An American Viticultural Area (AVA) is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States, providing an official appellation for the mutual benefit of wineries and consumers. Winemakers frequently want their consumers to know about the geographic pedigree of their wines, as wines from a particular area can possess distinctive characteristics. Consumers often seek out wines from specific AVAs, and certain wines of particular pedigrees can claim premium prices and loyal customers. If a wine is labeled with an AVA, at least 85% of the grapes that make up the wine must have been grown in the AVA, and the wine must be fully finished within the state where the AVA is located.
Arroyo Seco is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Monterey County, California, southeast of Monterey Bay. The state's 15th appellation was established on May 16,1983 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by the Arroyo Seco Winegrowers and Vintners, an association composed of grape growers and vintners with vineyards, to establish a viticultural area within Monterey County known as "Arroyo Seco."
Columbia Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) which lies within the Columbia River Plateau, through much of central and southern Washington state, with a section crossing the state boundary into northern Oregon south of the Columbia River. The viticultural area includes the drainage basin of the Columbia River and its tributaries through much of Washington. It was established by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury on December 13, 1984 after evaluating the petition filed by Drs, Walter Clore and Wade Wolfe of Prosser, Washington on behalf of Washington’s oldest and largest winery, Chateau Ste. Michelle, and by William Blosser of the Sokol Blosser Winery, Dundee, Oregon. Allen Shoup, president of Chateau Ste. Michelle, understood the importance of obtaining appellation status to grow the reputation of the Northwest viticulture industry.
Walla Walla Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) 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. In addition to grapes, the area produces sweet onions, wheat and strawberries After the Yakima Valley AVA, the Walla Walla AVA has the second highest concentration of vineyards and wineries in Washington State. Walla Walla hosts about 140 wineries. The area was recognized on March 7, 1984 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Mr. Richard L Small, President of the Walla Walla Valley Winegrowers Association, for the establishment of a viticultural area in southeast Washington and northeast Oregon, east of Lake Wallula, to be known as "Walls Walls Valley." At the time, Walla Walla Valley viticultural area was approximately 178,560 acres (279 sq mi) with two bonded wineries and about 60 acres (24 ha) from several vineyards.
Knights Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Sonoma County, California. As one of the five original viticultural areas in the county, Knights Valley was established on October 21, 1983 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by The Knights Valley Wine-Growers Committee, an organization of grape/wine industry members, signed by 16 persons, to establish a viticultural area in northeastern Sonoma County named "Knights Valley." The area encompasses approximately 36,240 acres (57 sq mi) with over 30 growers cultivating 2,000 acres (809 ha) under vine. In the easternmost Sonoma County region, Knights Valley has the warmest climate in the county. The northernmost section of the boundary line runs slightly to the north of Pine Mountain; the southernmost section of the boundary line borders the petrified forest area immediately to the north of Porter Creek. The Sonoma County line bordering Lake County and Napa County forms the eastern section of the boundary of the viticultural area. The easternmost section of the boundary line abuts the boundaries for the Alexander Valley and Chalk Hill viticultural areas. The appellation is the border separating Sonoma County from the Napa Valley.
Monticello is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in the central Piedmont region of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It was established by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) on February 22, 1984, after six wine grape growers in the Charlottesville area petitioned the ATF to designate a viticultural area to be known as “Monticello.” The name "Monticello" is known nationally and locally as the historic home of Thomas Jefferson, located near the center of the area. Monticello AVA includes most of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Orange, and Nelson counties. The area is nestled along the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains and encompasses the small ridge known as the Southwest Mountains. There are approximately 30 varieties of grapes grown in the Monticello AVA. However, the most notable grapes grown in the area include Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Viognier. The hardiness zone is 7a except in some higher vineyards which are 6b. In 2019, the Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) granted a petition to expand the AVA by approximately 106,240 acres (166 sq mi) into Fluvanna County.
Paso Robles is the third American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in San Luis Obispo (SLO) County, California. It was established by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury on November 3, 1983 based on a petition submitted by Martin Brothers Winery. The area encompasses 609,673 acres (953 sq mi) with approximately 18,500 acres (7,487 ha) cultivated with wine grapes known for their heritage varietal Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Rhône-style wines.
