CLIMATE
This table of weather data for the last 13 years is from the Washington State University Ag Weather Net weather station located at the vineyard site. Precipitation on the Wahluke Slope, averaging just 6 inches per year, is at the low end of the range for Eastern Washington. The temperatures shown are averages.
growing seasonThe mean length of the growing season throughout the state of Washington shows the Wahluke Slope to average 200 or more frost-free growing days. The location of the vineyard is the Southern tip of Grant County.
From Washington Viticulture - The Basics in Growing Grapes in Eastern Washington Proceeding from a Washington State short course on establishing a vineyard and producing grapes. heat accumulationThis figure illustrates the distribution of accumulated heat units throughout the state of Washington. Stone Tree Vineyard lies within the 3500 Heat Units circle north of Benton County.
From Washington Viticulture - The Basics in Growing Grapes in Eastern Washington Proceeding from a Washington State short course on establishing a vineyard and producing grapes. |
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This map shows we are one of the warmest sites in the state. The red arrow points to the Wahluke Slope AVA.
winter temperaturesThis figure illustrates the contours of Extreme Minimum Temperature throughout the State of Washington.
From Washington Viticulture - The Basics in Growing Grapes in Eastern Washington proceeding from a Washington State short course on establishing a vineyard and producing grapes. Temperatures below -14 F are lethal to vinifera grapes. There is no grape growing region in Washington that is immune to vine-damaging, extreme low temperatures. aspectThe StoneTree site slopes from 950 feet up to over 1,200 feet above sea level over a 4,000-foot distance, for an average slope of approximately 8%.
stonetree vineyard site topographyThe North-South aspect allows for optimal solar gain. North-South row orientation maximizes this effect. Cold air drains naturally down the slope of the vineyard to the South and into a basin at an elevation of 800 feet above sea level. The effect is a significant reduction of the risk of crop loss due to spring and fall frosts.
wind conditionsWinds are predominantly from the South, West and Northwest, and average 8 -12 mph in late summer afternoon. Frequently, winds shift and blow down-slope from the North, the same direction as the row orientation, which has a number of beneficial effects. Winds can gust higher, but so far have not been severe enough to damage vines.
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