Last time we looked at American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) and how their distinguishing features are set up to define unique wine-growing regions. But AVAs are different, and more specific, then a wine appellation.

An appellation is a geographical way of organizing where the grapes are grown. For example, Sonoma Valley is an appellation. But, within the appellation, there may be several AVAs (i.e., Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley, Alexander Valley, etc.).

Here are some AVA Fun Facts:

• When a petition is filed to create a new AVA, it has to include detailed descriptions of the features that distinguish the proposed AVA from the surrounding regions and and how it effects grapes are grown, along with evidence to support the claims of these distinctive feature.

•  If a wine label states a specific AVA, then at least 85% of the grapes must have come from that region.  

• Unlike many European wine growing regions, there are no restrictions on the type of grape that must be grown within each AVA.

• AVAs can reside entirely within a single-state or cross over multi-states. Multi-state AVAs include the Columbia Valley, Columbia Valley and Walla Walla Valley that are shared between Oregon and Washington but there are many others across the U.S. There are two multi-state AVA that include parts of four states - the Ohio River Valley AVA (Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia) and the Upper Mississippi River Valley AVA (Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin).

• The AVA system was set up in the United States in 1980.

• As of August 2020, there were 267 established AVAs in the United States.

• The first U.S. AVA was the Augusta AVA in Missouri that was established in June 1980.

• The latest AVA to be added is the Gabilan Mountains AVA in California’s Central Coast. It was added on August 15, 2022.

• California has the most AVAs, with 147.

• Many new AVAs are proposed and pending across the U.S. For a full listing, see the TTB website.