Proposed Establishment of the Columbia Hills Viticultural Area
TTB proposes a new AVA in Washington, affecting wine labeling and excise tax for wineries in that area.
Aforeworn detected this change in the Liquor Licensing space on July 14, 2026 and published this briefing so affected operators are forewarned rather than caught off guard. It is rated Low urgency. Wineries and vineyards in the proposed Columbia Hills AVA in Klickitat County, Washington. should confirm how it applies to their specific situation before acting. There is a time constraint attached: Comments due by February 3, 2025.. Acting after that point can mean penalties, a lapsed licence, or lost eligibility — exactly the kind of surprise Aforeworn exists to prevent. Aforeworn monitors Liquor Licensing continuously and turns every detected change into a plain-English briefing like this one, so you always know first. Forewarned is forearmed.
What changed
If finalized, wines from this area can use 'Columbia Hills' as an AVA on labels, and may be subject to different excise tax rates if the AVA is recognized for tax purposes.
Who it affects
Wineries and vineyards in the proposed Columbia Hills AVA in Klickitat County, Washington.
What you must do
Monitor the rulemaking process and submit comments by the deadline if desired.
Deadline
Comments due by February 3, 2025.
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