Though established in 1983, the AVA’s boundaries were redrawn in 2013 as other adjacent AVAs were established: The Upper Mississippi Valley AVA (established in 2009) ultimately replaced the Ohio River Valley as the largest AVA in the U.S., making it the second largest.

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Its vast size makes for a great diversity of soils and unique mix of climates, from humid subtropical influences to cooler continental areas, allowing for a wide range of grapes to be grown within its borders. Both hybrids and common vinifera varieties are grown: Prominent hybrid varieties include Marechal Foch, Baco Noir, Seyval Blanc and Vidal; vinifera that thrive well include Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Riesling. Wines are produced in a range of styles, and the region is particularly known for high quality late harvest and ice wines.

Mark Zdobinski is one of the owners, as well as the winemaker and production manager, at Olde Schoolhouse Vineyard & Winery in Eaton, Ohio, which produces a staggering 35 different wines, utilizing grapes from its estate vineyard as well as fruit purchased from both the East and West Coasts. He champions the diversity on offer for his customers. Sweet wines are very popular, he says; however, Zdobinski also produces 13 dry wines and a number of semisweet expressions. His portfolio also includes contrasting Cabernet Francs—one made with Washington State fruit and one with Ohio fruit, so customers can experience the difference in terroir in side-by-side tastings.

Donna Clark, co-owner of Old Mason Winery & Vineyard Inc., in West Milton, Ohio, echoes this focus on diversity. “We have approximately nine acres of vineyard planted,” Clark says. “We try to produce wine that will please all palates.” Old Mason’s vineyards are planted with cold-hardy grape varieties, including La Crescent, Marquette, Frontenac, Frontenac Gris, Cayuga and Petite Pearl.

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The Ohio River Valley is not without its viticultural challenges. The spotted lantern fly has come to the region from Pennsylvania. The invasive pest is known for devastating vineyards by spreading vine maladies such as Pierce’s Disease. Furthermore, many vineyards are adjacent to large, conventionally farmed agricultural businesses (often for corn or beans), and chemical overspray can be an issue. The state’s Department of Agriculture, as well as various industry organizations, have struggled to come up with possible solutions.

Despite these challenges, this is a wine region that is growing. Clark and her team have plans to expand the Old Mason vineyard, and there are many pending new wineries. Zdobinski emphasizes the local industry’s commitment to enhancing the region’s reputation, commenting, “I want to put a new benchmark in Ohio [and] show people that Ohio can make good wine. We stand for quality here.”

Quick Facts

• Date AVA Established: September 7, 1983; further amended in 1987 and 2013
• Total Size: 24,900 square miles (15.9 million acres)
• Most Planted Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Seyval Blanc, Vidal, Zinfandel
• Climate: Warm, humid-subtropical in southern regions; cool continental in northern regions
• Number of Wineries: 13
• Fun Fact: The Ohio River Valley AVA is often considered the birthplace of American viticulture, with Nicholas Longworth planting grapes in the early 1800s

This article originally appeared in the June/July 2024 of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

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Aellen and his family were instrumental in forming Maryland’s first American Viticultural Area (AVA). But even before that, Maryland had a long history of grape growing and winemaking.

“The first mention of winemaking in Maryland dates back to 1648, to a Frenchman named Tenis Palee,” writes Regina McCarthy in Maryland Wine: A Full-Bodied History.

Aellen’s family got their winery license in 1976. And then, he says, “in the late ’70s, the federal government, in its infinite wisdom, said that if you were going to put ‘estate bottled’ and a ‘vintage date’ on your label, you needed to be in an approved AVA.” So Aellen got to work, surveying the land, collecting soil samples and choosing the name Linganore, an Algonquian word that, according to Aellen, means “copiously flowing in the springtime.” It took some time, but in 1983, Linganore finally received its AVA designation.

An influx of other growers and producers soon followed.

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“My grandfather was a mead maker and Holocaust survivor,” says Rachel Lipman, winemaker and director of operations of Loew Vineyards. “When he came here, and saw other wineries finding success in this region, I think he thought, ‘Well, if they can do it so can I.’” Their winery was established in 1982.

