Candy Mountain  AVA: The Smallest Giant in Washington Wine

Nestled within the Yakima Valley, the Candy Mountain AVA is a 815-acre powerhouse defined by its unique south-facing slopes and ancient geological history. At Kitzke Cellars and Upsidedown Wine, we don’t just source from this region—we live here. As the only winery physically located within the AVA’s borders, our Candy Ridge Estate Vineyard serves as the benchmark for the region’s signature “mountain-grown” profile. Our wines are a direct reflection of the caliche-rich soils and high-wind microclimate that produce the most concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah in the Pacific Northwest.

Download Candy Mountain AVA Profile, courtesy of www.WashingtonWine.org

Article & Pictures

Sweet 16: Candy Mountain becomes Washington’s newest appellation – Northwest Wine Report

Article & Video

A Vineyard walk on Candy Ridge, Candy Mountain AVA with Seth Kitzke –
Crushed Grape Chronicles

The History: From Family Farm to Washington’s 16th AVA

The History: From Family Farm to Washington’s 16th AVA

The story of Candy Mountain began long before it was officially recognized as an American Viticultural Area in September 2020. While neighbors like Red Mountain were gaining global fame, the Kitzke family was quietly planting roots.

  • 2000: Paul and Vickie Kitzke planted their first Bordeaux varietals on the mountain, inspired by the success of their neighbor, Jim, who had been growing Merlot there since 1982.

  • 2005: The first vintage of Kitzke Cellars was produced, signaling that this tiny ridge had the potential for world-class structure.

  • The Next Generation: Seth Kitzke, who grew up pruning these very vines before a career as a semi-pro snowboarder, returned to take over winemaking for both Kitzke Cellars and his own project, Upsidedown Wine.

  • The Petition: Seth and the Kitzke family were instrumental in the push for AVA status, providing the data and passion needed to prove that Candy Mountain was a distinct terroir worthy of its own name.

South-Facing Prowess:

Almost the entire AVA sits on a south-facing slope. This maximizes solar radiation, allowing the soil to warm quickly in the spring and ensuring red varietals—particularly Cabernet Franc and Syrah—reach optimal ripeness.

What Makes It Great: The “Small but Mighty” Climate

At just 815 acres, Candy Mountain is the smallest AVA in Washington State. Despite its size, it packs a punch due to its unique orientation:’

  • South-Facing Prowess: Almost the entire AVA sits on a south-facing slope. This maximizes solar radiation, allowing the soil to warm quickly in the spring and ensuring red varietals—particularly Cabernet Franc and Syrah—reach optimal ripeness.

  • The Air Drainage Advantage: Because it is an isolated mountain rising above the surrounding plains, cold air “drains” off the slopes into the valley floor. This protects the Kitzke vineyards from the devastating spring and fall frosts that can plague flatter regions.

  • Wind & Concentration: Similar to Red Mountain, Candy Mountain experiences high winds. This stress leads to smaller berry sizes with thicker skins, resulting in wines with intense color, deep concentration, and “mountain-grown” tannins.

Ranging from 640 to 1,320 feet

815 Acres

110 acres currently under vine

What makes Candy Mountain AVA unique?

The distinction of Candy Mountain lies in its topography and soil composition

The Soil: Caliche, Granite, and Ice Age Floods

The “secret sauce” of the Kitzke estate is what lies beneath the vines. While much of Washington is defined by deep Missoula Flood deposits, Candy Mountain offers something more complex:

  • Shallow Loess: The top layers consist of wind-blown silt and sand (loess), but they are much shallower than in the surrounding valley

  • The Caliche Layer: Unique to the Kitzke vineyards is a prominent layer of Caliche—a white, calcium-carbonate-rich crust. This mineral-heavy layer locks in moisture during the dry summer months and imparts a distinct “stony” or “dusty” minerality to the wines

  • Fragmented Granite: The soil is peppered with fractured granite and basalt bedrock. Because the soil is thin, the vine roots are forced to dig deep into these minerals, which Seth Kitzke credits for the “finesse and linear acidity” found in the Upsidedown and Kitzke portfolios.

Articles

Journal of Business – Candy Mountain becomes the state’s newest wine grape region
The sweet news about the establishment of the Candy Mountain American Viticultural Area gives the Washington state wine industry its 16th AVA.

Washington Wine Commission – The Candy Mountain AVA

Northwest Wine Report – Sweet 16: Candy Mountain becomes Washington’s newest appellation
With the approval today of Candy Mountain as an American Viticultural Area (AVA), Washington gained its 16th federally recognized grape growing region. The appellation comes close on the heels of Royal Slope, which was approved earlier this month….

Great Northwest Wine – Sweet 16th AVA in Washington belongs to Candy Mountain
Candy Mountain, a portion of which is in the Richland city limits, becomes the tiniest AVA in the state at 815 acres. Its famous neighbor, Red Mountain, had been the smallest at 4,140 acres, and is known to produce muscular, age-worthy red wines….