"washington state" news and stories

If a ninth-grade class gets its way, the Washington state apple may soon have another denizen of the produce aisle join it as a state symbol: the Walla Walla sweet onion. Kirkland Junior High School teacher Toni Miller's class managed to get the state House to vote 95-1 in favor of making the Walla Walla the state vegetable. Next, it goes to the Senate.

Miller sowed the seed for the "onion bill" three years ago as a way to infuse some pungency into what's usually a bland civics lesson. Miller's students were glad to see that they could play a role in government, but not all of them line up behind the onion. "I thought it should be the coffee bean," one girl quipped. For more see The Seattle Times.

[photo: The Seattle Times]

Today was the first day that three new Viticultural areas, or wine regions, in Washington (Wahluke Slope), Texas (Texoma) and California, can be noted on wine labels. NPR has a nice piece on how this happened in Ramona Valley, near San Diego, Calif. In order to be designated as its own appellation, a region must prove that it has unique topography and climate; that there is some history of the area being called, in this case, "Ramona Valley"; and that wine grapes can, and are, being grown there.

Ramona Valley is distinct thanks to its position about 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean, and about 20 miles from the desert. It cools off quickly during the evening, but the days provide long hours of warmth and good ripening time. Grapes that do well in Ramona Valley, says a winemaker, include Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc.

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