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The Alexander Valley is a Californian American Viticultural Area (AVA) just north of Healdsburg in Sonoma County. It is home to many wineries and vineyards, as well as the city of Cloverdale. It is the largest and most fully planted wine region in Sonoma. Highway 101 runs through the valley, and the Russian River flows down the valley, surrounded by vineyards on both sides. From the higher elevations of the valley rim, there is a view as far south as Taylor Mountain and Sonoma Mountain. The region was named for Cyrus Alexander, owner of a part of the Rancho Sotoyome Mexican land grant, in 1847. Granted AVA status in 1984, the boundaries of the appellation are defined in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 27, Section 9.53.
The Southern Oregon AVA is an American Viticultural Area which lies in Southern Oregon, United States. The Southern Oregon AVA was established in 2005 and was created to include the land of two smaller AVAs: the Rogue Valley AVA and the Umpqua Valley AVA. Southern Oregon AVA was established to allow the two principal winegrowing regions in the southern part of the state to market themselves jointly. This creation of a "super-AVA" is a departure from the trend in the Willamette Valley AVA or northern Oregon of establishing smaller AVAs specific to a particular locale's climate or soil conditions.
The 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 Illinois River, the Applegate River, and Bear Creek. Most wineries in the region are found in the valleys formed by one of these three tributaries, rather than along the Rogue River itself. The region is 70 miles (113 km) wide by 60 miles (97 km) long ; there are fewer than 20 wineries with only 1,100 acres (450 ha) planted. Each river valley has a unique terroir, and grows different varieties of grapes. Overall, however, this region is the warmest and driest of Oregon's wine-growing regions.
The 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 near the city of Jacksonville. The Applegate Valley has been a grape-growing region since 1870 when A. H. Carson began planting 30 acres of grapes along North Applegate Road. One of Oregon's first wineries was established in the Applegate Valley. This region contains vineyards at altitudes ranging from 1,000 feet (300 m) to 1,500 feet (500 m) above sea level, and is warmer and drier than the Illinois Valley to the west, but less so than the Bear Creek Valley to the east. Grapes that thrive here include Tempranillo, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Tannat, Vermentino, Chardonnay, and Zinfandel.
The Niagara Escarpment AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Niagara County, New York along the Niagara Escarpment. Certified by the United States Department of the Treasury's Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau on October 11, 2005, it covers an area of 18,000 acres (7,284 ha).
Lodi 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 551,000 acres (223,000 ha) of which 103,000 acres (42,000 ha) are currently planted with wine grapes. In 2002, the area included in the AVA was expanded by 93,500 acres (37,800 ha) along the southern and western portions of the original AVA boundaries in San Joaquin County. The appellation includes land in southern Sacramento County and northern San Joaquin County. It is bounded on the west by Interstate Highway 5 and to the east by the political borders for the adjacent El Dorado, Amador, and Calaveras Counties.
The 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 28,000 acres (11,331 ha), Jahant is the smallest of the Lodi sub-appellations. The area is known for its distinctive pink colored Rocklin-Jahant loam soil with the AVA's boundaries being delineated by the extent and reaches of the soil. This low-lying AVA is affected by its close proximity to the Mokelumne River and the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta which keeps the climate cool and dry.
The 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. The region was granted AVA status on December 23, 2003 following the petition of Matanzas Creek Winery. The AVA is surrounded to the south, east and west by the Sonoma Mountains and to the north by the city of Santa Rosa, California. The region receives a moderating effect on its climate from Pacific Ocean through the cool coastal fogs and breeze that creep into the area from the southwest through Crane Canyon between Sonoma Mountain and Taylor Mountain. Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Grenache, Merlot, Pinot noir, Sauvignon blanc and Syrah are the leading grape varieties planted.
The Northern Sonoma AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Sonoma County, California, United States. 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. The creation of this AVA was largely based on the petitioning of the E & J Gallo Winery as part of their expansion of their Gallo of Sonoma brand. The viticultural area incorporates the Alexander Valley AVA, Chalk Hill AVA, Dry Creek Valley AVA, Knights Valley AVA, Russian River Valley AVA, Sonoma Coast AVA, and parts of the Green Valley of Russian River Valley AVA and Rockpile AVA valleys.