Fast forward to today, and the Linganore AVA is now home to six wineries, all of which are within about a five-mile radius of each other. Along with that growth, there’s also been a shift in planted varieties.

“Maryland used to be more hybrid-focused,” says Janna Howley, executive director of the Maryland Wineries Association. “For a long time Chambourcin and Vidal Blanc were the two workhorse grapes in Maryland. We still see them, but there’s been a rise of Vitis vinifera over the past couple of decades.” Cabernet Franc has become one of Linganore’s most prominent reds, along with one white you may not expect.

“Albariño has become kind of a rock star,” says Howley. Chardonnay, Saperavi, Barbera, Petit Verdot and Pinot Gris are a few other common plantings.

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The topography of the Linganore, Aellen explains, is basically within a 90-square-mile drainage basin or watershed located on the Piedmont Plateau, which runs from New Jersey to Alabama, separating the Appalachian mountains and coastal plains. Soils are predominantly gravel and loam on shale bedrock, allowing for good drainage; the climate is notably cooler and drier than other coastal AVAs.

While many producers don’t use the AVA on their labels, Sarah O’Herron, coproprietor of Black Ankle Vineyards, notes that “there’s been a big shift in both consumers and producers taking the industry more seriously.”

“The quality has gone up in the last 50 years,” adds Aellen. “And that’s the really nice thing about having other wineries around. They’ll take the same varieties you’ve been working with, and they’ll produce a better product. And you’ll say, ‘Oh wow, I really like that, how do I do that?’ And it just pulls everyone up.”

Quick Facts

• Total Size/Acreage: 90 square miles
• Total Vine Acreage: 180+ acres
• Number of Wineries: 6
• Most Planted Red Wine Grape: Cabernet Franc
• Most Planted White Wine Grape: Chardonnay and Albariño

This article originally appeared in the May 2024 of Wine Enthusiast magazine.

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Featuring a cool continental climate with four seasons, most of the Lake Erie AVA follows the Lake Erie shoreline, and includes islands off the shore as well. There are two sub-AVAs within it: Grand River Valley AVA and Isle St. George AVA. Lake Erie moderates the temperature by retaining heat into the fall and extending the growing season, allowing grapes to reach ripeness. Scott Neeley, co-owner and head winemaker of Penn Shore Winery and Vineyards, who is also president of the Pennsylvania Wine Association, heralds Lake Erie AVA as a near-perfect location for grape growing. “We’ve got ancient glacial soils with limestone and some loam in the mix, and drainage is perfect,” he notes. The winds coming off of Lake Erie are key for success here—not only do they keep the cool air moving, they also keep vineyards dry, reducing disease pressure and limiting the need for spraying.

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The moderation from the lake, along with warming temperatures due to climate change, means that growers are having success with an increasing number of varieties. Historically planted with native and hybrid grapes, vinifera plantings are on the rise, especially Riesling, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc. Concord makes up 40% of wine production, in addition to being used for grape products (Welch’s is a major producer in this region). Other varieties in the AVA include Lemberger, Teroldego, Chambourcin and Baco Noir.

Because of the range of grapes grown throughout this sizable AVA, there is no one signature style, allowing producers to experiment. Neeley is excited about some of the lesser-known grape varieties being utilized in the region, such as Noiret, a black hybrid grape variety with a lot of character. He describes Noiret as “Syrah-like,” commenting on its inky-dark color and noting that it is “peppery in youth, with a medium body and ages extremely well.”

Grape planting and wine production within Lake Erie go back to the early 1800s. Like all wine-producing regions in the United States, Prohibition took its toll, and unfortunately this region has been slow to bounce back. There are currently more than 20 wineries in operation within the AVA; today it is a center for innovation and experimentation. “We fight some stigma with regards to what is grown and made here,” Mario Mazza, general manager and vice president of the Mazza family of brands (Mazza Vineyards, South Shore Wine Company and Mazza Chautauqua Cellars, all within the Lake Erie AVA), observes. “We work extra hard to show what we can produce.”

