Comment from Phelps, Don (Balsamroot Winery)

I support the proposed designation of the Lake Chelan AVA. This area, while new in terms of current grape production, is already establishing itself as an outstanding area for producing quality grapes as evidenced by the number of awards being garnered by wines produced from locally grown grapes. One of these is the Best Syrah in Washington awarded to Tsillan Cellars for an estate syrah produced from grapes grown in the proposed AVA. Our geologic structure is pretty unique in the state of Washington in terms of the soils being comprised of glacially deposited soils rather than wind or flood deposits. The lake, being 1500 feet deep, acts as a heat sink and modrates the climatic conditions both in winter and summer, providing hot days and cool nights in the growing season and only moderately low temperatures in the winter months.