What is a wine appellation or AVA in the U.S.

Russian River Valley AVA – American Viticultural Area

Wine Appellations or AVA’s in California Wine Country

California wine country consists of many specific wine-growing regions. These wine-growing regions are AVAs or American Viticultural Areas. What is a wine appellation or what we call in the U.S. AVA’s?

What is a Wine Appellations or American Viticultural Area?

Instead of Appellations, the United States uses the term American Viticultural Areas or AVA for short.
AVAs are “official” grape growing regions that have been designated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF).
When an AVA is on the wine bottle’s label, 85% of that wine must come from the AVA.
AVAs are geographic locations that have a particular climate, soil, and elevation. These geographic factors influence a vine’s characteristics.
To use an example, the Rockpile AVA in northern Sonoma Country has a unique climate and elevation factor.
Just because the wine comes from a specific AVA does not indicate anything about the quality of the wine.
Any region in the United States can apply to become an AVA.
There can be sub-AVAs which means there can be several AVA’s designated within a larger AVA area. Example: The Napa Valley is an AVA, but there are smaller areas located within the Napa Valley that have an AVA. The Rutherford AVA is a small geographic area located within the Napa AVA. Can you identify all the AVAs of the Napa Valley? Here is a list of the 16 Napa Valley AVAs.
Since an AVA is based on geographic regions, about all you can tell is what varietals are suited for growing in a particular AVA. Read, study, and taste wine. Don’t rely solely on the fact that wine comes from a certain AVA. Rely on your knowledge and tasting experience.
For more information on American Viticultural Areas: The Wine Institute