Continuing to define the region, as well as determine what varieties and styles are best suited here, is a theme among producers. Mazza says that the future of the AVA is all about being authentic, adding, “We’re still figuring out our identity.” Mazza noted the importance of innovation for the region, citing the use of alternative packaging and planted varieties that require fewer vineyard sprays. “This is an area ripe for the future of wine, pun intended,” Neeley jokes. “We really feel like this area is primed for significant growth over the next 10 years—it is one of the main reasons we invested here, to be honest.”

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Quick Facts

• Date AVA Established: October 21, 1983
• Total Size: 2,236,800 acres (3,495 sq. mi)
• Planted Acreage: Over 40,000 acres of vineyard spanning three states
• Most Planted Grapes: Concord is by far the most planted grape variety, but much of the production is used for jams, jellies, and other grape products. Bacco Noir, Seyval Blanc and Vidal Blanc are prominent hybrid varieties. Vinifera plantings include Riesling, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc.
• Climate: Cool continental, with Lake Erie moderating
• Number of Wineries: 21
• Fun Fact: Lake Erie AVA includes parcels in three states—New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania—and is the largest AVA in the eastern United States.

This article originally appeared in the April 2024 of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

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“Everyone in what became the AVA was all-in when we began the application process,” says Joy Merrilees, vice president of Shannon Family of Wines, one of the handful of wineries in the newly minted AVA. “We spent a lot of time collecting data on the weather, soil types, growing degree days, all in an effort to document what makes Long Valley-Lake County different than the other sub-AVAs around it and the larger Lake County AVA that it is set in.”

The area includes five commercial vineyards and three wineries situated along the long, narrow valley floor surrounded and protected by foothills. At the time of filing, Long Valley claimed 149 acres under vine, but the region’s growers have been aggressively scaling up ever since.

“The majority of Lake County features volcanic soils, and then there’s the Big Valley District AVA, with heavier clay soil,” explains Merrilees. “Ours is a mix of silt and gravel, thanks to the Long Valley creek running through the center of it.” Further, she notes, the area is a transverse valley, running east to west, which is surprisingly rare. “There are only eight valleys like that in the U.S.”

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The valley floor of the AVA is elevated, about 1,322 feet above sea level, with foothills that ascend an additional 200-500 feet. Long Valley-Lake County is also windy, which means the vineyards enjoy a natural air-conditioning system during the growing season, locking in fresh, bright flavors even during heat spikes.

“The wind and shorter window of sun means we have more acidity and structure than other typical valley fruit,” Merrilees says. “Getting our AVA approved was so important for us, because it allows us to tell the story of our land through aromas and flavors.”

“Our climate, volcanic soil and dry-farming techniques make for incredibly concentrated flavors and longer hang times,” adds Greg Stratmann, owner of Long Valley’s Stonehouse Cellars, who also comments that the remoteness of the AVA has also helped ensure little to no disease pressure throughout the region.

Clay Shannon, proprietor at Shannon Family of Wines, is equally enthusiastic about the future of the AVA and the quality of the fruit grown. “I have been really impressed by Pinot Noir here,” he says. “We have higher humidity, lower temperatures at night and fewer growing days than other areas of Lake County, with a blend of volcanic, limestone and silt soils unique to North America. That helps create Pinot Noir that is varietally true, while in the surrounding areas, growers really struggle to get that same level of balance and complexity.”

It’s too early to name a flagship grape for Long Valley-Lake County, but for now, Shannon appears to be hanging his hat on Sauvignon Blanc.

“It’s super strong aromatically with fresh fruit and spice,” he says. “It smells like a light Sauvignon Blanc, but don’t be fooled. It has a lot of muscle.”

