°26′27″W[2]
Geography
Red Mountain Location in Washington state
Location	Benton County, Washington, U.S.
Topo map	USGS Benton City

In 2001, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury recognized Red Mountain as an American Viticultural Area (AVA) after reviewing the petition submitted by Lorne Jacobson of Hedges Cellars to establish an area known as "Red Mountain."^[4] Some of Washington's primer wine estates source grapes from Red Mountain. The sandy loam soil of the region is high in calcium and alkaline. Red Mountain's vineyards are characterized by good air drainage, light soils and deeply rooted vines. With only 6 to 8 inches (200 mm) of annual rainfall, area growers must irrigate, which allows them to control vine vigor and ease vines into dormancy before winter. Red Mountain's growing season averages 180 days.^[5] The vineyards are located on the south-facing slopes, between the cities of Benton City and West Richland within the larger Yakima Valley viticultural area. About 700 acres (283 ha) of the mountain slopes are cultivated for winegrapes, which mainly include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Sangiovese. The area is resident to 37 wineries.^[3]

Nearby cities and towns

Benton City, Kennewick, Pasco, Prosser, Richland, West Richland.

Red Mountain is named for the cheatgrass' vibrant red-wine springtime bloom.

References

1. "Red Mountain, Washington". Peakbagger.com.
2. "Red Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
3. "Red Mountain AVA". Washington Wine. Washington State Wine Commission Center. 2024.
4. Perdue, Andy. "How Red Mountain grew into Washington's premier wine region". Barron's. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
5. "Red Mountain Viticultural Area (99R– 367P)" (27 CFR Part 9 [T.D. ATF–448; Re: Notice No. 897] RIN: 1512–AAO7 Final Rule). Federal Register. 66 (69). Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury: 18543–18546. April 10, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 18, 2023. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.