An American Viticultural Area (AVA) is a designated appellation for American wine in the United States distinguishable by geographic, geologic, and climatic features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) of the United States Department of the Treasury.[1] As of October 2024, there are 276 recognized AVAs in 34 states[2]—several of which are shared by two or more states. Over half (154) of the AVAs are in California.
American Viticultural Areas range in size from the Upper Mississippi River Valley AVA at 29,900 square miles (77,000 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.[3]
Arizona
editArkansas
edit- Altus AVA
- Arkansas Mountain AVA
- Ozark Mountain AVA (shared with Missouri and Oklahoma)
California
editCascade Foothills
editThese AVAs are located in far northern California, east of Redding.
Central Coast and Santa Cruz Mountains
editAll 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.
- Adelaida District AVA
- Alisos Canyon AVA
- Arroyo Grande Valley AVA
- Arroyo Seco AVA
- Ballard Canyon AVA
- Ben Lomond Mountain AVA
- Carmel Valley AVA
- Central Coast AVA
- Chalone AVA
- Cienega Valley AVA
- Contra Costa AVA
- Creston District AVA
- Edna Valley AVA
- El Pomar District AVA
- Gabilan Mountains AVA
- Hames Valley AVA
- Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA
- Lamorinda AVA[4]
- Lime Kiln Valley AVA
- Livermore Valley AVA
- Los Olivos District AVA
- Monterey AVA
- Mt. Harlan AVA
- Pacheco Pass AVA
- Paicines AVA
- Paso Robles AVA
- Paso Robles Estrella District AVA
- Paso Robles Geneseo District AVA
- Paso Robles Highlands District AVA
- Paso Robles Willow Creek District AVA
- San Antonio Valley AVA
- San Benito AVA
- San Bernabe AVA
- San Francisco Bay AVA
- San Juan Creek AVA
- San Lucas AVA
- San Luis Obispo Coast AVA
- San Miguel District AVA
- San Ysidro District AVA
- Santa Clara Valley AVA
- Santa Cruz Mountains AVA
- Santa Lucia Highlands AVA
- Santa Margarita Ranch AVA
- Santa Maria Valley AVA
- Santa Ynez Valley AVA
- Sta. Rita Hills AVA
- Templeton Gap District AVA
- York Mountain AVA
Central Valley
editUnlike other regions of California, there is no large regional AVA designation that includes the entire Central Valley wine growing region.
- Alta Mesa AVA
- Borden Ranch AVA
- Capay Valley AVA
- Clarksburg AVA
- Clements Hills AVA
- Cosumnes River AVA
- Diablo Grande AVA
- Dunnigan Hills AVA
- Jahant AVA
- Lodi AVA
- Madera AVA
- Merritt Island AVA
- Mokelumne River AVA
- Paulsell Valley AVA
- River Junction AVA
- Salado Creek AVA
- Sloughhouse AVA
- Squaw Valley-Miramonte AVA
- Tracy Hills AVA
- Winters Highlands AVA
Klamath Mountains
editThese AVAs are located in the southern Klamath Mountains of far northwestern California.
North Coast
editAll of these AVAs are included within the geographic boundaries of the six-county North Coast AVA.
- Alexander Valley AVA
- Anderson Valley AVA
- Atlas Peak AVA
- Benmore Valley AVA
- Bennett Valley AVA
- Big Valley District-Lake County AVA
- Calistoga AVA
- Chalk Hill AVA
- Chiles Valley AVA
- Clear Lake AVA
- Cole Ranch AVA
- Comptche AVA
- Coombsville AVA
- Covelo AVA
- Crystal Springs of Napa Valley AVA (effective 11/15/2024)
- Diamond Mountain District AVA
- Dos Rios AVA
- Dry Creek Valley AVA
- Eagle Peak Mendocino County AVA
- Fort Ross-Seaview AVA
- Fountaingrove District AVA[5]
- Green Valley of Russian River Valley AVA
- Guenoc Valley AVA
- High Valley AVA
- Howell Mountain AVA
- Kelsey Bench-Lake County AVA
- Knights Valley AVA
- Long Valley-Lake County AVA
- Los Carneros AVA
- McDowell Valley AVA
- Mendocino AVA
- Mendocino Ridge AVA
- Moon Mountain District Sonoma County AVA
- Mt. Veeder AVA
- Napa Valley AVA
- North Coast AVA
- Northern Sonoma AVA
- Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley AVA
- Oakville AVA
- Petaluma Gap AVA[6]
- Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA
- Potter Valley AVA
- Red Hills Lake County AVA
- Redwood Valley AVA
- Rockpile AVA
- Russian River Valley AVA
- Rutherford AVA
- Solano County Green Valley AVA
- Sonoma Coast AVA
- Sonoma Mountain AVA
- Sonoma Valley AVA
- Spring Mountain District AVA
- St. Helena AVA
- Stags Leap District AVA
- Suisun Valley AVA
- Upper Lake Valley AVA
- West Sonoma Coast AVA
- Wild Horse Valley AVA
- Yorkville Highlands AVA
- Yountville AVA
Sierra Foothills
editAll of these AVAs are contained entirely within the geographic boundaries of the Sierra Foothills AVA.
