American Viticultural Area
Encyclopedia
An American Viticultural Area is a designated wine
grape
-growing region in the United States
distinguishable by geographic
features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
(TTB), United States Department of the Treasury
.
The TTB defines AVAs at the request of wineries
and other petition
ers. There were 198 AVAs as of January 2010. Prior to the installation of the AVA system, wine appellation
s of origin in the United States were designated based on state
or county boundaries. All of these appellations were grandfathered
into federal law and may appear on wine labels as designated places of origin, but these appellations are distinct from AVAs.
American Viticultural Areas range in size from the Upper Mississippi Valley AVA
at 29900 square miles (77,440.6 km²) across four states, to the Cole Ranch AVA
in Mendocino County
, California
, at only 62 acres (25 ha). The Augusta AVA
near the town of Augusta, Missouri
, was the first recognized AVA, gaining the status on June 20, 1980.
Unlike most Europe
an wine appellations of origin, an AVA specifies only a geographical location from which at least 85% of the grapes used to make a wine must have been grown. AVAs are more similar to the Italian
Indicazione Geografica Tipica
than other European appellation of origin systems. American Viticultural Area designations do not limit the type of grapes grown, the method of vinification, or the crop yield. Some of those factors may, however, be used by the petitioner to justify uniqueness of place when proposing a new AVA.
Petitioners are required to provide such information when applying for a new AVA, and are also required to use USGS
map
s to both describe (using terms from the map) and depict the boundaries.
Once an AVA is established, at least 85% of the grapes used to make a wine must be grown in the specified area if an AVA is referenced on its label.
State or county boundaries — such as for Oregon
or Sonoma County
— are not AVAs, even though they are used to identify the source of a wine. AVAs are reserved for situations where a geographically defined area has been using the name and it has come to be identified with that area.
A vineyard may be in more than one AVA. For example, the Santa Clara Valley AVA
and Livermore Valley AVAs are located within the territory of the San Francisco Bay AVA
, which is itself located within the Central Coast AVA
.
All of these AVAs are included in the geographic boundaries of the Central Coast AVA
with the exceptions of Ben Lomond Mountain AVA
and Santa Cruz Mountains AVA
, which are surrounded by, but are specifically excluded from, the larger regional AVA.
of far northwestern California.
.
.
.
states of Oregon
, Washington
, and Idaho
:
:
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
-growing region in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
distinguishable by geographic
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, statutorily named the Tax and Trade Bureau and frequently shortened to TTB, is a bureau of the United States Department of the Treasury....
(TTB), United States Department of the Treasury
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
.
The TTB defines AVAs at the request of wineries
Winery
A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large expanses of...
and other petition
Petition
A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer....
ers. There were 198 AVAs as of January 2010. Prior to the installation of the AVA system, wine appellation
Appellation
An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown; other types of food often have appellations as well...
s of origin in the United States were designated based on state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
or county boundaries. All of these appellations were grandfathered
Grandfather clause
Grandfather clause is a legal term used to describe a situation in which an old rule continues to apply to some existing situations, while a new rule will apply to all future situations. It is often used as a verb: to grandfather means to grant such an exemption...
into federal law and may appear on wine labels as designated places of origin, but these appellations are distinct from AVAs.
American Viticultural Areas range in size from the Upper Mississippi Valley AVA
Upper Mississippi Valley AVA
The Upper Mississippi River Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area covering 29,914 square miles located along the Upper Mississippi River and its tributaries in northeast Iowa, northwest Illinois, southeast Minnesota and southwest Wisconsin...
at 29900 square miles (77,440.6 km²) across four states, to the Cole Ranch AVA
Cole Ranch AVA
The Cole Ranch AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Mendocino County, California. At less than a quarter of a square mile, it is the smallest appellation in the United States. The AVA is located between the Russian River and Anderson Valley. All planted land in the appellation is owned...
in Mendocino County
Mendocino County wine
The Mendocino County wine is an appellation that designates wine made from grapes grown mostly in Mendocino County, California. The region is part of the larger North Coast AVA and one of California's largest and most climatically diverse wine growing regions...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, at only 62 acres (25 ha). The Augusta AVA
Augusta AVA
The Augusta AVA was the first federally approved American Viticultural Area gaining the status on June 20, 1980, eight months before the Napa Valley AVA in northern California. Located entirely within the state of Missouri, the boundaries of this wine region encompass around the city of Augusta...
near the town of Augusta, Missouri
Augusta, Missouri
Augusta is a city in St. Charles County, Missouri, United States. The population was 218 at the 2000 census. The town boasts wineries, antique shops, retaurants, B&B's, a wood shop, a glass studio, massage therapy, and The Augusta Brewery....
, was the first recognized AVA, gaining the status on June 20, 1980.
Unlike most Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an wine appellations of origin, an AVA specifies only a geographical location from which at least 85% of the grapes used to make a wine must have been grown. AVAs are more similar to the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Indicazione Geografica Tipica
Indicazione geografica tipica
Indicazione geografica tipica is the second of four classifications of wine recognized by the government of Italy. Created to recognize the unusually high quality of the class of wines known as Super Tuscans, IGT wines are labeled with the locality of their creation, but do not meet the...
than other European appellation of origin systems. American Viticultural Area designations do not limit the type of grapes grown, the method of vinification, or the crop yield. Some of those factors may, however, be used by the petitioner to justify uniqueness of place when proposing a new AVA.
Requirements
Current regulations impose the following additional requirements on an AVA:- Evidence that the name of the proposed new AVA is locally or nationally known as referring to the area;
- Historical or current evidence that the boundaries are legitimate;
- Evidence that growing conditions such as climateClimateClimate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
, soilSoilSoil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
, elevationElevationThe elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
, and physical features are distinctive;
Petitioners are required to provide such information when applying for a new AVA, and are also required to use USGS
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
map
Map
A map is a visual representation of an area—a symbolic depiction highlighting relationships between elements of that space such as objects, regions, and themes....
s to both describe (using terms from the map) and depict the boundaries.
Once an AVA is established, at least 85% of the grapes used to make a wine must be grown in the specified area if an AVA is referenced on its label.
State or county boundaries — such as for Oregon
Oregon wine
The state of Oregon in the United States has established an international reputation for its production of wine. Oregon has several different growing regions within the state's borders which are well-suited to the cultivation of grapes; additional regions straddle the border between Oregon and the...
or Sonoma County
Sonoma County wine
Sonoma County wine is wine made in Sonoma County, California, USA. County names in the United States automatically qualify as legal appellations of origin for wine produced from grapes grown in that county and do not require registration with the United States Department of the Treasury, Alcohol...
— are not AVAs, even though they are used to identify the source of a wine. AVAs are reserved for situations where a geographically defined area has been using the name and it has come to be identified with that area.
A vineyard may be in more than one AVA. For example, the Santa Clara Valley AVA
Santa Clara Valley AVA
The Santa Clara Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Santa Clara County, California. The area served an important role in the early history of California wine and was home to the pioneer winemakers Paul Masson and Charles Lefranc...
and Livermore Valley AVAs are located within the territory of the San Francisco Bay AVA
San Francisco Bay AVA
The San Francisco Bay AVA is a large American Viticultural Area centered around the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. The AVA includes the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Francisco and San Mateo as well as parts of Santa Cruz and San Benito counties. The AVA was...
, which is itself located within the Central Coast AVA
Central Coast AVA
The Central Coast AVA is a large American Viticultural Area that spans from Santa Barbara County in the south to the San Francisco Bay Area in the north. The boundaries of the Central Coast include portions of six counties. With around planted to wine grapes, Chardonnay accounts for more than...
.
