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Countries index – Winemaking – Grapes
| USA: There are 267 AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) across all 50 States. Yet in 2023 California produced 81% of USA wine – with a further 11% produced by New York (4.4%), Oregon (2.3%) and Washington State (4.3%).  Image source: vineyards.com |
QUICK LINKS TO USA REGIONS
[Cali]
[Newy]
USA REGION-BY-REGION
| California California is responsible for 90% of America’s wine production – this is 130% the size of Australia’s production. If it were a nation it would be the 4th largest world wine producer.  Image source: vineyards.com California wine-growing regions: Over 4,000 wineries within four sub-zones – North Coast (North of San Francisco) Alexander Valley, Anderson Valley, Atlas Peak, Benmore Valley, Bannett Valley, Calistoga, Chalk Hill, Chiles Valley, Clear lake, Cole Ranch, Covelo, Diamond Mountain District, Donoma Mountain, Dos Rios, Dry Creek Valley, Green Valley, Guenos Valley, High Valley, Howell Mountain, Knights Valley, Lake County, Marin, McDowell Valley, Mendocino, Mendocino Ridge, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley, North Coast, Northern Sonoma, Oakville, Potter Valley, Red Hills Lake County, Redwood Valley, Rockpile, Russian River Valley, Rutherford, Solano, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma Valley, Spring Mountain District, Stage Leap District, Yorkville Highlands, Yountville.. Central Coast (SF to Los Angeles) Arroyo Grande Valley, Arroyo Seco, Ben Lomond Mountain, Camel Valley, Ciegno Valley, Edna Valley, Fresno, Hames Valley, Happy Canyon, Lime Kiln Valley, Livermore Valley, Monterey, Mount Harlan, Pacheco Pass, Paicines, Paso Robles (oldest), San Antonio Valley, San Benito, San Bernabe, San Francisco Bay, San Luis Obispo Coast, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara Valley, Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Lucia Highlands, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Ynez Valley, Squaw Valley-Miramonte, Santa Rita Hills, St Helena, York Mountain. Central Valley (75% of Califonian grapes) Sacramento Valley (Capay Valley, Dunnigan Hills, Merrigan Island), San Joaquin Valley (Clarksburg, Diablo Grands, Lodl, Madera, River Junction, Salado Creeks, Tracy Hiils), Sierra Foothills (California Shenandoah Valley, El Dorado, Fair Play, Fiddletown, North Yuba). South Coast (south of LA) Antelope Valley, Cucamonga Valley, Leona Valley, Los Angeles County, Malibu County, Malibu-Newton Canyon, Ramona Valley, Saddle Rock Malibu, San Diego County, San Pasqual Valley, Sierra Palona Valley, South Coast, Tehachapi-Cummings Valley, Temecula Valley, Ventura County. Grapes: Red: Albariño, Alicante Bouschet, Alvarelhão, Barbera, Bastardo, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Charbono, Cinsault, Concord, Dolcetto, Dornfelder, Gamay Beaujolais, Gamay noir, Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, Mourvèdre, Nebbiolo, Palomino, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, Primitivo, Rubired, Ruby Cabernet, Sangiovese, Syrah, Tempranillo, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Cao, Tinta Madeira, Touriga Nacional, Trebbiano, White: Black Muscat, Chardonnay, Chenin blanc, Colombard, Flora, Freisa, Gewürztraminer, Malvasia, Marsanne, Muscat Canelli, Muscat of Alexandria, Niagara, Orange Muscat, Pinot blanc, Pinot gris, Riesling, Roussanne, Sauvignon blanc, Sémillon, Souzão, Symphony, Teroldego, Trousseau gris, Valdiguié, Verdelho, Viognier, Zinfandel  Image source: elitetraveler.com | New York Winemaking began in the 17th century, with Dutch and Huguenot plantings in the Hudson Valley region.  