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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.
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.
Rockpile AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Sonoma County, California, northwest of the town of Healdsburg, on the hills above the west shore of Lake Sonoma in the southern Mendocino Range. Established on February 28, 2002, Rockpile AVA was Sonoma County's twelfth designated wine appellation. The wine region consists of approximately 15,400 acres (62 km2) in northwestern Sonoma County. All of the AVA has an elevation in excess of 800 feet (244 m) above sea level. Eleven vineyards are currently located within the AVA and there are approximately 160 acres (1 km2) of planted wine grapes.
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. Mendocino County is one of the northernmost commercial wine grape regions in the state with two distinct climate zones separated by the Mendocino Range. Ten American Viticultural Areas have been designated within Mendocino County. Mendocino is one of the leading wine growing regions for organically produced wine grapes. Nearly 25% of the acreage in Mendocino County is grown organically. In 2004, the residents of the county voted to become the first GMO-free county in the United States in an initiative that was supported by many of the county's largest wineries. The county's widespread focus on organic viticulture has inspired journalists to describe it as "California's organic wine Mecca".
Sonoma County wine is wine made in Sonoma County, California, in the United States.
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 Ohio River Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area centered on the Ohio River and surrounding areas. It is the second largest wine appellation of origin in the United States with 16,640,000 acres (26,000 sq mi) (67,300 km2) in portions of the states of Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia. The area is mostly planted with hybrid grapes like Baco noir, Marechal Foch, Seyval blanc and Vidal. Of the Vitis vinifera found in the area Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Petit Manseng and Riesling are the most common. The AVA size was decreased by approximately 1,530 square miles when the Indiana Uplands AVA was established in 2013 composed of the bordering area in Indiana.
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 by one party. Grapes are sold to several wineries. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot Pinot Noir and Riesling are the most popular planting. Cole Ranch is located within three larger appellations - Mendocino AVA, Mendocino County, and the North Coast AVA.
The Anderson Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area centered on the Anderson Valley in Mendocino County, California. It is known primarily for its Pinot noir and sparkling wine production. Lying 10 to 15 miles from the Pacific Ocean, the AVA is prone to wide diurnal temperature variation of between 40 and 50 °F. The valley often has long Indian summers. Wineries in the AVA host an annual Alsatian wine festival where locally produced Riesling and Gewurztraminer wines are showcased.
The Mendocino Ridge AVA is a coastal, cool climate and high altitude American Viticultural Area located entirely within the coastal zone of Mendocino County, California. The boundaries of the AVA encompass the coastal ridges adjacent to the Pacific Ocean that reach inland toward the Anderson Valley. Roughly 36 miles of the southernmost portion of the Mendocino Coast make up the western boundary of the AVA, with the Sonoma County line as the southern boundary, the Navarro River as the northern boundary and Anderson Valley as the inland boundary running northwest–southeast. The Mendocino Ridge AVA "is essentially a northern extension of the true Sonoma Coast viticultural area." However, the Mendocino Ridge AVA designation is unique in that it is limited by elevation, reserved only for vineyards at or above 1200 feet. 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. The Mendocino Ridge AVA lands are above the Anderson Valley and Mendocino appellations. The Mendocino Ridge viticultural area boundary encompasses 262,400 acres, but the actual viticultural area contains only 87,466 acres. Of these, approximately 1,500 to 2,000 acres are suitable for vineyards. The loczl hillsides are very steep and covered with timber, making them unfit for planting. Estimates of planted acres range from 233 to 410, which accounts for about 0.3% of the total area.
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. This large appellation covers over 3,000,000 acres (5,000 sq mi) and includes a number of smaller sub-appellations that all share the common ecology trait of weather affected by the fog and breezes off the Pacific Ocean.
The Russian River Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Sonoma County, California. Centered on 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 enlarged in 2005. The area generally lies between Sebastopol and Santa Rosa in the south, and Forestville and Healdsburg in the north. The Russian River Valley has a characteristically cool climate, heavily affected by fog generated by the valley's proximity to the Pacific Ocean. The area is known for its success with cool climate varietals, notably Pinot noir and Chardonnay.
The Sonoma Coast AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Sonoma County, California, United States containing more than 500,000 acres (2,000 km2), 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 relative to other parts of Sonoma County. The area has such a broad range of microclimates that petitions have been made to the United States Department of the Treasury Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau for the creation of sub-AVAs such as the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA which was approved in December 2011.
The Covelo AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in northern Mendocino County, California. Although the region only has 12 acres (4.85623 ha) 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 unique climate conditions of the area. Jake Claus and William Claus planted the only (CCOF) Vineyards in the Covelo AVA, making them the monopoly of grape Farms/Growers in the AVA. The appellation is located 45 miles (72 km) north of Ukiah, California, and includes the areas of Round and Williams Valleys. The area is relatively flat terrain built upon deep loam soil layers, the valley floor sits at 1230ft elevation. Unlike other areas in the California wine country, Covelo has a continental climate with the high peaks surrounding the valley shielding it from the influence of the Pacific Ocean. The growing season here is one of the shortest in Mendocino County and the area experiences one of the widest diurnal temperature variation in the region.
The Potter Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in northern Mendocino County, California, with its center in the town of Potter Valley. This appellation is located to the east of the Redwood Valley AVA and sits at an elevation approximately 200 feet (61 m) higher than the surrounding areas. The proximity to the nearby Eel River watershed has created favorable conditions for the production of botrytized wines, particularly Riesling, Sauvignon blanc, and Semillon.
The 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 if not for constant breezes from the Pacific Ocean. The soil in Dos Rios is more infertile than other regions in the county. Only one winery, Vin de Tevis, currently operates within the boundaries of the AVA.
The McDowell Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in southeastern Mendocino County, California near Hopland. The wine appellation is located on sloped bench land at elevations as high as 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level that overlook the Russian River to the west. McDowell Valley is slightly cooler than the surrounding areas of Mendocino County. McDowell Valley Vineyards is currently the only winery operating within the boundaries of the AVA.
The 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 200 feet (61 m) higher than the surrounding area. It is cooler in climate and requires a later harvest for grapes to achieve ripeness.
The 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 content, which provides excellent drainage. During the day, the climate is cooler than Alexander Valley but warmer than Anderson Valley, while at night the highlands are cooler than the surrounding areas.
Lake County wine is an appellation that designates wine made from grapes grown mostly in Lake County, California. The region is located north of Napa County and east of Mendocino County. Although each region within Lake County has unique viticultural attributes, many are influenced by Clear Lake, the largest inland body of water in California.
References
- ↑ "§ 9.93 Mendocino" (Title 27: Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; Part 9 — American Viticultural Areas; Subpart C — Approved American Viticultural Areas). Code of Federal Regulations. Retrieved January 7, 2008.
- 1 2 "Mendocino (AVA): Appellation Profile". Appellation America. 2007. Archived from the original on April 15, 2009. Retrieved January 7, 2008.
