A recently designated zone north of the Wahluke Slope centred on the Quincy basin, where the Missoula floods carved a network of ancient lake basins now filled with unusually cold-tolerant vineyard sites. Sandy, rockstrewn soils over basalt create stressful growing conditions; the cold air drainage and late harvest windows favour riesling, gewürztraminer, and chardonnay with exceptional natural acidity.
| Year | Rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 93 | Ancient Lakes' 2024 was clean, precise, and powerful. The lake-bed soils in perfect conditions produced Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling of exceptional freshness and concentration. |
| 2022 | 94 | Ancient Lakes' high elevation (above 500m) and cool Columbia River proximity produced Riesling and Gewurztraminer of extraordinary tension and delicacy in what was otherwise a hot year. Kevin White Winery and Avennia both reported benchmark aromatic white vintages. A cooler-climate oasis within the Columbia Valley's warmth. |
| 2021 | 89 | Elevation moderated heat dome impact significantly. Ancient Lakes Riesling showed characteristic acid retention that was otherwise rare in Washington in 2021. A vintage that demonstrated the sub-AVA's case for cool-climate aromatic whites within a warm basin. |
| 2017 | 89 | Hot, dry season suited the Similkameen's already-warm valley floor. Syrah and old-vine varieties showed density and concentration. |
| 2016 | 93 | The Similkameen Valley's rugged terrain and extreme diurnal variation produced wines of uncommon complexity in 2016. The dry-farmed old vines that define the valley's character showed their best. |
| 2015 | 93 | The Similkameen's dry-farmed organic viticulture made it particularly vulnerable to the 2015 heat. Yields were reduced but the resulting wines of those who managed irrigation carefully showed extraordinary concentration. |
| 2014 | 92 | Ancient Lakes' 2014 grew the season's warmth into wines of concentrated fruit and refreshing mineral clarity. The ancient lake-bed soils and cold night temperatures preserved acidity in deeply coloured Cabernet and Syrah. |
| 2013 | 91 | Ancient Lakes' 2013 showed the appellation's distinctive combination of high altitude, intense sun, and cold lake-bed soils at their most expressive. Riesling and other aromatics excelled alongside structured Cabernet. |
| 2012 | 89 | Ancient Lakes' 2012 was defined by intense heat and the lake-bed soils' ability to maintain structure in a very warm vintage. Aromatic whites were stressed but reds built excellent concentration. |