Cole Ranch is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Mendocino County, California. The small viticultural area was established on April 15, 1983 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by the proprietor of Cole Ranch in Ukiah, California. At less than a quarter of a square mile, it is the smallest appellation in the United States. The viticultural area is located in a small, narrow mountain valley west of Hwy 101 on the 500 acres (0.78 sq mi) ranch originally owned by the Cole family. The valley is approximately one mile in length and a half mile across at its widest point tucked into the high hills ranging from 1,400 to 1,600 ft (427–488 m) in elevation. The AVA is located between the Russian River and Anderson Valley. Several prominent wineries source grapes from Cole Ranch including Fetzer Vineyards and Chateau St. Jean. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot Pinot Noir and Riesling are the most popular planting. Cole Ranch viticultural area is sub-region of Mendocino AVA. As of 2024, the Sterling family, proprietors of the Esterlina Winery located at Philo, owns the vineyard acreage.
Central Coast is a vast American Viticultural Area (AVA) that spans along the Central California Pacific coastline from the San Francisco Bay Area south through Monterey, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties. It was established on November 25, 1985 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Taylor California Cellars, a winery in Gonzales, California, to establish the "Central Coast" viticultural area. The boundaries of the Central Coast, which have been expanded twice, includes portions of six counties where approximately 100,000 acres (40,469 ha) cultivated with Chardonnay being more than half of the varietal. Within the multi-county AVA are numerous established appellations that share the same maritime climate produced by the Pacific Ocean.
Anderson Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Anderson Valley in the western part of Mendocino County, California lying generally along the watershed of the Navarro River. The viticultural area was established on August 18, 1983 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by the Anderson Valley Appellation Committee proposing a viticultural area to be named "Anderson Valley." It encompasses about 57,600 acres (90 sq mi) with 600 acres (243 ha) of vineyards widely dispersed within its boundaries. It is known primarily for its Pinot noir and sparkling wine production.
Mendocino Ridge is a coastal, cool climate and high altitude American Viticultural Area (AVA) located entirely within the coastal zone of Mendocino County, California. The viticultural area was established on October 27, 1997 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Mr. Steve Alden on behalf of the Mendocino Ridge Quality Alliance proposing a viticultural area named "Mendocino Ridge." The boundaries of the 262,400 acres (410 sq mi) AVA encompass the coastal ridges at or above 1,200 ft (366 m) in elevation adjacent to the Pacific Ocean that reach inland toward the Anderson Valley. Roughly 36 mi (58 km) of the southernmost portion of the Mendocino coastline forms the AVA western border, with the Sonoma County line as the southern boundary, the Navarro River is the northern boundary and Anderson Valley outlines the inland boundary running northwest–southeast. Mendocino Ridge is essentially a northern extension of the Sonoma Coast viticultural area. Mendocino Ridge AVA designation is unique by its elevation where vineyards lie at or above 1,200 ft (366 m). This means Mendocino Ridge is the only non-contiguous AVA in the United States. The Mendocino Ridge AVA has been nicknamed "Islands in the Sky," because the thick fog moving inland from the Pacific Ocean blankets the coast and the valleys between the ridge tops, making the tops of the mountains, where the vinyards lay, look like islands protruding from a sea of fog. Mendocino Ridge AVA lies above the Anderson Valley and Mendocino appellations. The Mendocino Ridge viticultural area contains approximately 1,500 to 2,000 acres (607–809 ha), about 2% of the total acreage, that are suitable for vineyards. The local hillsides are very steep and covered with timber, making them unfit for viticulture. Estimates of planted acres range from 233 to 410, which accounts for about 0.3% of the total area.
