The United States of America is the world’s fourth largest producer of wine and claims the world’s sixth highest acreage of land under vine.
California produces approximately 85% of all American wine, followed by Washington, New York, and Oregon. Compared with traditional wine-producing countries, the US has a large population, surpassing France in early 2011 to become the world’s largest wine consumer. Despite this, the US ranked only 62nd in per capita consumption by 2016, with just 30% of the population identifying as wine drinkers. In 2019, the US experienced its first decline in wine consumption in 25 years, as the industry lost market share to fast-growing categories such as canned hard seltzers, spirits, and craft beer. Still, the US continues to provide the world’s most substantial market for fine wines. Further, over the past 20 years, powerful American critics have had a significant influence on winemakers and markets worldwide.
In the early ninth century, the Viking Leif Eriksson brought his boat aground at L’Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, Canada, becoming the first European to definitively set foot on the North American continent. He christened his discovery Vinland—possibly a reference to the meadows before him or, as recounted in the 13th-century poem “Saga of the Greenlanders,” a tribute to the wealth of native grapevines. Unlike in South America, several species of wild grapevines awaited the first colonists of North America, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis aestivalis. Vitis vinifera, the source of fine wine
Elliot, check out this map: www.gotastewine.com/wa-ava-map.htm
Mike,
Sorry for the delayed response, and thanks for noting that. From Sonoma County Winegrowers' site, we have:
"Northern Sonoma, established on September 10, 1990. The area seems as vast and amorphous as its name, encompassing Chalk Hill, Knights Valley, Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley, and most of Green Valley within its embrace. The border follows Bohemian Highway in Monte Rio southeast along Dutch Bill Creek through Camp Meeker, Occidental, and Freestone, stretches along Highway 12 through Sebastopol to Fulton Road, turns north to River Road and from there traverses Mark West Springs Road to the Sonoma–Napa border. Its north boundaries are formed by the county lines of Lake and Mendocino."
But they have the date wrong, as it was formally approved in 1986, not 1990. Gallo's own map seems a little small, frankly. I did a little further research and came up with this from the TTB:
"The current Russian River Valley viticultural area, with the exception of its southern tip, lies within the Northern Sonoma viticultural area (27 CFR 9.70). The Northern Sonoma viticultural area, in turn, lies largely within the Sonoma Coast viticultural area (27 CFR 9.116). The Northern Sonoma and Sonoma Coast viticultural areas are both entirely within the North Coast viticultural area (27 CFR 9.30)."
Also, in its original approval:
"Six approved viticultural areas are located entirely within the Northern Sonoma viticultural area as follows: Chalk Hill, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County Green Valley [subsequently renamed Green Valley of Russian River Valley], Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley, and Knights Valley."
..note that this was before Sonoma Coast AVA was created, so we can add that one into the list. Same thing with Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak, Fort Ross-Seaview and Rockpile. I suppose we should omit Bennett Valley and Sonoma Mountain, as those are within Sonoma Valley, which is already excluded in the text
Any idea where Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley AVA is in relation to the other AVA's of Columbia Valley? I've found the following "The appellation is bounded by the Columbia River to the west; the Winchester Wasteway to the east; the Beezeley Hills to the north and the Frenchman Hills to the south." None of my maps have these landmarks however.
"The 329,000 acre Northern Sonoma AVA, which comprises all of the county’s individual AVAs save Sonoma Valley and Carneros, was proposed by Gallo of Sonoma, who may now blend across pre-existing AVA boundaries for its estate-bottled wines."
This sentence needs updating. I don't think Northern Sonoma AVA includes 6 other AVAs in the county, namely Rockpile, Sonoma Mountain, Bennett, Valley, Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peal, Fort Ross-Seaview, or Sonoma Coast.
If you are looking for American wineries- this is a pretty cool site: www.travelenvoy.com/.../USA.htm