Quick Facts

• Total Size: 7,605 acres
• Planted Acreage: 149, with more planned
• Most Planted Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
• Climate: Mediterranean
• Number of Wineries: 3

This article originally appeared in the Winter 2024 issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

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In short, the years that the country formerly known as Czechoslovakia spent behind the Iron Curtain were devastating to its wine industry. Things have changed since the early 1990s, though, and ever since, the nation’s wine output has grown increasingly impressive—in both quality and quantity.

Here’s a beginner’s dive into the Czech wine landscape and why it deserves your attention.

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Geography

The Czech Republic is a hilly landlocked country, classified as a humid continental climate zone, relatively similar to New York’s Finger Lakes region. Typically, Czech summers are warm and somewhat rainy, while winters are cold and usually involve some snow. Though it has no seas or oceans, the country does have a number of lakes and rivers, most notably the Vltava.

Mojmír Baroň, a viticulture professor at Mendel University in Brno, explains that “soil conditions on Czech territory are very diverse—from volcanic in Bohemia in the west to Moravia in the east with tuff and sandstone.” Traditional limestone can also be found, as well as loess loam with clay, especially in Moravia.

Limestone deposits can also be found in the Palava region, a protected landscape area in the South Moravia region on the Austrian border. The limestone lends many wines from this zone a special “salty and mineral” essence that delivers a distinctive flavor, says winemaker Dominika Černohorská, owner of the vineyard Plener in Pavlov.

As with many wine regions around the world, climate change has weighed heavily on Czech viticulture and winemaking in recent years. The increasing incidence of drought presents challenges to winemakers, especially those working with young vines. But even older vines are affected, often leading to smaller harvests.

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Also problematic are increasing average temperatures over the past decade, which have resulted in higher levels of sugar in grapes used for wine. The warming climate “poses new challenges for the field of viticulture and wine-growing that must be faced,” reads a 2021 study published in the peer-reviewed journal Sustainability. This is especially true for the cold-climate white grapes that have long been grown in the country’s main wine-growing regions.

However, these changes may have a silver lining: Another study, published last summer in Heliyon, concludes that this is “likely to lead to an increase in growing areas, especially in [favor] of vine varieties suitable for the production of red or rosé wines.”

History

Andrea Kotašková, a Czech wine expert and operator of Wine Tours in Czech, points out that for centuries, Prague “was actually famed for being a wine city throughout Europe—and to this day, it is one of the rare capital cities on the continent that can boast its own vineyards.”

In fact, the whole of what’s now the Czech Republic had a well-renowned, vibrant wine industry. Historically known as Bohemia, it became part of the Holy Roman Empire in the year 1001. Charles IV, the famed 14th-century emperor, was so passionate about the beverage that he built numerous vineyards in and around Prague. Noblemen and monasteries planted grapes throughout Bohemia and Moravia and made their own vintages.

But several factors plunged the region’s wine culture into despair. The first event was the Thirty Years’ War, which lasted from 1618 to 1648 and caused extensive vineyard destruction, though many were replanted. Next was a phylloxera blight that lasted from 1890 to 1902, which decimated grapevines. Pest-resistant grapes were replanted, but much of the damage to the industry had been done. Just a few decades later, World War II brought further destruction.

But perhaps the worst blow to Czech wine came after the war, when communism swept the region. Traditional wine lands and vineyards were seized from their original owners, and much wine-growing knowledge was lost. Vineyards were often relegated to operate in the style of communal farms with poor-quality production. Wine itself was positioned as a bourgeois drink, with beer given preferred proletarian status, given that it was cheaper and easier to produce.

Mercifully, things have changed since the Communist state of Czechoslovakia dissolved in 1992 and gave rise to the democratic Czech Republic. Largely due to government subsidies, the nation has experienced a renewed interest in viticulture and the return of vineyards to historic wine lands. Altogether, the Czech wine industry has been slowly reclaiming some of its heritage and renown.

Unique Czech Wine Traditions

A young sweet wine made from freshly-pressed, yeast-fermented grape juice, known as Federweisser, is popular throughout continental Europe. In the Czech Republic, it’s known as burčák and is especially light on the alcohol at just 4% abv. The wine is generally available once a year, usually in mid-autumn.