- California Shenandoah Valley AVA
- El Dorado AVA
- Fair Play AVA
- Fiddletown AVA
- North Yuba AVA
- Sierra Foothills AVA
South Coast
edit- Antelope Valley of the California High Desert AVA
- Cucamonga Valley AVA
- Leona Valley AVA
- Malibu Coast AVA
- Malibu-Newton Canyon AVA
- Ramona Valley AVA
- Palos Verdes Peninsula AVA
- Saddle Rock-Malibu AVA
- San Luis Rey AVA
- San Pasqual Valley AVA
- Sierra Pelona Valley AVA
- South Coast AVA
- Tehachapi Mountains AVA
- Temecula Valley AVA
- Yucaipa Valley AVA
Colorado
editConnecticut
edit- Eastern Connecticut Highlands AVA
- Southeastern New England AVA (shared with Massachusetts and Rhode Island)
- Western Connecticut Highlands AVA
Georgia
edit- Dahlonega Plateau AVA
- Upper Hiwassee Highlands AVA (shared with North Carolina)
Hawaii
editIdaho
edit- Eagle Foothills AVA
- Lewis-Clark Valley AVA (shared with Washington)
- Snake River Valley AVA (shared with Oregon)
Illinois
edit- Shawnee Hills AVA
- Upper Mississippi River Valley AVA (shared with Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin)
Indiana
edit- Indiana Uplands AVA
- Ohio River Valley AVA (shared with Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia)
Iowa
edit- Loess Hills District AVA (shared with Missouri)
- Upper Mississippi River Valley AVA (shared with Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin)
Kentucky
edit- Ohio River Valley AVA (shared with Indiana, Ohio, and West Virginia)
Louisiana
edit- Mississippi Delta AVA (shared with Mississippi and Tennessee)
Maryland
edit- Catoctin AVA
- Cumberland Valley AVA (shared with Pennsylvania)
- Linganore AVA
Massachusetts
edit- Martha's Vineyard AVA
- Southeastern New England AVA (shared with Connecticut and Rhode Island)
Michigan
editMinnesota
edit- Alexandria Lakes AVA
- Upper Mississippi River Valley AVA (shared with Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin)
Mississippi
edit- Mississippi Delta AVA (shared with Louisiana and Tennessee)
Missouri
edit- Augusta AVA
- Hermann AVA
- Loess Hills District AVA (shared with Iowa)
- Ozark Highlands AVA
- Ozark Mountain AVA (shared with Arkansas and Oklahoma)
New Jersey
edit- Cape May Peninsula AVA
- Central Delaware Valley AVA (shared with Pennsylvania)
- Outer Coastal Plain AVA
- Warren Hills AVA
New Mexico
edit- Mesilla Valley AVA (shared with Texas)
- Middle Rio Grande Valley AVA
- Mimbres Valley AVA
New York
editNorth Carolina
edit- Appalachian High Country AVA (shared with Tennessee and Virginia)
- Crest of the Blue Ridge Henderson County AVA
- Haw River Valley AVA
- Swan Creek AVA
- Upper Hiwassee Highlands AVA (shared with Georgia)
- Yadkin Valley AVA
Ohio
edit- Grand River Valley AVA
- Isle St. George AVA
- Lake Erie AVA (shared with New York and Pennsylvania)
- Loramie Creek AVA
- Ohio River Valley AVA (shared with Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia)
Oklahoma
edit- Ozark Mountain AVA (shared with Arkansas and Missouri)
Oregon
edit- Applegate Valley AVA
- Chehalem Mountains AVA
- Columbia Gorge AVA (shared with Washington)
- Columbia Valley AVA (shared with Washington)
- Dundee Hills AVA
- Elkton Oregon AVA
- Eola-Amity Hills AVA
- Laurelwood District AVA
- Lower Long Tom AVA