Image source: newyorkwines.co.uk New York appellations: Cayuga Lake, Champlain Valley, Finger Lakes, Hudson River, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Long Island (North Fork), Niagara (Escarpment), Seneca Lake, The Hamptons, Upper Hudson Grapes: Red: Baco noir, Blaufränkisch (Lemberger), Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chambourcin, Chancellor, Chelois, Colobel, Concord, De Chaunac, Frontenac, Isabella, Ives noir, Leon Millot, Marechal Foch, Marquette, Merlot, Pinot noir, Rougeon, Saperavi, St Vincent, Steuben, Vincent. White: Aurore, Catawba, Cayuga, , Chardonnay, Chenin blanc, Delaware, Diamond, Elvira, Gewürztraminer, Melody, Niagara, Pinot blanc, Pinot gris, Riesling, Sauvignon blanc, Seyval blanc, Traminette, Vidal blanc, Vignoles, Vincent.  Image source: wine-searcher.com |
[Mich]
[Ohio]
| Michigan Michigan’s wine industry dates from the 1780s, with the state’s first true wine region established in Monroe at Frenchtown. Today it has over 200 commercial wineries.  Image source: michiganwinecountry.com Michigan appellations: Fennville AVA, Lake Michigan Shore AVA, Leelanau Peninsula AVA, Old Mission Peninsula AVA, Tip of the Mitt AVA Grapes: Red: Baco noir, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Catawba, Chambourcin, Concord, Couderc noir, Gamay, Malbec, Maréchal Foch, Merlot, Norton/Cynthia, Pinot Noir, Rougeon, Ruby Cabernet, Touriga Francesa, Villard noir, Vivant. White: Cayuga, Chardonel, Chardonnay, Chelois, De Chaunac, Delaware, Diamond, Edelweiss, Muscat Canelli, New York Muscat, Rayon d’Or, Riesling, Seyval blanc, St Vincent, Traminette, Valiant, Vidal blanc, Vignoles, Villard blanc, Zinfandel.  Image source: Wikimedia Commons | Ohio Wine was produced in Ohio from the 1820s after the planting of the first Alexander and Isabella grapes in the Ohio River Valley, and the first Catawba grapes in Ohio.  Image source: carpe-travel.com/ Ohio appellations: Grand River Valley, Central Ohio, Isle St. George, Lake Erie, Loramie Creek, Ohio River Valley Grapes: Red: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Catawba, Chambourcin, Chancellor, Concord, Leon Millot, Maréchal Foch , Marquette, Merlot, Norton, Pinot noir, Steuben. White: Cayuga, Chardonel, Chardonnay, Delaware, Edelweiss, Gewürztraminer, La Crosse, Niagara, Pinot gris, Riesling, Sauvignon blanc, Seyval blanc, St Pepin, Traminette, Vidal blanc, Vignoles.  Image source: eu.dispatch.com |
[Miss]
[Oreg]
| Missouri: German immigrants in the early-to-mid-19th century founded the wine industry in Missouri, it became known as ‘Rhineland‘. Before prohibition, Missouri was the second-largest wine-producing state in the nation. The first AVA in the USA was awarded to Augusta, Missouri in June 1980.  Image source: reddit.com Missouri appellations: Augusta, Hermann, Loess Hills, Ozark Highlands, Ozark Mountain Grapes: Red: Baco noir, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Catawba, Chambourcin, Concord, Couderc noir, Malbec, Maréchal Foch, Merlot, Norton, Pinot Noir, Rougeon, Ruby Cabernet, Touriga Francesa, Villard noir, Vivant White: Cayuga, Chardonel, Chardonnay, Chelois, De Chaunac, Delaware, Diamond, Edelweiss, Muscat Canelli, New York Muscat, Rayon d’Or, Riesling, Seyval blanc, St Vincent, Traminette, Valiant, Vidal blanc, Vignoles, Villard blanc, Zinfandel  Image source: visithermann.com/ | Oregon: The Oregon Territory was settled in the 1840s, grapes were first planted in 1847. An Oregon Trail pioneering family transported fruit plants, including Oregon’s first grape plantings. Viticulture only became a significant industry in the state from the 1960s.  