Central Coast and Santa Cruz Mountains
Central Coast AVA
The Central Coast AVA is a large American Viticultural Area that spans from Santa Barbara County in the south to the San Francisco Bay Area in the north. The boundaries of the Central Coast include portions of six counties. With around planted to wine grapes, Chardonnay accounts for more than...
with the exceptions of Ben Lomond Mountain AVA
Ben Lomond Mountain AVA
The Ben Lomond Mountain AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Santa Cruz County, California, located on the western edge of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Vineyards were first planted on the mountain in the 1860s, but viticulture there has been difficult...
and Santa Cruz Mountains AVA
Santa Cruz Mountains AVA
The Santa Cruz Mountains AVA is an American Viticultural Area centered around the Santa Cruz Mountains. It includes three counties in California: Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and San Mateo. Recognized as an AVA in 1981, the Santa Cruz Mountains Appellation was among the first to be defined by its...
, which are surrounded by, but are specifically excluded from, the larger regional AVA.
- Arroyo Grande ValleyArroyo Grande Valley AVAThe Arroyo Grande Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in San Luis Obispo County, California. It is part of the larger Central Coast AVA. The long appellation benefits from it east-northeast orientation which allows the breeze from the Pacific Ocean to moderate the climate of the area...
- Arroyo Seco
- Ben Lomond MountainBen Lomond Mountain AVAThe Ben Lomond Mountain AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Santa Cruz County, California, located on the western edge of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Vineyards were first planted on the mountain in the 1860s, but viticulture there has been difficult...
- Carmel Valley
- Central CoastCentral Coast AVAThe Central Coast AVA is a large American Viticultural Area that spans from Santa Barbara County in the south to the San Francisco Bay Area in the north. The boundaries of the Central Coast include portions of six counties. With around planted to wine grapes, Chardonnay accounts for more than...
- Chalone
- Cienega ValleyCienega Valley AVAThe Cienega Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in western San Benito County, California. It is part of the larger Central Coast AVA. The valley was once a major source of wine grapes for Almaden Vineyards before it was acquired by Constellation Brands in 1987. Approximately ...
- Edna ValleyEdna Valley AVAThe Edna Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in San Luis Obispo County, California south of the city of San Luis Obispo and north of the town of Arroyo Grande. It is part of the larger Central Coast AVA. The valley is roughly bounded by Lake Lopez to the south and Islay Hill to...
- Hames ValleyHames Valley AVAThe Hames Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Monterey County, California. It became an AVA in 1994. It is part of the larger Monterey AVA, and is located at the southern end of the Salinas Valley in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Range. The soil in the valley is shale and...
- Happy Canyon of Santa BarbaraHappy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVAThe Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Santa Barbara County, California.-External links:* *...
- Lime Kiln ValleyLime Kiln Valley AVAThe Lime Kiln Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the larger Cienega Valley AVA in San Benito County, California. This appellation spans and was granted AVA status in 1982. The soil in the region is composed of foundations of limestone and dolomite with sandy, gravelly loam above...
- Livermore Valley
- MontereyMonterey AVAThe Monterey AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in eastern Monterey County, California. It was established in 1984. It is part of the larger Central Coast AVA. It runs roughly from its northern point, north of Monterey Bay to its southern point, abutting Paso Robles, California...
- Mt. HarlanMt. Harlan AVAThe Mt. Harlan AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in San Benito County, California. It is located in the Gabilan Mountains and is part of the larger Central Coast AVA. At elevations of to above sea level, the soil is predominately limestone...
- Pacheco PassPacheco Pass AVAThe Pacheco Pass AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Santa Clara and San Benito counties of California. It is part of the larger San Francisco Bay AVA. The pass is a long corridor between the San Francisco Bay area to the west and the San Joaquin Valley to the east. State Route...
- PaicinesPaicines AVAThe Paicines AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in San Benito County, California. It is part of the larger San Benito AVA, and is located near the central part of the county. The Paicines area is warmer than other nearby regions in San Benito, but cooler than the wine regions of the...
- Paso RoblesPaso Robles AVAPaso Robles Wine Country is an American Viticultural Area located in the San Luis Obispo County, California. It has approximately 26,000 vineyard acres planted with wine grapes, and is well known for its hertiage varietal Zinfandel, Rhône-style wines, and "Crazy Blends," blends and styles that are...
- San Antonio ValleySan Antonio Valley AVAThe San Antonio Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area centered around San Antonio Valley in Monterey County, California. The AVA was approved by the United States Department of the Treasury Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau in July 2006...
- San BenitoSan Benito AVAThe San Benito AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in San Benito County, California. It is part of the larger Central Coast AVA. San Benito has a moderate climate with cooling breezes from the Pacific Ocean arriving via gaps between the Gabilan Range and the Santa Lucia Mountains...
- San BernabeSan Bernabe AVAThe San Bernabe AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in southern Monterey County, California. It is part of the larger Monterey AVA. San Bernabe is located between the Salinas River on the east, and the Santa Lucia Mountains on the west. To the north of the appellation is Pine Canyon and...
- San Francisco BaySan Francisco Bay AVAThe San Francisco Bay AVA is a large American Viticultural Area centered around the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. The AVA includes the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Francisco and San Mateo as well as parts of Santa Cruz and San Benito counties. The AVA was...
- San LucasSan Lucas AVAThe San Lucas AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Monterey County, California. It is located at the southern end of Salinas Valley, shares an eastern border with the Chalone AVA, and is bordered on the west by the Santa Lucia Range foothills. The appellation has the largest diurnal...
- San Ysidro DistrictSan Ysidro District AVAThe San Ysidro District AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Santa Clara County, California. It is part of the larger Santa Clara Valley AVA and is located in the foothills of the Diablo Range. San Ysidro District is significantly cooler than other parts of Santa Clara Valley. Cooling...
- Santa Clara ValleySanta Clara Valley AVAThe Santa Clara Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Santa Clara County, California. The area served an important role in the early history of California wine and was home to the pioneer winemakers Paul Masson and Charles Lefranc...
- Santa Cruz MountainsSanta Cruz Mountains AVAThe Santa Cruz Mountains AVA is an American Viticultural Area centered around the Santa Cruz Mountains. It includes three counties in California: Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and San Mateo. Recognized as an AVA in 1981, the Santa Cruz Mountains Appellation was among the first to be defined by its...
- Santa Lucia HighlandsSanta Lucia Highlands AVAThe Santa Lucia Highlands AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Monterey County, California. It is part of the larger Monterey AVA, and located in the Santa Lucia Mountains above the Salinas Valley. Over of vineyards are planted in the AVA, some as high as above sea level, with about...
- Santa Maria ValleySanta Maria Valley AVASanta Maria Valley is an American Viticultural Area located in Northern Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County, California USA.- History :...
- Sta. Rita HillsSta. Rita Hills AVAThe Sta. Rita Hills AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Santa Barbara County, California. From its creation in 2001 through 2006, the wine appellation was officially named Santa Rita Hills AVA...
- Santa Ynez ValleySanta Ynez Valley AVAThe Santa Ynez Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Santa Barbara County, California. It is part of the larger Central Coast AVA, and contains the greatest concentration of wineries in Santa Barbara County. The valley is formed by the Purisima Hills and San Rafael Mountains to...
- York MountainYork Mountain AVAThe York Mountain AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in San Luis Obispo County, California. It is part of the larger Central Coast AVA, located on the eastern side of the Santa Lucia Mountains, west of Paso Robles AVA. Most vineyards in the region are planted at an elevation of about . ...
Central Valley
Unlike other regions of California, there is no large regional AVA designation that includes the entire Central Valley wine growing region.- Alta MesaAlta Mesa AVAThe Alta Mesa AVA is an American Viticultural Area entirely located within the Lodi AVA in Sacramento County, California in the United States. The appellation's name is Spanish for "high table", a reference to the higher elevation of the land compared to the surrounding terrain.-Geography and...
