🇺🇸UNITED STATES 

USA IS–  AVA.- 262(As of 2022)     States- 50 (Wine Made In Every State.)

GEOGRAPHY– HEMISPHERE-Northern, COUNTRY-United States, +Latitude(34° to 49°‘N’)(Contiguous USA.)

  • BORDERS-Canada(North), Mexico(South), Pacific Ocean(West), Atlantic Ocean(East)
  • Sub-Zones-  Pacific North-West
    • California   |   South-West USA.
    • South USA.   |   Central USA.
    • Atlantic North-West USA.   |   Atlantic South USA.
  • **Refer to “These Locations” For Detailed Information On Sub-Zones.

TOPOGRAPHY–  “Flat/ Rolling/ Hilly/ Mountainous/ Valley/ Terraced”

  • **Refer to “USA. Locations” For Detailed Information On Topography.

SOILS– “Metamorphic”, “Volcanic”, “Sedimentary”

  • **Refer to “TERROIR/ Geology & Soil” For Detailed Information On Soils.

CLIMATE– “Maritime”, “Mediterranean”, “Continental”

  • **Refer to “USA. Locations” For Detailed Information On Climate.

VITICULTURE– (36% White/ 64% Red)

  • #4 Country In Grape Production, #3 Country In Wine Consumption In World.
  • VITICULTURAL  DISCLAIMER~ “AVA’s/ Grape Growing Areas In America Have Been Receiving Their Official AVA. Titles as of 1983 the First Being Agusta AVA. and Then Napa AVA..  I Don’t Care When the Wine Growing Area Gets Its Official AVA. Designation,  I Care When and How Long the Area Has Been Growing Grapes That Produce Wine.”

VINICULTURE–

  • 75% Percentage of Grapes Required to Be Labeled Single Varietal Wine.(Oregon 90%)

HISTORY– Wine Cultivation In United States Started In the 1600‘s.