Unfortunately for burčák lovers outside the country, one must travel to the Czech Republic to enjoy it. Exportation is strictly prohibited because the tops of burčák bottles have holes that allow gas to escape, which can result in spillage or even explosions when transported over long distances.

Another notable Czech tradition is Svatomartinské víno, which translates to “St. Martin’s wine.” As the name suggests, the wine honors St. Martin’s Day in late autumn, which is roughly when, historically, the agricultural year ended and grapes were fermented. Traditionally, bottles of St. Martin’s wine were opened at 11 A.M. on November 11.

The wine, which can be either red or white, must pass strict inspections and be made from Czech-grown grapes of the Müller Thurgau, Veltlínské, Muscat Moravský, Modrý Portugal, Svatovavřinecké or Zweigeltrebe varieties. In addition, bottles must bear the image of Saint Martin on a white horse and the vintage date on its neck.

Appellations

The Czech Republic is a small country with two main wine regions, Moravia and Bohemia. Moravia grows the majority of Czech wines (96%) and has 18,189 hectares of vineyards in total. Within Moravia, the largest sub-region is Mikulovská, and within Bohemia, Mělník.

Grapes to Know

Two-thirds of the wines produced in the Czech Republic are white wines. The peppery, dry Veltlínske zelene (Grüner Veltliner) has the greatest amount of hectares in the country. Other major white grapes include the floral and lightweight Müller-Thurgau; complex and toasty Ryzlink (Riesling); and the honey-citrus Ryzlink vlašský (Welschriesling).

When it comes to the reds, which are grown nearly exclusively in Moravia, berry-forward Frankovka (Blaufränkisch) and aromatic, silky Svatovavřinecké (St. Laurent) lead the way.

Unique to Czech wines is Cabernet Moravia, a hybrid grape created from Zweigelt and Cabernet Franc featuring blackcurrant notes.

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The Current State of the Industry

Today, tourism plays a definitive role in the growth and popularity of the Czech wine industry. It’s evident especially in the behaviors of visitors from Germany, with which the Czech Republic shares a border.

Michael Krüger is the owner of Weinsegler, which imports Czech, Slovak and Hungarian wines to Germany. He notes that in part due to inflation and higher cost of living, German tourists are opting more frequently to cross the border in the Czech Republic, which in turn has boosted demand for Czech wine.

“They want to order wines that they enjoyed there,” Krüger says.

Additionally, the Czech wine industry receives government subsidies from the European Union and the Czech government, which has helped wine production grow over the past decades. This increased level of support has resulted in a much higher rate of younger Czechs involved in the wine trade, which further helps ensure its future. It’s also helped fuel innovation like the Vivid Vineyards project, which encourages biodiversity and polyculture among small wineries.

Altogether, it’s clear that wine drinking has grown in popularity within the country since the days of communism. The industry is estimated to rake in the equivalent of ​​$584.1 million in 2024 and grow 3.5% through 2028. In fact, in terms of liters produced per capita, the Czech Republic is ahead of Germany and Croatia.

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Locals can’t get enough: “Its average annual production of 0.6 million hectolitres is not enough to satisfy domestic consumption of around 23 hl per adult per year—marginally higher than that of the U.K.,” writes master of wine Julia Harding on Jancisrobinson.com.

It’s conceivable this is, at least in part, due to the boosted quality of Czech wine. Professor Mojmír Baroň concurs that the field of viticulture and winemaking “has improved incredibly over the past 30 years in the Czech Republic.”

However, external forces in recent years, like Covid and the war in Ukraine, have resulted in the reduction of government subsidies. Despite these issues, the future of Czech wine holds much promise. For one, wine tourism is burgeoning—a good thing since, as Harding writes, “so little Czech wine is exported.”

Indeed, the fact that many Czechs in the wine industry are young and enthusiastic bodes well for innovation and creativity. Fingers crossed, in years to come, it will translate to the wider availability of Czech wine around the globe—including, hopefully, your local wine shop.