Image source: vineyards.com Oregon appellations: Applegate Valley, Chehalem Mountains, Columbia Gorge, Dundeee Hills, Elkton Oregon, Eola-Amity Hills, Laurelwood District, Lower Long Tom, McMinnville, Mount Pisgah, Portland, Red Hill Douglas County, Ribbon Ridge, Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, Rogue Valley, Snake River Valley, Tualatin Hills, Umpqua Valley, Van Duzer Corridor, Walla Walla Valley (not to be confused with the one in Washington State), Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton. Grapes: Red: Abouriou, Baco noir, Barbera, Black Muscat, Blaufränkisch, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, Counoise, Dolcetto, Frontenac, Gamay noir, Graciano, Grenache, Lagrein, Leon Millot, Malbec, Maréchal Foch, Marquette, Merlot, Mondeuse noire, Montepulciano, Mourvèdre, Nebbiolo, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, Pinot Meunier, Pinot noir, Pinotage, Roussanne, Sangiovese, St Croix, St Laurent, Syrah, Tannat, Tempranillo, Teroldego, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Cao, Trousseau. White: Albariño, Aligoté, Arneis, Auxerrois Blanc, Caprettone, Cayuga, Chardonnay, Chasselas, Chenin blanc, Coda di Volpe, Early Muscat, Ehrenfelser, Fiano, Gewurztraminer, Gouais blanc, Grenache blanc, Gruner Veltliner, Huxelrebe, Kerner, La Crosse, La Crescent, Malvasia, Marsanne, Melon, Müller Thurgau, Muscat Canelli, Muscat Ottonel, Niagara, Petit Manseng, Pinot blanc, Pinot gris, Riesling, Sauvignon blanc, Scheurebe, Sémillon, Seyval blanc, Sylvaner, Tocai Friulano, Traminette, Verdejo, Vermentino, Vignoles, Viognier, Zinfandel.  Image source: travelmedford.org |
[Wash]
| Washington (State): The earliest grape vines planted in Washington State were found at Fort Vancouver in 1825 by traders working for the Hudson’s Bay Company but they could not establish if wine was ever produced from these plantings. German and Italian immigrants planted wine grapes in Washington during the 1860s and 1870s. Washington was early in introducing Prohibition in 1917. The modern Washington wine industry began in the mid-20th c when a number of professors from the University of Washington turned their home winemaking operation into a commercial endeavor.  Image source: vineyards.com Washington State appellations: Ancient Lakes, Candy Mountain, Columbia Gorge, Columbia Hills, Columbia Valley, Goose Gap, Horse Heaven Hills, Lake Chelan, Lewis-Clark Valley, Mill Creek-Walla Walla Valley, Mount St. Helens, Naches Heights, Puget Sound, Rattlesnake Hills, Red Mountain, Rocky Reach, Royal Slope, Snipes Mountain, The Burn of Columbia Valley, Wahluke Slope, Walla Walla Valley, White Bluffs, Yakima Valley Grapes: Red: Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, Cinsault, Grenache, Lemberger, Léon Millot, Malbec, Maréchal Foch, Merlot, Nebbiolo, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Pinot noir, Sangiovese, Syrah,Tempranillo, White: Aligoté, Chardonnay, Chenin blanc, Gewürztraminer, Madeleine Angevine, Madeleine Sylvaner, Müller-Thurgau, Muscat Canelli, Muscat Ottonel, Pinot blanc, Pinot gris, Riesling, Roussanne, Sauvignon blanc, Sémillon, Siegerrebe, Viognier, Zinfandel.  Image source: redmountainava.com |
Wines of USA
Image source: winefolly.com
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