- Borden RanchBorden Ranch AVAThe Borden Ranch AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in both Sacramento County and San Joaquin County, California. It is part of the larger Lodi AVA. Located in the east central portion of the Lodi area, Borden Ranch vineyards are located at altitudes between and above sea level...
- Capay ValleyCapay Valley AVAThe Capay Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Capay Valley, in northwest Yolo County, California.The region included in the AVA borders Napa County, Lake County, and Colusa County, and is bounded by the Blue Ridge to the west and the Capay Hills to the east.The AVA was...
- ClarksburgClarksburg AVAThe Clarksburg AVA is an American Viticultural Area that spans three counties in California's Sacramento Valley. Located in portions of Sacramento County, Solano County, and Yolo County, the Clarksburg AVA includes near the towns of Clarksburg. The growing region has dense clay and loam soils...
- Clements HillsClements Hills AVAThe Clements Hills AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in San Joaquin County, California. It is located in the southeast part of the larger Lodi AVA. The Mokelumne River flows through the wine region, which is composed of rolling hills between and in elevation. A variety of...
- Cosumnes RiverCosumnes River AVAThe Cosumnes River AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in both Sacramento County and San Joaquin County, California. Located mostly in Sacramento County, the region is part of the larger Lodi AVA and includes a portion of the lower Cosumnes River. Elevations in the AVA range from about ...
- Diablo GrandeDiablo Grande AVAThe Diablo Grande AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Stanislaus County, California. All in the AVA are owned by the Diablo Grande Resort Community, and Isom Ranch Winery is the only winery producing wines that carry the Diablo Grande AVA designation on their labels. Vineyards in the...
- Dunnigan HillsDunnigan Hills AVAThe Dunnigan Hills AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Dunnigan Hills, in Yolo County, California. Located in the northwest portion of Yolo County, the wine region has a Mediterranean climate that is less prone to frost than other parts of the Sacramento Valley. The largest...
- JahantJahant AVAThe Jahant AVA is an American Viticultural Area located within the Lodi AVA. Most of the AVA is located within San Joaquin County, California, with a small part in Sacramento County. At , Jahant is the smallest of the Lodi sub-appellations...
- LodiLodi AVALodi AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Central Valley of California, at the northern edge of the San Joaquin Valley east of San Francisco Bay. The AVA gained approval as a designated wine growing area in 1986 and includes of which are currently planted with wine grapes...
- MaderaMadera AVAThe Madera AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in both Fresno County and Madera County, in central California.-Production:With a total area of , of which are planted to wine grapes, this region in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley region of the Central Valley produces 10% of all wine...
- Merritt IslandMerritt Island AVAThe Merritt Island AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Yolo County, California. Part of the larger Clarksburg AVA, Merritt Island is a island in the Sacramento River Delta. The island is surrounded by Elk Slough, Sutter Slough, and the Sacramento River. The island soil is a very...
- Mokelumne RiverMokelumne River AVAThe Mokelumne River AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in San Joaquin County, California. It is located in the southwest part of the larger Lodi AVA, and includes the city of Lodi and the towns of Woodbridge and Acampo...
- River JunctionRiver Junction AVAThe River Junction AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in both San Joaquin County and Stanislaus County, California. West of the city of Modesto, the wine region is located at the confluence of the San Joaquin River and the Stanislaus River. The AVA was created as a result of a petition...
- Salado CreekSalado Creek AVAThe Salado Creek AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in northern Stanislaus County, California, near the town of Patterson. Most of the grapes grown in the AVA are produced into wine by KitFox Vineyards, using a custom crush facility in Lodi....
- SloughhouseSloughhouse AVAThe Sloughhouse AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in both Sacramento County, California. It is in the northeast part of the larger Lodi AVA. Sloughhouse has the warmest climate in the Lodi region. Elevations in Slouhhouse AVA reach as high as above sea level, reducing the influence...
- Tracy HillsTracy Hills AVAThe Tracy Hills AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in both San Joaquin County and Stanislaus County, California. The region was designated an AVA as a result of a petition from the owners of Tulip Hill Winery in Lake County, who owned a vineyard on Mount Oso in the Tracy Hills. The...
Klamath Mountains
These AVAs are located in the southern Klamath MountainsKlamath Mountains
The Klamath Mountains, which include the Siskiyou, Marble, Scott, Trinity, Trinity Alps, Salmon, and northern Yolla-Bolly Mountains, are a rugged lightly populated mountain range in northwest California and southwest Oregon in the United States...
of far northwestern California.
- Seiad ValleySeiad Valley AVAThe Seiad Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Siskiyou County, California, located adjacent to the Klamath River and close to the border with Oregon. The wine region was granted AVA status in 1994 despite having only one commercially bonded winery in operation, Seiad Valley Vineyards,...
- Trinity LakesTrinity Lakes AVAThe Trinity Lakes AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Trinity County, California. The boundaries of the AVA surround Trinity Lake and Lewiston Lake and includes a portion of the Trinity River basin below Lewiston Dam....
- Willow CreekWillow Creek AVAThe Willow Creek AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Humboldt and Trinity counties of northern California, near the town of Willow Creek. Surrounded by the Klamath Mountains, the AVA includes in the center of the Six Rivers National Forest, and has had as many as five wineries and...
North Coast
All of these AVAs are included within the geographic boundaries of the six-county North Coast AVANorth Coast AVA
The North Coast AVA is an American Viticultural Area in the state of California that encompasses grape-growing regions in six counties located north of San Francisco: Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Sonoma, and Solano...
.
- Alexander Valley
- Anderson ValleyAnderson Valley AVAThe Anderson Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area centered around the Anderson Valley in Mendocino County, California. It is known primarily for its Pinot Noir and sparkling wine production. Lying to from the Pacific Ocean, the AVA is prone to wide diurnal temperature variation of between...
- Atlas PeakAtlas Peak AVAThe Atlas Peak AVA is an American Viticultural Area located within Napa Valley AVA just northeast of the city of Napa. The appellation sits on a higher elevation than most of Napa's wine region which limits the effects of the cool fog coming in from Pacific Ocean. The westward orientation of most...
- Bennett ValleyBennett Valley AVAThe Bennett Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Sonoma County, California. The boundaries of this appellation lie completely within the North Coast AVA, almost completely within the Sonoma Valley AVA and overlaps into some areas of the Sonoma Coast AVA and Sonoma Mountain AVA...
- Benmore ValleyBenmore Valley AVAThe Benmore Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in southwestern Lake County, California. The valley is named for Benjamin Moore, a local 19th century cattle rustler. The valley is a high depression in the mountains of southwestern Lake County, and is much cooler than surrounding...
- CalistogaCalistoga AVAThe Calistoga AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the northern portion of California's Napa Valley AVA. The appellation is distinguished by its volcanic soil, high temperatures up to during the day, and cool nights during the growing season due to breezes from the Russian River,...
- Chalk HillChalk Hill AVAThe Chalk Hill AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Sonoma County, California. The boundaries of the wine appellation cover the northeast corner of the Russian River Valley AVA. The majority of vineyards are located to the east of U.S. Route 101, near the town of Windsor...
- Chiles ValleyChiles Valley AVAThe Chiles Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located within Napa Valley AVA. The Chiles Valley is nestled in the Vaca Mountains on the northeast side of Napa Valley. The appellation has a warmer and more continental climate than other portions of Napa Valley...
- Clear LakeClear Lake AVAThe Clear Lake AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Lake County, California.Half of the area contained within the boundaries of the AVA is Clear Lake, the largest body of freshwater in the state of California, and the namesake for the county...