  • 1607 @Virginia– “Viticulture”, First Vitis Vinifera Vines Planted by English Settlers at Jamestown.
  • 1770 @California– Junipero Serra & Franciscan Missionaries Planted Vineyards at Missions From San Diego to Sonoma.
  • 1769 @California– Junipero Serra Planted Grapes at Mission San Diego de Alcala.
  • 1780’s @California– Junipero Serra and Missionaries Planted Vineyards at Missions From San Diego to Sonoma.
  • 1774 @Virginia– Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello Estate Planted Cutting From Italy, France and Spain.
  • 1776 @Philadelphia– Madeira, Claret and Muscat Drank After Declaration of Independence.
  • 1812 @Fort Ross– “Viticulture”, Russians Immigrants Planted Vines.
  • 1821 @California– “Mexican/ Spanish War”,  Independence, Missions Become Less Religious and More Agricultural.
  • 1825 @Washington– “Viticulture”, First Vines Planted by Settlers.
  • 1826 @California– Joseph Chapman Started First Commercial Grape Growing In Los Angeles.
  • 1830 @California– Nicholas Longworth, First Commercial Winery Los Angeles Called El Aliso Vineyard.
  • 1834 @Sonoma– “Historic Winery”, First Vines Planted at Mission of St. Francis.
  • 1836 @Yountville– “Viticulture”, George Young Planted First Vineyards In Napa.
  • 1843 @Fort Vancouver– “Viticulture”, Hudson’s Bay Company Plants First Vine In Oregon.
  • 1843 @Umpqua– On Oregon Trail
  • 1848 @Sierra– “Gold Found”, Gold at Sutter’s Mills, Influx of European Settlers.
  • 1848 @California– “Mexican/ American War”,  American Wins California.
  • 1849 @California– “Gold Rush”, Brought Prosperity and With it the Spread of Population and Vines.
  • 1849 @California– Haraszthy, Buena Vista *Brought 165 Varietal From Europe.
  • 1850 @California– Officially Becomes a State In America.
  • 1850 @America– “Trans-Continental Railroad”, Connects California to East Coast.
  • 1850 @Oak Knoll– Joseph Osborne Planted 1,800ac. In Oak Knoll.
  • 1854 @Napa– John Patchett, Open Napa’s First Official Winery.
  • 1854 @Calastoga– “Historic Winery”, Alfred Tubbs Build and Plants Chateau Montelena.
  • 1855 @Buena Vista– Agoston Haraszthy- Build 1st. Grandiose Winery “Started” California Wine Industry.
  • 1856 @Alexander Valley– Cyrus Alexander Plants First Grapes In Alexander Valley.
  • 1857 @Sonoma– “Buena Vista”, 1st. Commercial California Winery.
  • 1860 @California– “End of Gold Rush”, European Immigrant Miner Become Grape Farmers.
  • 1861 @St. Helena– Charles Krug, Plant Vines, Established Charles Krug Winery.
  • 1862 @Europe– Governor Appointed Haraszthy Head of a Viticulture Trip to Europe.
  • 1862 @St. Helena– German Jacob Schram Establishes Schramsberg Winery.
  • 1873 @Sonoma– First Pinot Noir Vine Planted at Rochioli Estate.
  • 1870 @California– “Economy”, Becomes Top Wine Producing State In America.
  • 1873 @California– “Phylloxera Epidemic”, Starts, by 1881 All Portion of California Effected.
  • 1873 @Sonoma– First Pinot Noir Vine Planted at Rochioli Estate.
  • 1873 @California– “Phylloxera”,Phylloxera Outbreak, Effecting Vitis Vinifera Grapes.
  • 1874 @St Helena– Joseph Ghisletta, Plants Sunny St. Helena Winery.
  • 1876 @St. Helena– German Jacob & Fredrick Beringer,  Establishes Beringer Winery.
  • 1877 @Napa– “Phylloxera”, Phylloxera Hits Napa Valley.
  • 1877 @Howell Mountain– Jean Brun & WJ. Chaix Plants First Vineyards.
  • 1879 @Calastoga– Finland Gustave Niebaum, Established Inglenook.
  • 1880 @Pritchard Hill– Charles Pritchard Planted Zinfandel.
  • 1881 @Oakville– Hamilton Crab, Planted 119ac. Vineyard That Became To-Kolon.
  • 1890 @Napa– “Planting Boom”, Pre 1900’s Planting Expansion.
  • 1890’s @Napa– “Phylloxera Epidemic”, Phylloxera Hits Napa, Destroying the Majority of Vineyards.
  • 1895 @Rutherford– “Historic Winery”, Thomas Rutherford, Plants Vineyards, Becomes Rutherford.
  • 1900’s @Washington– Growing Grapes For Juices, Jelly or Jams.
  • 1900 @Lake County– Strong Wine Industry Throughout Lake County.
  • 1916 @Oregon– “Prohibition”, Starting 4 Years Earlier In Oregon 1916 -1933.
  • 1920 @America– “Prohibition”, January 17th. 1920 to December 5th. 1933.
  • 1933 @America– “Prohibition”, End of Prohibition.
  • 1920 @America– “Prohibition”, January 17th. 1920 to December 5th. 1933.
  • 1930’s @America– “Great Depression”Great Depression
  • 1933 @America– “Prohibition”, End of Prohibition.
  • 1933 @Oregon– “Historic Winery”, Honeywood Winery- Oldest Continuously Operating Winery In Oregon.
  • 1940’s @Washington– “Irrigation Project”, Changed “Desert” Into Profitable Farming Land.
  • 1944 @Napa– Seven Members Formed Napa Valley Vintners Association.
  • 1960’s @Willamette– “Viticulture”, Pre-Modern Winemaking Movement Began.
  • 1960’s @Napa– “Wine Renaissance”, New Generation
  • 1960’s @Washington– “Viticulture”, Modern Wine Era Started.
  • 1960 @Lake County– “Re-Emergence”, Wine Industry Starts Growing Again.
  • 1961 @Umpqua Valley– First Pinot Noir Vineyard is Planted In Oregon by Richard Sommer at Hillcrest.
  • 1965 @Corvallis– David Lett Plants First Pinot Noir In Southern Willamette Valley.
  • 1965 @Oakville– Robert Mondavi, Leaved Krug to Start Robert Mondavi Winery.
  • 1969 @Washington– “Wine Law”, Allowing Wines From Other States and Countries Into Washington.
  • 1970 @Dundee– Sokol Blosser Plants First Vines In Dundee.
  • 1975 @Oregon/ Paris–  “Paris Wine Olympics”
    • David Lett’s Eyrie Pinot Noir Takes 2nd. to Chambolle Musigny In Wine Olympics In Paris. This Event Lead to Burgundy Producers to Buy Built and Buy Estates In Willamette Valley.
  • 1974 @California–  1972, Ste. Michelle Riesling Wins Best White In LA. Time Wine Competition.
  • 1975’s @Napa– “Irrigation”, Drip Irrigation Introduced
  • 1976 @California/ France– “Judgement of Paris”, Napa vs. France Blind Wine Tasting
  • 1980’s @Virginia– “Viticulture”, Planting Shifted From French Hybrids to Vinifera.
  • 1980’s @America– “French Paradox”, Episode On 60 Minutes Generates Interest In Wine In USA..
  • 1981 @Walla Walla– 1978, Woodward Cabernet Sauvignon Wins Best Wine In America Award.
  • 1982 @Umpqua Valley– Scott Henry, Designs His Trellising System In Umpqua Valley.
  • 1983 @Napa– Robert Mondavi & Philippe de Rothschild Collaborate on Opus One.
  • 1983 @Napa– “Wine Law”, Napa Valley Became California First AVA..
  • 1987 @McMinnville– “Festivals”, First International Pinot Noir Celebration.
  • 1989 @Sonoma– “Economy”, Grapes Become Sonoma County’s Top Revenue Crop.
  • 1990 @Willamette– “Phylloxera”, First Appears In Oregon.
  • 1996 @Umpqua Valley– Oldest Planted Albarino and Tempranillo Vines In America.
  • 2000 @Lake County– “Investment”, Increased In Promoting and Establishing New Vineyards.
  • 2014 @Napa– “Earth Quake”, On August 14, Magnitude 6 Earthquake.