The post Devastated by Communism, Czech Wine Is Making a Comeback appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

Prior to Prohibition, Missouri was the second largest wine-producing state in the United States. Located about 37 miles outside of St. Louis, the town of Mt. Pleasant was established as a small port community in 1936 when German immigrants took advantage of the Missouri River. In the 1840s, however, the town’s name was changed to Augusta. Grape growing and winemaking traditions go back almost as far: Mount Pleasant Estates, established in 1859, is the oldest winery still in operation from this period.

Prohibition hit the Missouri wine industry hard, but it is slowly rebuilding (still), with a focus on quality and innovation. Today, Augusta is home to just five wineries: Augusta Winery, Balducci Vineyards, Montelle Winery and Mount Pleasant Estates (all managed by the Hoffmann Family of Companies), as well as family-owned Noboleis Vineyards.

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In this small but mighty region a wide variety of grapes is planted, from familiar favorites such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, to hybrids, including Vidal Blanc and Seyval Blanc and grape varieties native to the area. Augusta and surrounding AVAs particularly champion the Norton grape (the official state grape of Missouri), along with other native and hybrid varieties, and wineries are making dry and sweet table wines from them. Colin Pennington, director of winemaking for the Hoffmann Family of Companies, has his sights set on Vidal Blanc as the AVA’s signature grape. “Vidal Blanc really shines in the Augusta AVA,” Pennington says. “The climate leads to wines with intense stone fruit while the soil adds a level of minerality.”

That “minerality,” Pennington comments, is due to the unique soils found throughout the AVA. Augusta is bordered by ridges on the north and west and the Missouri River to the south; flooding from the Missouri created loamy, silty soils throughout the area. These boundaries also help moderate temperatures, creating an ideal microclimate for wine grapes.

While Pennington enjoys working with hybrid grapes, he notes that the naturally high acidity makes these grapes more challenging to work with. “There are many ways I try to combat this,” Pennington says. “Picking time is crucial, and the importance of blending can’t be overstated.”

Noboleis Vineyards also focuses on native and hybrid grapes, with estate plantings of Norton, Chambourcin, Vignoles and Traminette. “Missouri’s climate and nutrient-rich soil allow us to produce varieties that are native to this area and have their own unique profiles,” notes Tricia Newbold, marketing director for Noboleis.

Once a booming port town, Augusta is seeing a viticultural renaissance. Companies are investing in winemaking in the area, while advances in hybrid grape breeding and a deeper understanding of native grapes are increasing the quality of those wines.

Quick Facts

• Date AVA established: June 20, 1980
• Total size: 15 square miles
• Planted acreage: 160
• Most planted grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chambourcin, Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc and Norton
• Climate: Continental with some humidity
• Number of wineries: Five

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And how many visitors and locals are coming to this hidden gem of a region for wine? Plenty.

The Wisconsin Ledge AVA, established in 2012, is located along the Niagara Escarpment, a prominent rock ridge that spans more than 650 miles in a crescent across the Great Lakes region. The Escarpment shapes the ancient “backbone” of North America: It creates Niagara Falls in New York, influences the vineyards of Ontario and forms the foundation of the Door Peninsula.

Many vineyards lie on eastern-facing slopes on glacial soils of gravel, sand and clay atop limestone bedrock. An aquifer below the AVA provides mineral-rich ground water to the vines, encouraging deep root growth.

“The Niagara Escarpment formed lakes as large bodies of water that temper the climate,” explains Steve DeBaker, owner and winemaker of Trout Springs Winery in Greenleaf, Wisconsin. DeBaker played an integral role in petitioning for the AVA’s establishment. As warm air rises from Lake Michigan, it simultaneously sucks cold air from the land. Thanks to this constant flow of air, “grapes don’t have to go through rapid changes during the growing season. The temperature is moderated by lakes and rivers and the growing season is longer.” This, he says, is the “lynchpin to the entire AVA.”