- Cole RanchCole Ranch AVAThe Cole Ranch AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Mendocino County, California. At less than a quarter of a square mile, it is the smallest appellation in the United States. The AVA is located between the Russian River and Anderson Valley. All planted land in the appellation is owned...
- CoveloCovelo AVAThe Covelo AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in northern Mendocino County, California. Although the region only has under vine, it was granted AVA status by the United States Department of the Treasury Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau on February 16, 2006 based purely on the...
- Diamond Mountain DistrictDiamond Mountain District AVAThe Diamond Mountain District AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in California's Mayacamas Mountains in the northeast portion of the Napa Valley AVA...
- Dos RiosDos Rios AVAThe Dos Rios AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in northern Mendocino County, California. The appellation is located near the confluence of the Eel River and the Middle Fork of the Eel River. The name of the appellation is Spanish for "two rivers". The location would have a warm climate...
- Dry Creek ValleyDry Creek Valley AVAThe Dry Creek Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Sonoma County, California, located northwest of the town of Healdsburg. The valley is formed by Dry Creek, a tributary of the Russian River, and is approximately long and wide...
- Green Valley of Russian River ValleyGreen Valley of Russian River Valley AVAThe Green Valley of Russian River Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Sonoma County, California, USA. Located at the southwestern corner of the Russian River Valley AVA, its close proximity to the Pacific Ocean makes it one of the coolest appellations within Sonoma County...
- Guenoc ValleyGuenoc Valley AVAThe Guenoc Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Lake County, California, USA, about north of the town of Calistoga. Guenoc Valley AVA was the first American Viticultural Area designaion granted to an area with just a single winery....
- High ValleyHigh Valley AVAHigh Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the eastern part of Lake County, California. True to its name, the valley is situated on high elevations ranging from to , but it actually encompasses two distinct growing regions, the valley floor and the hillsides...
- Howell MountainHowell Mountain AVAThe Howell Mountain AVA is an American Viticultural Area located within Napa Valley AVA. Howell Mountain is located in the Vaca Mountains on the northeast side of Napa Valley around the town of Angwin, and overlooks the town of St. Helena, California....
- Knights ValleyKnights Valley AVAKnights Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Sonoma County, California. One of Sonoma County's original five American Viticultural Areas , Knights Valley AVA was formally designated an American Viticultural Area on October 21, 1983. Knights Valley AVA includes approximately . Over 30...
- Los CarnerosLos Carneros AVALos Carneros AVA is an American Viticultural Area which includes parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties in California, U.S.A.. It is located north of San Pablo Bay. The proximity to the cool fog and breezes from the bay makes the climate in Los Carneros cooler and more moderate than the wine...
- McDowell ValleyMcDowell Valley AVAThe McDowell Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in southeastern Mendocino County, California. The wine appellation is located on sloped bench land at elevations as high as above sea level that overlook the Russian River to the west. McDowell Valley is slightly cooler than the...
- MendocinoMendocino AVAThe Mendocino AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Mendocino County, California. Within this larger appellation are several smaller AVAs, and applications are pending with the United States Department of the Treasury Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau to create new AVAs out of the...
- Mendocino RidgeMendocino Ridge AVAThe Mendocino Ridge AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in coastal Mendocino County, California. The boundaries of the AVA include a range of coastal mountains adjacent to the Pacific Ocean. Although the area included in the AVA is over , the only land suitable for grape cultivation lies...
- Mt. VeederMt. Veeder AVAMount Veeder AVA is an American Viticultural Area located within Napa Valley AVA among the Mayacamas Mountains. The boundaries of this appellation include with planted on thin volcanic soil. Many vineyards are found on the steep mountain face some as steep as 30°...
- Napa ValleyNapa Valley AVANapa Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Napa County, California, United States. Napa Valley is considered one of the top wine regions in the United States...
- North CoastNorth Coast AVAThe North Coast AVA is an American Viticultural Area in the state of California that encompasses grape-growing regions in six counties located north of San Francisco: Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Sonoma, and Solano...
- Northern SonomaNorthern Sonoma AVAThe Northern Sonoma AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Sonoma County, California, USA. The appellation covers most of the county with the notable exceptions of the Los Carneros AVA and Sonoma Valley AVA wine regions, which are located in the southern portion of the county...
- Oak Knoll District of Napa ValleyOak Knoll District of Napa Valley AVAThe Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located within Napa Valley AVA at the southern end of valley floor. The appellation's close proximity to San Pablo Bay results in a climate that is cooler and more moderate than any region in Napa Valley other than the Los...
- OakvilleOakville AVAThe Oakville AVA is an American Viticultural Area located within Napa Valley AVA and centered around the town of Oakville, California. The appellation extends over a flat expanse of well drained gravel soil between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains...
- Potter ValleyPotter Valley AVAThe Potter Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in northern Mendocino County, California centered around town of Potter Valley. The appellation is found east of the Redwood Valley AVA and has an elevation of around higher than surrounding areas...
- Red Hills Lake CountyRed Hills Lake County AVAThe Red Hills Lake County AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Lake County, California. The wine region lies along the southwestern shores of Clear Lake, separating Excelsior Valley to the east from Big Valley to the west. The hills lie at the foot of Mount Konocti, an extinct volcano....
- Redwood ValleyRedwood Valley AVAThe Redwood Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Mendocino County, California. The earliest vineyards were planted in the valley by Italian immigrants in the 19th century. The valley sits at an elevation that is higher than the surrounding area. It is cooler in climate and...
- Rockpile
- Russian River ValleyRussian River Valley AVAThe Russian River Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Sonoma County, California. Centered around the Russian River, the Russian River Valley AVA accounts for about one-sixth of the total planted vineyard acreage in Sonoma County. The appellation was granted AVA status in 1983 and...
- RutherfordRutherford AVAThe Rutherford AVA is an American Viticultural Area located within Napa Valley AVA and centered around the town of Rutherford, California. The area is known for its unique terroir particularly with its Cabernet Sauvignon. The well drained soil of this area is composition of gravel, loam and sand...
- Solano County Green ValleySolano County Green Valley AVAThe Solano County Green Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Solano County, California. Located southeast of the Napa Valley AVA, Green Valley is about long and long. The valley is close to San Pablo Bay and thus has a maritime climate....
- Sonoma CoastSonoma Coast AVAThe Sonoma Coast AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Sonoma County, California, USA containing more than , mostly along the coastline of the Pacific Ocean. It extends from San Pablo Bay to the border with Mendocino County. The appellation is known for its cool climate and high rainfall...
- Sonoma MountainSonoma Mountain AVAThe Sonoma Mountain AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Sonoma County, California, USA. It is centered on the Sonoma Mountain landform in the Sonoma Mountains. The appellation includes the town of Glen Ellen, California and is bordered on the west by the Sonoma Valley AVA...
- Sonoma ValleySonoma Valley AVAThe Sonoma Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Sonoma County, California, USA which centers on the Sonoma Valley in the southern portion of the county...
- Spring Mountain DistrictSpring Mountain District AVAThe Spring Mountain District AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Napa Valley AVA in California. Spring Mountain District AVA was officially established as an American Viticulture Area in 1993. Encompassed within its bounds are about , of which about are planted to vineyards. Given...
- St. HelenaSt. Helena AVAThe St. Helena AVA is an American Viticultural Area located within Napa Valley, centered around the town of St. Helena, California. The appellation covers along the flat narrow land towards the northern end of the valley between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains. Charles Krug, one of pioneers of...
- Stags Leap DistrictStags Leap District AVAThe Stags Leap District AVA is an American Viticultural Area located within the Napa Valley AVA north of the city of Napa, California. The Stags Leap District was the first appellation to be designated an AVA based on the unique terroir characteristics of its soil...