CULTURE

  • ASSOCIATIONS~ ~Meritage Association~
    • Mission~ A Group of American Vintners Formed the Meritage Association In 1988 to Identify Handcrafted Wines Blended From The Traditional “Noble” Bordeaux Varietals.
  • TOP WINE CITIES IN AMERICA
    • CRITERIA– History, Number and Quality of Wine Drinking Experiences.
      1. New York, New York
      2. San Francisco,  California
      3. San Diego, California
      4. Washington DC.
      5. Seattle, Washington
      6. Boulder, Colorado
  • TOP AVA.   
    • CRITERIA– History, Culture, Magnitude, Quality, Terroir, Diversity In Wine, Wine Tourism, Personal Preference.
      1. Stags Leap AVA., Napa, California
      2. Sonoma Valley AVA., Sonoma, California
      3. Horse Heaven Hills AVA., Washington
      4. Finger Lakes AVA., Upstate, New York
      5. Santa Rita Hills AVA., Central Coast, California
      6. Anderson Valley AVA., Mendocino, California
      7. Dundee Hills AVA., Willamette, Oregon
  • PIONEERS– 
  • ~Parker, Robert~ “America”, Wine Critic, Owner Wine Advocate Magazine.

UNITED STATES WINE LAW/ CLASSIFICATION

  • GOVERNING BODY- Department of Treasury (Alcohol, Tax & Trade Bureau TTB.)
    • Oversees Enforcement of Alcohol Related Legislation.
    • Recognizes Growing Region as Having Unique Characteristics.
    • American Viticultural Areas= AVA. +236
      • In America State and Counties Can Be Labeled and Referred to as a Appellation.
  • LAWS GOVERNING- Refers Geographic Location and Boundaries.
    • Label Requirement–
      • Vineyard-Vintage- +95%,
      • State- +75%
      • Exceptions…California & Oregon 100%, Washington 95%, Texas 85%
      • AVA.– +85%,
      • Varietal- +75%
    • Criteria For AVA. Consideration
      • Unique History Topography Geography
      • Soil Type Micro-Climate Elevation
      • **Refer to “RECOGNIZING & DEVELOPING AVA.’S” For Detailed Information.
    • Percentage % of USA. Output
      • California 89%, Washington 4%, New York 3%, Oregon 1%, Other States 3%
  • PROHIBITION- Nationwide Constitutional Bad On the Production, Importation, Sale and Transportation of Alcoholic Beverages. Called the Volsted Act/ 18th. Amendment. The Amendment Was Ratified On January 16th. 1919  and When Into Effect January 16th. 1920 and Lasted Till December 5th., 1933.
    • Loopholes In the 18th. Amendment Allowed For…
      • Home Winemakers to Produce and Consumption Up to 200 Gallons.  Each Harvest Season Rail Cars Full of Grapes Would Make Their Way to the Mid-West/ East Coast as Many Families Took Advantage of This and Produced Wine In Their Garages and Basements and Kitchens. The Most Popular Grapes to Send Back East Where Not the Varieties That Would Make the Best Wines But Grape That Would Not Spoil as Fast Such as Alicante Bousche, Carignan, Mataro, Petite Sirah, and Zinfandel.
      • The Production of Wine For Religious/ Sacramental Purposes.
    • The Start of Prohibition Brought to an End the First Great Era of California Wine-Making and the Repeal of Prohibition Signified the Start of the Next Great Era of California Wine-Making
    • As a See Effect of Prohibition This Era Ushered In a Era of Bootleggers, Speakeasies as Well as Great Social Unrest.
      • Sacramental Wines- Wines Produced For Religious Purposes, Only Wines ‘Legally’ Allowed to Be Produced In American During Prohibition.
      • Medicinal Wines- Wines Produced For the the Production of Medicine.
      • Homemaking Allowance- Allowed to Make a Certain Amount For Home Consumption.  This Led to a Market For Thick Skinned Grapes Grown In California and Sent by Railroad Back to the Mid-West and East-Coast.

GEOGRAPHIC DISCLAIMER~ “To Understand the Wine World and Benefit From DtheV.com a Understanding of USA.’s Geography is Needed and the Ability to Visualize Its Wine Regions Topography.  USA. is Organized In a North to South, / East to West Orientation and Intended to Be Researched as So.”

  • SUB-CHAPTERS Of The UNITED STATES
    • California
    • Pacific North-West
    • South-West USA.
    • South USA.
    • Central USA.
    • Atlantic North-West USA.
    • Atlantic South USA.
  • **Refer to These Proceeding Sub-Chapters For Detailed Information.

**Refer to “BIBLIOGRAPHY/ Sources” For Details On Scholarly Works Referenced.