An American Viticultural Area, or AVA for short, is a region designated by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau as a grape-growing area. The area, is literally, a tract of land that is established as being of significance in terms of history, geography and climate. It must be deemed “different” from the land nearby and the production in those other AVA’s. In a word, you must prove what makes that area special.
The US system says that a wine cannot be labeled as originating from a particular AVA unless 85% of the grapes used in the wine come directly from that particular tract of land. The US system is loosely based upon the French Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) – which is really the “benchmark” for “Wine Appellations” around the world. The biggest difference is that in countries like France, The Appellation will literally put restraints on the production allowed during a particular season, the harvest times, and what types of grapes are acceptable for the region. The vineyard must meet these 7 categories for the French to allow the wine to be labeled from a certain area:
(1) the land-acceptable vineyard acreage is precisely defined based on centuries of recorded usage and issues such as the land’s soil, configuration, and altitude
(2) the grape varieties-the grape varieties are defined for each geographic area and based on historical data, clarifying which varieties perform well in particular soils and climates
(3) viticultural practices-this category considers such things as the number of vines per hectare pruning techniques, and fertilization methods
(4) permissible yield-because large yields decrease the grapes’ quality, and one way to improve caliber is to restrict the crop, maximum yields are established for each AC
(5) alcohol content-all ACs must guarantee a minimum alcohol level, which means that the grapes must reach a certain ripeness (sugar content), which in turn ensures flavor, although in some areas it’s legal to add sugar (chaptalize) to reach the required alcohol level
(6) winemaking practices-each AC has regulations regarding wine making procedures, usually based on historical practices that produced favorable results
(7) official tasting-since 1979 tasting panels sample all wines that apply for AC status. Wines that meet all seven of these criteria are entitled to use the phrase Appellation Contrôlée on their labels;
In the US, our system doesn’t require that you grow a certain variety of grapes, or that you limit production to only handcrafted wines to qualify. With our AVA system, if you purchase a wine that says Howell Mountain AVA, or Bennett Valley Appellation, they must have 85% of the grapes from the area, simple as that.
If you are considering a vineyard as a second home, or a new business, it’s important to understand that the Counties of Sonoma and Napa are now somewhat restrictive to “cookie cutter” neighborhoods. Custom Homes are typically built on land parcels ranging from five to 40 acres. If you have questions about vineyards and wineries for sale in Sonoma or Napa Valley, or if you want more information about the AVA’s – please call Mark Stornetta at 707-815-8749. I’m uniquely qualified to help you make an investment if you want to purchase a vineyard in Sonoma, or a winery in Napa. I understand the history and the challenges of owning a vineyard home… and I understand ROI and EBIT, and can show you the formulas I use.
Our office has several beautiful Bennett Valley AVA Properties for sale.
October 26th, 2011 at 5:56 pm
[...] history, climate and vine history which makes it’s AVA different from the next. Because the US AVA rules require that at least 85% of the grapes contributing to the wine come from the listed [...]
October 29th, 2011 at 7:20 pm
[...] There really are some beautiful vines here. It has 15 acres of Chardonnay planted, and there are between 10 and 15 acres that are available to plant. It’s located on gently slopping hills, with good drainage. (want to know why all of that is really important if you are buying a Vineyard in Napa Valley?) [...]
December 5th, 2011 at 7:05 pm
[...] important to note that Sonoma Valley IS ACTUALLY an AVA… a bottle labeled Sonoma County, might not be from this unique corner of the county. The Valley is shaped almost identically to [...]
December 5th, 2011 at 8:08 pm
[...] care given to the vines placed in their care. So it’s not surprising that these unique areas (AVA’s), which are IDEAL for growing the some of the World’s Finest Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, [...]