- Suisun ValleySuisun Valley AVAThe Suisun Valley AVA, is an American Viticultural Area in Solano County, California, at the southern end of the Coast Range bordering the Napa Valley region. It was established as a wine appellation of origin on December 27, 1982.- Geography :...
- Wild Horse ValleyWild Horse Valley AVAThe Wild Horse Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area whose borders overlap both Napa County and Solano County, California and is partially contained within the Napa Valley AVA. The appellation's southerly location results in more hours of sunshine than other locations in Napa Valley or...
- Yorkville HighlandsYorkville Highlands AVAThe Yorkville Highlands AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in southern Mendocino County, California. The Yorkville Highlands separate Sonoma County's Alexander Valley AVA from Mendocino County's Anderson Valley AVA. The soil in the Yorkville Highlands is rocky with a high gravel...
- YountvilleYountville AVAThe Yountville AVA is an American Viticultural Area located within Napa Valley AVA and centered around the town Yountville, California. The town's founder George Calvert Yount planted the first vineyard in this area around 1836. Yountville AVA is one of the coolest wine regions in Napa Valley,...
Sierra Foothills
All of these AVAs are contained entirely within the geographic boundaries of the Sierra Foothills AVASierra Foothills AVA
The Sierra Foothills AVA is an American Viticultural Area in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the state of California in the United States. Wine grapes were introduced to the area in the nineteenth century during the California Gold Rush...
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- California Shenandoah ValleyCalifornia Shenandoah Valley AVAThe California Shenandoah Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area that includes portions of Amador County and El Dorado County, California, USA. The region was first settled during the California Gold Rush in the nineteenth century, and settlers in the region began planting the first...
- El DoradoEl Dorado AVAThe El Dorado AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in El Dorado County, California, USA. Wine grape growers in the region produce Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot and are beginning to plant the Rhône varietals...
- Fair PlayFair Play AVAThe Fair Play AVA is an American Viticultural Area in El Dorado County, California, USA. It is entirely contained within the boundaries of the El Dorado AVA and the Sierra Foothills AVA. The boundaries of the Fair Play AVA include rolling hills at elevations between and above sea level, making...
- FiddletownFiddletown AVAThe Fiddletown AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Amador County, California, USA. The region was first settled in 1849, during the California Gold Rush. Settlers who stayed in the area eventually planted grape vines, which became abundant by the end of the nineteenth century...
- North YubaNorth Yuba AVAThe North Yuba AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Yuba County, California, USA. The appellation is located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and the soil is primarily volcanic, with dense plutonic rock. Renaissance Vineyard and Winery is the largest producer in the region, with of terraced...
- Sierra FoothillsSierra Foothills AVAThe Sierra Foothills AVA is an American Viticultural Area in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the state of California in the United States. Wine grapes were introduced to the area in the nineteenth century during the California Gold Rush...
South Coast
All of these AVAs are contained entirely within the geographic boundaries of the South Coast AVASouth Coast AVA
The South Coast AVA is an American Viticultural Area in the state of California that encompasses grape-growing regions in five counties of Southern California: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego...
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- Antelope ValleyAntelope Valley of the California High Desert AVAThe Antelop Valley of the California High Desert AVA is an American Viticultural Area north of Los Angeles. The AVA is near the Sierra Pelona Valley AVA and the Leona Valley AVA.-Geography and climate:...
- Cucamonga ValleyCucamonga Valley AVAThe Cucamonga Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in San Bernardino County, California, about west of San Bernardino. Grape cultivation began in the Cucamonga Valley in 1838, and quickly became a major agricultural crop for the area. When Prohibition began in 1920, the Cucamonga Valley...
- Leona ValleyLeona Valley AVALeona Valley AVA has been recognized as an American Viticulture Area in southern California. On October 29, 2008 the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau announced the publication of Treasury Decision, TTB-71 establishing the Leona Valley American Viticulture Area in northeastern Los Angeles...
- Malibu-Newton CanyonMalibu-Newton Canyon AVAThe Malibu-Newton Canyon Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Los Angeles County, California. The boundaries of the AVA include Newton Canyon, located about from the Pacific Ocean within the city limits of Malibu. George Rosenthal planted the first vineyards planted in the area since...
- Ramona Valley
- Saddle Rock-MalibuSaddle Rock-Malibu AVAThe Saddle Rock-Malibu AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Los Angeles County, California. The region was once part of the Saddle Rock Ranch, created from the original Spanish Land Grant. The wine region is located high in the Santa Monica Mountains north, west, and south of the metropolitan...
- San Pasqual ValleySan Pasqual Valley AVAThe San Pasqual Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in northern San Diego County, California. San Pasqual Valley was the fourth wine region to be designated an American Viticultural Area when the AVA was created in 1981. It belongs to Region IV on the Winkler scale...
- Sierra Pelona ValleySierra Pelona Valley AVAThe Sierra Pelona Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area north of Los Angeles. The valley is a part of the High Desert region.-Geography and Climate:...
- South CoastSouth Coast AVAThe South Coast AVA is an American Viticultural Area in the state of California that encompasses grape-growing regions in five counties of Southern California: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego...
- Temecula ValleyTemecula Valley AVAThe Temecula Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area in southern Riverside County, California, part of the Inland Empire, one of the fastest growing areas in the country...
List of Pacific Northwest AVAs
A list of American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) in the Pacific NorthwestPacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
states of Oregon
Oregon wine
The state of Oregon in the United States has established an international reputation for its production of wine. Oregon has several different growing regions within the state's borders which are well-suited to the cultivation of grapes; additional regions straddle the border between Oregon and the...
, Washington
Washington Wine
Washington wine is wine produced from grape varieties grown in the U.S. state of Washington. Washington ranks second in the United States in the production of wine, behind only California. By 2006, the state had over of vineyards, a harvest of of grapes, and exports going to over 40 countries...
, and Idaho
Idaho wine
Idaho wine refers to wine made from the U.S. state of Idaho. Idaho has a long history of wine production with the first vineyards in the Pacific Northwest being planted here in the 1860s...
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Oregon
- Applegate ValleyApplegate Valley AVAThe Applegate Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in southern Oregon. It is entirely contained within the Rogue Valley AVA, which is itself included within the larger Southern Oregon AVA. The region is named for the Applegate River, which flows through the town of Applegate and...
, Oregon - Chehalem MountainsChehalem Mountains AVAThe Chehalem Mountains AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Clackamas, Yamhill, and Washington counties of northwestern Oregon. It is entirely contained within the Willamette Valley AVA. The region stretches from Wilsonville in the southeast to Forest Grove in the northwest. The...
, Oregon - Dundee HillsDundee Hills AVAThe Dundee Hills AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Yamhill County, Oregon. It is entirely contained within the Willamette Valley AVA, and is approximately southwest of Portland, near the town of Dundee. The area is in total size, with planted with grapes. The Dundee Hills are a...
, Oregon - Eola-Amity HillsEola-Amity Hills AVAThe Eola-Amity Hills AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Polk County and Yamhill County, Oregon. It is entirely contained within the Willamette Valley AVA, and stretches from the city of Amity in the north to Salem in the south. The Eola and Amity hills cover an area west of the...
, Oregon - McMinnvilleMcMinnville AVAThe McMinnville AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Yamhill County, Oregon. It is entirely contained within the Willamette Valley AVA, roughly running from McMinnville to Sheridan. The AVA was created as a result of a successful petition from Kevin Byrd of Youngberg Hill Vineyards...
, Oregon - Red Hill Douglas County, OregonRed Hill Douglas County, Oregon AVAThe Red Hill Douglas County, Oregon AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Douglas County, Oregon, near the town of Yoncalla. It is entirely contained within the Umpqua Valley AVA, which is itself included within the larger Southern Oregon AVA...
