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
The section on AVAs in California includes the following text: ‘Green Valley is not a sub-AVA of Russian River Valley but instead its own AVA, distinct for its cool temperatures, Goldridge soil, and morning fog layer. Since Green Valley is a nested AVA within Russian River Valley, producers may label their wines Green Valley or Russian River Valley; they often choose the latter in warmer vintages.’ I’m a bit confused as to what constitutes a sub-AVA, as the study guide elsewhere applies the term of sub-AVAs to AVAs located within Napa Valley, the Sierra Foothills, Willamette Valley and uses the term ‘sub-appellations’ for AVAs within Lodi. Is the term sub-AVA being applied to where AVAs face conjunctive labeling requirements in their relation to other AVAs? (As I’m not aware of any such conjunctive labeling requirements that apply to the AVAs within the Sierra Foothills.) Is a sub-AVA a legally controlled term with a defined meaning? I have yet to encounter it in TTB regulatory documents governing AVAs.
Hi Keith, I agree with you that sub-AVA is generally used to refer to any AVA nested within a larger AVA. The formal name "Green Valley of Russian River Valley AVA" could be confusing to some readers, and I think the author was just trying to clarify that it is indeed its own unique AVA. I'll try to clarify above!