Sierra Foothills is a vast American Viticultural Area (AVA) encompassing portions of seven of the twelve California counties in the foothill "belt" of the Sierra Nevadas in north-central California, an interior range that extends about 360 mi (580 km) in a northwest-southeast orientation from Mt. Lassen to Walker Pass near Bakersfield. The viticultural area is approximately 160 mi (260 km) long and lies 40 mi (64 km) to the east of Sacramento. It was established on December 18, 1987 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after evaluating the petition filed by the Sierra Foothills Winery Association of Somerset, California for the establishment of a viticultural area named "Sierra Foothills" in portions of Yuba, Nevada, Placer, El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne and Mariposa Counties. Wine grapes were introduced to the area in the nineteenth century during the California Gold Rush of 1849. Over 280 vineyards/wineries are located within its boundaries.
Howell Mountain is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Napa County, California and the first sub-AVA within the internationally-acclaimed Napa Valley. The 14,080 acres (22 sq mi) region was effectively recognized on January 30, 1984 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by members of the grape-growing and wine-producing industries in the area proposing to establish a viticultural area named "Howell Mountain."
Tennessee wine refers to wine made from grapes grown in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The state was home to a wine industry in the 19th century that was decimated when Prohibition was formally established with ratification of the 18th Amendment in 1919. The modern Tennessee wine industry focuses on French hybrid and native grapes, which are more resistant to the fungal grapevine diseases that thrive in Tennessee's humid climate. Most of the wineries in the state are located in Middle and East Tennessee. A small portion of the Mississippi Delta, designated an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1984, extends into the southwestern section of the state, and the Appalachian High Country AVA, recognized in 2016, traverses across the northeastern border with North Carolina and Virginia. The Upper Cumberland AVA was established in Middle Tennessee on June 14, 2024.
Fiddletown is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Amador County, California, United States. The area was established on November 3, 1983 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted from the Fiddletown Wine Grape Growers in Amador County to establish a viticultural area to be known as "Fiddletown." 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. Most of the vineyards in the Fiddletown AVA are located in the south and west portion of the region on Sierra Nevada slopes between 1,500 to 2,500 feet (457–762 m) above sea level. About 20% of the wine produced in Amador County comes from Fiddletown viticultural area.
Clear Lake is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Lake County, California. It was established on June 7, 1984 by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by three of the grape-growers and winery owners located in an area surrounding the watershed of Clear Lake in southwestern Lake County. The petition requested the viticultural area to be named "Clear Lake."
Mt. Harlan is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in San Benito County, California. It was established on December 17, 1990 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) within California’s multi-county Central Coast AVA. It lies within the Gabilan Mountains at elevations of 1,800 feet (550 m) to 2,200 feet (670 m) above sea level where the soil is predominantly limestone. The AVA was established as the result of a petition to the ATF by Josh Jensen and the Calera Wine Company, the only commercial winery in the appellation at the time.
Sta. Rita Hills is an American Viticultural Area located in Santa Barbara County, California within the vast Santa Ynez Valley. The approximately 30,720 acres (48 sq mi) area was established on May 31, 2001 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Department of the Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by J. Richard Sanford and drafted by Wesley D. Hagen, on behalf of viticulturists and vintners working in Santa Barbara County. The petition was signed by 22 people, 14 of whom are local wine grape growers, to establish a viticultural area encompassed by, but separate from, the Santa Ynez Valley AVA to be named "Santa Rita Hills."
The Santa Ynez Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Santa Barbara County, California established on May 16, 1983 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after approving a petition submitted by Firestone Vineyard, a bounded winery in Los Olivos, 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 the north and the Santa Ynez Mountains to the south creating a long, east-west corridor with very cool temperatures on the coast that become progressively warmer inland. The Santa Ynez River flows east to west on the valley floor toward the Pacific Ocean. As of 2021, the Santa Ynez Valley contains four other established viticultural areas: Sta. Rita Hills on its western boundary; Ballard Canyon and Los Olivos District occupying the center region; and Happy Canyon on the eastern border. Chardonnay is the most planted grape variety in the cooler, western portion of the valley while Rhône varieties thrive in the eastern locales.
Santa Barbara County wine is an appellation that designates wine made from grapes grown mostly in Santa Barbara County, California which is located approximately 50 miles (80 km) north of Los Angeles County. 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 Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) of the Treasury Department. TTB was created in January 2003, when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, or ATF, was extensively reorganized under the provisions of the Homeland Security Act of 2002.