- Ribbon RidgeRibbon Ridge AVAThe Ribbon Ridge AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Yamhill County, Oregon. It is the smallest AVA in Oregon and is entirely contained within the Chehalem Mountains AVA, which in turn is entirely contained within the larger Willamette Valley AVA. Ribbon Ridge stretches between the towns of...
, Oregon - Rogue ValleyRogue Valley AVAThe Rogue Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in southern Oregon. The federal government approved this appellation in 1991. It is entirely contained within the larger Southern Oregon AVA and includes the drainage basin of the Rogue River and several tributaries, including the...
, Oregon - Southern OregonSouthern Oregon AVAThe Southern Oregon AVA, is an American Viticultural Area which lies in Southern Oregon, United States. The Southern Oregon AVA was established in 2004, and was created to include the land of two smaller AVAs, the Rogue Valley AVA and the Umpqua Valley AVA...
, Oregon - Umpqua ValleyUmpqua Valley AVAPart of the larger Southern Oregon AVA the Umpqua Valley American Viticultural Area is located entirely within Douglas County, Oregon. The official boundaries of the AVA are detailed in the United States of America Title 27 Chapter I Part 9 section 89. Grapes grown here include Pinot Noir, Pinot...
, Oregon - Willamette ValleyWillamette Valley AVAThe Willamette Valley AVA , is an American Viticultural Area which lies in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. The AVA is the wine growing region which encompasses the drainage basin of the Willamette River...
, Oregon - Yamhill-Carlton DistrictYamhill-Carlton District AVAThe Yamhill-Carlton District AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in both Washington County and Yamhill County, Oregon. It is entirely contained within the Willamette Valley AVA, and surrounds the towns of Carlton and Yamhill. The mountain ridges surrounding the district form a horseshoe...
, Oregon
Washington
- Horse Heaven HillsHorse Heaven Hills AVAThe Horse Heaven Hills AVA is an American Viticultural Area in southeastern Washington, and is part of the larger Columbia Valley AVA. The Horse Heaven Hills AVA borders the Yakima Valley AVA on the north and the Columbia River on the south. Elevations in this AVA range from above sea level in...
, Washington - Lake ChelanLake Chelan AVAThe Lake Chelan AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Washington State. Located in the north-central part of the state around Lake Chelan, the area is a sub-appellation of the greater Columbia Valley AVA...
, Washington - Puget SoundPuget Sound AVAThe Puget Sound AVA is an American Viticultural Area in western Washington state. It is the only AVA in the state of Washington that is located west of the Cascade Mountains.- Geography and climate :...
, Washington - Rattlesnake HillsRattlesnake Hills AVAThe Rattlesnake Hills AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Yakima County, Washington. United States Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau awarded Rattlesnake Hills its appellation status on March 20, 2006, making Rattlesnake Hills Washington’s ninth federally recognized American...
, Washington - Red MountainRed Mountain AVAThe Red Mountain AVA is an American Viticultural Area that includes the land surrounding Red Mountain in Benton County, Washington. It is part of the Yakima Valley AVA, which in turn is part of the larger Columbia Valley AVA. Located between Benton City and Richland, the Red Mountain AVA is the...
, Washington - Snipes Mountain AVASnipes Mountain AVASnipes Mountain AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Yakima Valley of Washington State. It was approved by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on January 21, 2009 making it Washington's 10th federally-designated AVA. It is the second smallest AVA in the state,...
, Washington - Wahluke SlopeWahluke Slope AVAThe Wahluke Slope AVA is an American Viticultural Area located within Grant County, Washington. It is part of the larger Columbia Valley AVA. The area is primarily known for Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.- Geography and climate :...
, Washington - Yakima ValleyYakima Valley AVAThe Yakima Valley AVA was the first American Viticultural Area established within Washington State, gaining the recognition in 1983. Part of the larger Columbia Valley AVA, Yakima Valley AVA is home to more than of vineyards, giving the area the largest concentration of wineries and vineyards in...
, Washington
Multi-state
- Columbia GorgeColumbia Gorge AVAThe Columbia Gorge AVA is an American Viticultural Area which includes land surrounding the Columbia River Gorge, straddling the border between Oregon and Washington...
, Oregon and Washington - Columbia ValleyColumbia Valley AVAThe Columbia Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area which lies in the Columbia River Plateau, through much of central and southern Washington state, with a small section crossing into the neighboring state of Oregon. The AVA includes the drainage basin of the Columbia River and its tributaries...
, Washington and Oregon - Snake River ValleySnake River Valley AVAThe Snake River Valley AVA in an American Viticultural Area that encompasses an area in Southwestern Idaho and two counties in eastern Oregon. The area was designated an AVA as a result of a successful petition from the Idaho Grape Growers and Wine Producers Commission and the Idaho Department of...
, Idaho and Oregon - Walla Walla ValleyWalla Walla Valley AVAThe Walla Walla Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located within Washington State and extending partly into the northeastern corner of Oregon. The wine region is entirely included within the larger Columbia Valley AVA. The area is named after the Walla Walla people who lived along the...
, Oregon and Washington
List of East Coast AVAs
A list of American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) on the East Coast of the United StatesEast Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
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New York
- Cayuga LakeCayuga Lake AVAThe Cayuga Lake AVA is an American Viticultural Area around Cayuga Lake in Upstate New York. The boundaries of the AVA include portions of Cayuga, Seneca, and Tompkins counties. Most of the vineyards in the AVA are planted in the shale soils of the hillsides on the western side of Cayuga Lake. ...
, New York - Finger LakesFinger Lakes AVAThe Finger Lakes AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Upstate New York, south of Lake Ontario. The Finger Lakes encompass eleven glacial lakes, but the area around Canandaigua, Keuka, Seneca, and Cayuga Lakes contain the vast majority of vineyard plantings in the AVA...
, New York - Hudson River RegionHudson River Region AVAThe Hudson River Region AVA is an American Viticultural Area around the Hudson River in eastern New York. The region is home to the oldest continuously operating winery in North America, the Brotherhood Winery, established in 1839. The oldest continusously cultivated vineyard in North America is...
, New York - Long IslandLong Island AVAThe Long Island AVA is an American Viticultural Area encompassing Nassau and Suffolk counties of New York, including the smaller offshore islands in those counties. The AVA was established in 2001, over 15 years after two smaller AVAs were created at the eastern end of Long Island...
, New York - Niagara EscarpmentNiagara Escarpment AVAThe Niagara Escarpment AVA is an American Viticultural Area in the New York state portion of the Niagara Escarpment. The area was officially recognized as an AVA on October 11, 2005, by ruling of the United States Department of the Treasury Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau...
, New York - North Fork of Long IslandNorth Fork of Long Island AVAThe North Fork of Long Island AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in eastern Suffolk County, New York. Authored by winemaker Richard Olsen-Harbich in 1985, it includes the entire North Fork of Long Island and the townships of Riverhead, Shelter Island, and Southold. The North Fork of Long...
, New York - Seneca LakeSeneca Lake AVAThe Seneca Lake AVA is an American Viticultural Area around Seneca Lake in Upstate New York. The wine appellation is entirely contained within the larger Finger Lakes AVA, and includes portions of Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, and Yates counties. Seneca Lake is a glacial lake about long and up to ...
, New York - The Hamptons, Long IslandThe Hamptons, Long Island AVAThe Hamptons, Long Island AVA is an American Viticultural Area located entirely within eastern Suffolk County, New York, and includes the entire South Fork of Long Island and the townships of Southampton and East Hampton. Authored by winemaker Richard Olsen-Harbich in 1984, it was the first AVA to...