- McMinnville AVA
- Mount Pisgah, Polk County, Oregon AVA
- Red Hill Douglas County, Oregon AVA
- Ribbon Ridge AVA
- The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater AVA
- Rogue Valley AVA
- Snake River Valley AVA (shared with Idaho)
- Southern Oregon AVA
- Tualatin Hills AVA
- Umpqua Valley AVA
- Van Duzer Corridor AVA
- Walla Walla Valley AVA (shared with Washington)
- Willamette Valley AVA
- Yamhill-Carlton AVA
Pennsylvania
edit- Central Delaware Valley AVA (shared with New Jersey)
- Cumberland Valley AVA (shared with Maryland)
- Lake Erie AVA (shared with New York and Ohio)
- Lancaster Valley AVA
- Lehigh Valley AVA
Rhode Island
edit- Southeastern New England AVA (shared with Connecticut and Massachusetts)
Tennessee
edit- Appalachian High Country AVA (shared with North Carolina and Virginia)
- Mississippi Delta AVA (shared with Louisiana and Mississippi)
- Upper Cumberland AVA
Texas
editVirginia
edit- Appalachian High Country AVA (shared with North Carolina and Tennessee)
- Middleburg Virginia AVA
- Monticello AVA
- North Fork of Roanoke AVA
- Northern Neck George Washington Birthplace AVA
- Rocky Knob AVA
- Shenandoah Valley AVA (shared with West Virginia)
- Virginia's Eastern Shore AVA
- Virginia Peninsula AVA
Washington
edit- Ancient Lakes of the Columbia Valley AVA
- Beverly, Washington AVA (effective 11/29/2024)
- Candy Mountain AVA
- Columbia Gorge AVA (shared with Oregon)
- Columbia Hills (pending TTB review)[7]
- Columbia Valley AVA (shared with Oregon)
- Goose Gap AVA
- Horse Heaven Hills AVA
- Lake Chelan AVA
- Lewis-Clark Valley AVA (shared with Idaho)
- Naches Heights AVA
- Mt. St. Helens AVA (pending TTB review)
- Puget Sound AVA
- Rattlesnake Hills AVA
- Red Mountain AVA
- Rocky Reach AVA
- Royal Slope AVA
- Snipes Mountain AVA
- The Burn of Columbia Valley AVA
- Wahluke Slope AVA
- Walla Walla Valley AVA (shared with Oregon)
- White Bluffs AVA
- Yakima Valley AVA
West Virginia
edit- Kanawha River Valley AVA
- Ohio River Valley AVA (shared with Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio)
- Shenandoah Valley AVA (shared with Virginia)
Wisconsin
edit- Lake Wisconsin AVA
- Upper Mississippi River Valley AVA (shared with Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota)
- Wisconsin Ledge AVA[8]
References
edit- ^ "Wine Appellations of Origin". TTB.gov. U.S. Department of the Treasury. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ^ "Established American Viticultural Areas". TTB.gov. Tax and Trade Bureau. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
- ^ Code of Federal Regulations, 27 C.F.R §9.22 27 C.F.R §9.22
- ^ "Establishment of the Lamorinda Viticultural Area". Federal Register. February 24, 2016.
- ^ Swindell, Bill (February 24, 2015). "Fountaingrove becomes newest appellation in Sonoma County". Press-Democrat. Santa Rosa, California. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
- ^ "Petaluma Gap becomes new Sonoma County wine appellation". Press-Democrat. Santa Rosa, California. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
- ^ "Pending Petitions". Tax & Trade Bureau.
- ^ Ganchiff, Mark. "Wisconsin Ledge AVA approved". Midwest Wine Press. Retrieved April 7, 2012.