The Sonoma Mountain AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Sonoma County, California, United States. It is centered on the Sonoma Mountain landform in the Sonoma Mountains. The appellation includes the town of Glen Ellen, California and is nearly surrounded by the Sonoma Valley AVA. The area is known for the diverse micro-climates that occur on exposed hillsides and shaded drainages, and as such is home to production for a wide range of varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot noir, Sauvignon blanc, Semillon, and Zinfandel.
Mount Veeder AVA is an American Viticultural Area located within Napa Valley AVA among the Mayacamas Mountains. The boundaries of this appellation include 25 sq mi (64.7 km2) with 1,000 acres (400 ha) planted on thin volcanic soil. Many vineyards are found on the steep mountain face some as steep as 30°. The steepness of the angle gives the vineyards benefits of more direct sunlight and better drainage.
The Yountville AVA is an American Viticultural Area located within Napa Valley AVA and centered on 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, which helps contribute to a long growing season. The area is particularly known for its very tannic Cabernet Sauvignon varietal wines that have the capability of aging well in the bottle.
The Rutherford AVA is an American Viticultural Area located within Napa Valley AVA and centered on 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 with volcanic deposits and marine sediments from the Franciscan Assemblage. The appellation accounts for only 6,650 acres (27 km2) in the center of Napa Valley but has been home to some of the regions most historic and world-renowned wineries such as Beaulieu Vineyards, Rutherford Hill, Raymond Vineyards, and Inglenook Winery.
The Stags Leap District AVA is an American Viticultural Area located within the Napa Valley AVA 6 miles (9.7 km) 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. The soil of this region include loam and clay sediments from the Napa River and volcanic soil deposits left over from erosion of the Vaca Mountains. Like many Napa Valley AVAs, Stags Leap District is particularly known for its Cabernet Sauvignon. In 1976 at the Judgment of Paris wine tasting, the 1973 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet from the area that would become this AVA won first place in the red wine category, beating out classified Bordeaux estates. Today, the Stags Leap District is home to twenty different wineries.
The 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 73 feet (22 m) and 520 feet (158 m) above sea level. The northern edge of the AVA is defined by Laguna Creek and the southern edge is defined by Dry Creek, both of which flow out of the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains into the San Joaquin Valley. The soils in Borden Ranch is alluvial with cobbles, clay pan, and clay loam. Red wine grape varietals are the most commercially important grapes in the area.
The 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. The AVA is named after the Mokelumne River, which drains out of the Sierra Nevada Mountains into the San Joaquin River and passes through the heart of the appellation. The wine region includes a portion of the lower Mokelumne River and the Cosumnes River, a tributary. The Mokelumne River AVA covers 87,500 acres (35,410 ha), of which 42,000 acres (16,997 ha) are planted to wine grapes. The soil in the area is alluvial fan deposits of sand and loam. Ample rainfall and soil moisture retention allows most grape growers to farm without the use of irrigation.
The 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 5 feet (2 m) to 48 feet (15 m) above sea level. At these low elevations, frequent fog keeps the Cosumnes River AVA cooler than other regions of Lodi.
The 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 90 feet (27 m) and 400 feet (122 m) in elevation. A variety of microclimates exist within the hills of the region. The soils in the area includes loams, clay loams, and clays. Below the alluvial top soil are areas of granite and volcanic soils.
The Sloughhouse AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in 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 590 feet (180 m) above sea level, reducing the influence of fog that keep lower elevation areas in Lodi cooler. Sloughhouse is considered by some to be a transitional climate and terrain between the characteristics of the wine regions of the Central Valley and the nearby Sierra Foothills AVA.
The 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 Island is home to over 40 wineries and 3,000 acres (1,200 ha) of planted vineyards. The local climate is heavily influenced by the presence of Long Island Sound, Peconic Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean. The maritime influences of these bodies of water help to moderate temperature fluctuations and extend the growing season up to a month longer than other regions in New York. The most planted grape varieties in the region are Merlot, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Franc. The hardiness zones are 7a and 7b.
References
- 1 2 Code of Federal Regulations. "§ 9.195 Alta Mesa." Archived 2012-02-12 at the Wayback Machine Title 27: Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; Part 9 — American Viticultural Areas; Subpart C — Approved American Viticultural Areas. Retrieved Jan. 25, 2008.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Chandler, David (2007). "Alta Mesa (AVA)" Archived 2007-11-13 at the Wayback Machine . Appellation America. Retrieved Oct. 4, 2007.