, New York
Virginia
- MonticelloMonticello AVAThe Monticello AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the central Piedmont region of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is named for Monticello, the historic home of Thomas Jefferson, located near the center of the area. The Monticello AVA includes most of the counties of Albemarle,...
, Virginia - North Fork of RoanokeNorth Fork of Roanoke AVAThe North Fork of Roanoke AVA is an American Viticultural Area located on the eastern slopes of the Allegheny Mountains in the Roanoke and Montgomery counties of Virginia...
, Virginia - Northern Neck George Washington BirthplaceNorthern Neck George Washington Birthplace AVAThe Northern Neck George Washington Birthplace AVA is an American Viticultural Area in eastern portion of the state of Virginia. Wines made from grapes grown in Westmoreland, King George, Northumberland, Lancaster, and Richmond counties may use this appellation...
, Virginia - Rocky KnobRocky Knob AVAThe Rocky Knob AVA is an American Viticultural Area in a mountainous area east of the Blue Ridge Parkway in southwest Virginia. The AVA includes portions of Floyd and Patrick counties. The area is located on the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains near the towns of Woolwine and Meadows of...
, Virginia - Virginia's Eastern ShoreVirginia's Eastern Shore AVAThe Virginia's Eastern Shore AVA is an American Viticultural Area that includes a length of Virginia's Eastern Shore and consists of the counties of Accomack and Northampton. The topography in this AVA is mostly level and ranges from sea level to above sea level. The area is located on the...
, Virginia
Other east coast AVAs
- CatoctinCatoctin AVAThe Catoctin AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Frederick and Washington counties of western Maryland. The region is bordered by Catoctin Mountain to the east, the Pennsylvania border to the north, South Mountain to the west, and the Potomac River to the south. "Catoctin" is...
, Maryland - Central Delaware ValleyCentral Delaware Valley AVAThe Central Delaware Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The wine appellation includes surrounding the Delaware River north of Philadelphia. Its southern boundary is near Titusville, New Jersey, just north of Trenton, and its northern...
, New Jersey & Pennsylvania - Cumberland ValleyCumberland Valley AVAThe Cumberland Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Washington County in west-central Maryland and Franklin and Cumberland counties in south-central Pennsylvania. Only of the included in the wine appellation are planted to grapevines, predominantly on high terraces over the...
, Maryland & Pennsylvania - Haw River ValleyHaw River Valley AVAThe Haw River Valley American Viticultural Area officially became the third federally granted appellation in North Carolina on April 29, 2009, joining the Yadkin Valley AVA and the Swan Creek AVA inside the Yadkin Valley. The Haw River Valley AVA covers the northern, central portion of the state...
, North Carolina - Lake ErieLake Erie AVAThe Lake Erie AVA is an American Viticultural Area that includes of land on the south shore of Lake Erie in the U.S. states of Ohio, New York, and Pennsylvania. Over of the region are planted in grapevines, predominantly in the Concord varietal...
, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania - Lancaster ValleyLancaster Valley AVAThe Lancaster Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Lancaster and Chester counties of southeastern Pennsylvania, centered around the city of Lancaster. The wine region includes in a valley that is roughly long and wide, although only are planted to grapevines...
, Pennsylvania - Lehigh ValleyLehigh Valley AVAThe Lehigh Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania. The AVA includes portions of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Schuylkill, Carbon, and Monroe counties...
, Pennsylvania - LinganoreLinganore AVAThe Linganore AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in north central Maryland and include parts of Frederick and Carroll counties. The area is a partof the Piedmont Plateau northwest of Baltimore, a transition area between the mountains to the west and the coastal plain to the east. ...
, Maryland - Martha's VineyardMartha's Vineyard AVAThe Martha's Vineyard AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Dukes County, Massachusetts, including all of the land on the islands named Martha's Vineyard and Chappaquiddick Island. These two island are located off the southern Massachusetts coast, surrounded by Vineyard Sound, Nantucket...
, Massachusetts - Outer Coastal PlainOuter Coastal Plain AVAThe Outer Coastal Plain AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in southeastern New Jersey. The wine appellation includes all of Cumberland, Cape May, Atlantic, and Ocean counties and portions of Salem, Gloucester, Camden, Burlington, and Monmouth counties...
, New Jersey - Shenandoah ValleyShenandoah Valley AVAThe Shenandoah Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and West Virginia. The valley is bounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Appalachian and Allegheny Plateaus to the west. Most of the AVA is in Virignia, with a small portion in...
, Virginia and West Virginia - Southeastern New EnglandSoutheastern New England AVAThe Southeastern New England AVA is an American Viticultural Area that includes portions of thirteen counties in three New England states: Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island...
, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island - Swan CreekSwan Creek AVAThe Swan Creek AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the northwestern portion of North Carolina, in the Piedmont region. The appellation is distinguished by its loamy soil with schist and mica...
, North Carolina - Warren HillsWarren Hills AVAThe Warren Hills AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Warren County, New Jersey. The Warren Hills region includes several small valleys formed by tributaries of the Delaware River. The valleys drain from northeast to southwest, and most vineyards in the area are planted on...
, New Jersey - Western Connecticut HighlandsWestern Connecticut Highlands AVAThe Western Connecticut Highlands AVA is an American Viticultural Area that includes all of Litchfield and parts of Fairfield, New Haven, and Hartford counties in Connecticut. The Connecticut Highlands are far enough away from Long Island Sound that there is little of the moderating effect on...
, Connecticut - Yadkin Valley, North Carolina
List of AVAs in other regions
A list of American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) in the American Heartland (i.e. not on the Atlantic or Pacific coast):Texas
- Bell MountainBell Mountain AVAThe Bell Mountain AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Gillespie County, Texas. It was the first designated wine area located entirely in the state of Texas, and covers an area of over . The appellation is entirely contained within the Texas Hill Country AVA, which was established...
, Texas - Escondido ValleyEscondido Valley AVAThe Escondido Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Pecos County, Texas. It was the fifth designated wine area in the state of Texas, and covers an area of over . There are no wineries located in the Escondido Valley AVA. One winery that makes Escondido Valley AVA designated...
, Texas - Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill CountryFredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country AVAThe Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country AVA is an American Viticultural Area surrounding the town of Fredericksburg, Texas in the Texas Hill Country. Fredericksburg and the surrounding area were settled by German immigrants in the nineteenth century. These settlers were the first to...
, Texas - Mesilla ValleyMesilla Valley AVAThe Mesilla Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located primarily in the state of New Mexico with a small area in the state Texas. Spanish explorer Don Juan de Oñate arrived in the area in 1598 and named a Native American village in the valley Trenquel de la Mesilla, from which the valley...
, New Mexico and Texas - Texas Davis MountainsTexas Davis Mountains AVAThe Texas Davis Mountains AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. Surrounded by the Chihuahuan Desert, the appellation takes advantage of cooler elevation and lower annual rainfall in the Davis Mountains. The land within the boundaries of the AVA...
, Texas - Texas High PlainsTexas High Plains AVAThe Texas High Plains AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Texas panhandle. The appellation is the second largest American Viticultural Area in Texas, and covers an area of over . Most of the vineyards are on flat terrain at elevations between and above sea level...
, Texas - Texas Hill CountryTexas Hill Country AVAThe Texas Hill Country AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Texas Hill Country north of San Antonio and west of Austin, Texas. The appellation is the second largest American Viticultural Area, and covers an area of over...
, Texas - TexomaTexoma AVAThe Texoma AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in north central Texas, on the south side of Lake Texoma and the Red River that forms the border with the state of Oklahoma...
