Chateau Ste. Michelle owns 3,500 acres in Washington state's renowned Columbia Valley. The Columbia Valley American Viticulture Area (AVA) is a region separated from Seattle's rainy, marine climate by the Cascade Mountains. The mountains shield the rain, limiting annual rainfall to 6-8 inches, allowing our vineyard managers to control vine vigor through irrigation. All vines in the Columbia Valley are planted on their own rootstock, which helps us maintain the health and longevity of our vineyards and preserves the grape variety in its natural state.