, Texas
Michigan
- FennvilleFennville AVAThe Fennville AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Allegan County, Michigan. Entirely contained within the larger Lake Michigan Shore AVA, the Fennville AVA borders Lake Michigan on the west, the Kalamazoo River on the north, a game reserve to the east, and the Black River on the south...
, Michigan - Lake Michigan Shore, Michigan
- Leelanau PeninsulaLeelanau Peninsula AVAThe Leelanau Peninsula AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Leelanau County, Michigan.This Michigan wine region includes all of Leelanau County, which forms a peninsula between Lake Michigan on the west and Grand Traverse Bay on the east. Being surrounded by water helps to moderate the...
, Michigan - Old Mission PeninsulaOld Mission Peninsula AVAThe Old Mission Peninsula AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Grand Traverse County, Michigan known for well-regarded Michigan wine. The Old Mission Peninsula extends northward from Traverse City into the Grand Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan, ending at Old Mission Point. The peninsula...
, Michigan
Other states
- Alexandria LakesAlexandria Lakes AVAThe Alexandria Lakes AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Douglas County, Minnesota, near the city of Alexandria. Alexandria Lakes was the first AVA to be created in Minnesota...
, Minnesota - AltusAltus AVAThe Altus AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in northwest Arkansas near the town of Altus in Franklin County. The wine region is entirely contained within the Arkansas Mountain AVA, which is in turn contained within the larger multi-state Ozark Mountain AVA. The Altus region is a...
, Arkansas - Arkansas MountainArkansas Mountain AVAThe Arkansas Mountain AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Ozark Mountains of northwestern Arkansas. It is part of the larger Ozark Mountain AVA, which also includes regions in Missouri and Oklahoma. The smaller Altus AVA is entirely contained within the Arkansas Mountain AVA. The...
, Arkansas - AugustaAugusta AVAThe Augusta AVA was the first federally approved American Viticultural Area gaining the status on June 20, 1980, eight months before the Napa Valley AVA in northern California. Located entirely within the state of Missouri, the boundaries of this wine region encompass around the city of Augusta...
, Missouri - Grand River ValleyGrand River Valley AVAThe Grand River Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in portions of the Lake, Geauga, and Ashtabula counties of northeastern Ohio. The wine appellation includes all the land that is contained within the larger, multi-state Lake Erie AVA that is also within of the Grand River or of...
, Ohio - Grand ValleyGrand Valley AVAThe Grand Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Mesa County, Colorado, east of the city of Grand Junction. The AVA includes the agricultural area around the Grand Valley of the Colorado River. Viticulture began in the area in the late 19th century. State Governor George A....
, Colorado - HermannHermann AVAThe Hermann AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Gasconade County, Missouri, and entirely contained within the larger Ozark Mountain AVA. The wine appellation is located on the southern side of the Missouri River near the town of Hermann, about halfway between St. Louis and Jefferson City...
, Missouri - Isle St. GeorgeIsle St. George AVAThe Isle St. George AVA is an American Viticultural Area located on North Bass Island, Ohio, an island in Lake Erie. The only town on the Ottawa County island is also called Isle Saint George, although the "Saint" in the AVA name must be abbreviated as "St." to be used on wine labels. Over half...
, Ohio - Kanawha River ValleyKanawha River Valley AVAThe Kanawha River Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the watershed of the Kanawha River in West Virginia, between the city of Charleston and the Ohio border. The wine appellation includes in portions of Cabell, Jackson, Kanawha, Mason, and Putnam counties. A portion of the...
, West Virginia - Lake WisconsinLake Wisconsin AVAThe Lake Wisconsin AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in south central Wisconsin. The wine growing region borders both Lake Wisconsin and the Wisconsin River. The first grapes were planted in the area by Agoston Haraszthy in 1847, before he would later emigrate to California. Most...
, Wisconsin - Loramie CreekLoramie Creek AVAThe Loramie Creek AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Shelby County, Ohio. The area includes surrounding Loramie Creek, southwest of the county seat of Sidney....
, Ohio - Middle Rio Grande ValleyMiddle Rio Grande Valley AVAThe Middle Rio Grande AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the watershed of the Rio Grande in central New Mexico. The wine region includes of land on which a variety of Vitis vinifera and French hybrid grapes are grown...
, New Mexico - Mimbres ValleyMimbres Valley AVAThe Mimbres Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in southwestern New Mexico near the towns of Deming and Silver City. The AVA includes the Mimbres Watershed of the Mimbres River, and most vineyards are planted at elevations between and above sea level...
, New Mexico - Mississippi DeltaMississippi Delta AVAThe Mississippi Delta AVA is an American Viticultural Area that includes portions of the Mississippi Delta and the watershed of the lower Mississippi River in the U.S. states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Since the creation of the AVA in 1984, there has been very little viticulture in...
, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee - Ohio River ValleyOhio River Valley AVAThe Ohio River Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area centered around the Ohio River and surrounding areas. It is the second largest wine appellation of origin in the United States with in portions of the states of Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia...
, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia - Ozark HighlandsOzark Highlands AVAThe Ozark Highlands AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in southern Missouri in the Ozark Mountains. The appellation includes land from just east of Jefferson City in the north to the Eleven Point River in the south, including parts of Phelps, Maries, Osage, Gasconade, Franklin, Crawford,...
, Missouri - Ozark MountainOzark Mountain AVAThe Ozark Mountain AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in northwest Arkansas, southern Missouri, and northeast Oklahoma. The sixth largest American Viticultural Area in total size, Ozark Mountain AVA covers...
, Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma - Shawnee HillsShawnee Hills AVAThe Shawnee Hills AVA is an American Viticultural Area located between the Mississippi River and the Ohio River in southern Illinois. The wine appellation includes over of land in portions of Alexander, Gallatin, Hardin, Jackson, Johnson, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Union, and Williamson...
, Illinois - Shenandoah ValleyShenandoah Valley AVAThe Shenandoah Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and West Virginia. The valley is bounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Appalachian and Allegheny Plateaus to the west. Most of the AVA is in Virignia, with a small portion in...
, Virginia and West Virginia - SonoitaSonoita AVAThe Sonoita AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in southeast Arizona, south of the city of Tucson. The Sonoita area is a basin surrounded by three mountain ranges, the Huachuca Mountains, the Santa Rita Mountains, and the Whetstone Mountains. The vineyard plantings are above sea level,...
, Arizona - Upper Mississippi ValleyUpper Mississippi Valley AVAThe Upper Mississippi River Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area covering 29,914 square miles located along the Upper Mississippi River and its tributaries in northeast Iowa, northwest Illinois, southeast Minnesota and southwest Wisconsin...
, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin - West ElksWest Elks AVAThe West Elks AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Delta County, Colorado, near the town of Paonia. The highest altitude vineyards in the northern hemisphere are planted in the West Elks AVA. Located within the Rocky Mountains of west central Colorado, vineyards in the AVA range from ...
, Colorado
See also
- Appellation d'Origine ContrôléeAppellation d'Origine ContrôléeAppellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
- Indicazione Geografica TipicaIndicazione geografica tipicaIndicazione geografica tipica is the second of four classifications of wine recognized by the government of Italy. Created to recognize the unusually high quality of the class of wines known as Super Tuscans, IGT wines are labeled with the locality of their creation, but do not meet the...
- American wineAmerican wineAmerican wine has been produced for over 300 years. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 89 percent of all US wine...
External links
- Appellations of Origin from the TTB website
- AVAs with links to detailed descriptions, from the Code of Federal RegulationsCode of Federal RegulationsThe Code of Federal Regulations is the codification of the general and permanent rules and regulations published in the Federal Register by the executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government of the United States.The CFR is published by the Office of the Federal Register, an agency...
located at a CornellCornell UniversityCornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
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