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“During the last three months of the year and into spring, temperatures are, on average, 10 degrees warmer than other areas just 60 miles from the Ledge,” explains DeBaker. “This means grapes enjoy a longer hang time into the fall season thanks to the constant flow of warm air. This warmth is huge for cool-climate, highly acidic French and American hybrid grapes grown here because it moderates their natural acidity.”

DeBaker works with several hybrids, specifically bred to last throughout the cold winters of the region, including Maréchal Foch, St. Croix, Petite Pearl and Niagara. He produces dry expressions of each, as well as Ice Wine and Port-style dessert wines.

“If Wisconsin is ever to be known for a specific style of wine, I think sparkling wine is it,” says Thomas Nye, winemaker and general manager at The Blind Horse Winery in Kohler, Wisconsin, who produces a sparkling wine from La Crosse. This is a light-skinned hybrid grape, with Seyval Blanc as a parent and St. Pepin as a sibling. Nye’s traditional method sparkling expresses notes of citrus, apricot, green apple and pear along with a crisp acidity and a touch of sweetness.

The establishment of the Wisconsin Ledge AVA has “made a huge difference,” concludes DeBaker. “More people are noticing the region and it’s a destination for people to visit. The wine industry here is growing.”

Quick Facts

• Date AVA Established: April 23, 2012
• Total Size: 3,800 square miles (138 miles long and 55 miles wide)
• Planted acreage: 500
• Most planted grapes: French and American hybrids
• Climate: Continental with warm summers, cold winters and moderate precipitation
• Number of bonded wineries: 24
• Fun Fact: Wisconsin is America’s uncontested Dairyland. It is the No. 1 producer of cheese in the U.S.

This article originally appeared in the December 2023 issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

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Carved in the southwest of North Carolina, Crest of the Blue Ridge perches on the South Carolina border, halfway between the cities of Greenville and Asheville. Notably, the 215 square-mile expanse is bisected by the Eastern Continental Divide. This effectively cleaves the region into two contrasting halves—the Blue Ridge Escarpment and the Blue Ridge Plateau—permitting excess water runoff to amble its way into the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico respectively.

For most of the region’s wineries, the escarpment offers a desirable growing environment with less fertile soils, superior drainage and a diverse range of slopes, creating unique microclimates.

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“Our site selection for our vineyard was very deliberate,” explains Heath Little of Stone Ashe Vineyards. “We’re blessed with stony Ashe soils, which has excellent drainage. Coupled with the steep slopes (which range from 9°–35°), we avoid the herbaceousness that can happen when the vine grows too vigorously. The vine can focus its energy on the grapes.”

A striking geographical feature of the region is its ascent in altitude, beginning at 1,395 feet and soaring to an impressive 4,396 feet. “Most of our vineyards sit around 2,300 feet,” explains Mark Williams, the executive director of the local Agribusiness nonprofit and the original petitioner for the AVA. “Cool mountain air rolls down the Blue Ridge slopes at night, providing a desirable diurnal range. The nightly respite for the grapes helps maintain freshness in the wine.”

The region draws a lot of its inspiration from France, Germany and Austria with a broad mix of grapes including Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Grüner Veltliner, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling and Merlot. It also incorporates lesser-known vinifera varieties and hybrids. “We’ve had great success with Austrian Blaufränkisch, Regent, which is a German hybrid, and even Saperavi, the teinturier variety from Georgia,” explains Ken Parker of Souther Williams Vineyard.

Parker is proud of the focus of the local vintners. “Our wineries are not producing wines just to attract the tourist dollar; they’re learning and adapting and trying to produce the best quality wines possible,” he says.

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“We’re making viticultural choices based on the soil, slope, wind and sunlight for each site,” adds Little. “We’re inspired by the French, so we’ve employed high density planting with narrow rows and cover crops. We’ve even got the small tractors required for the narrow rows.”

In Crest of the Blue Ridge, there’s a fascinating marriage of geographical opportunity and viticultural ambition, molding a wine region that is rapidly establishing its own unique imprint on the wine world.

Quick Facts

• Total Size: 215 square miles
• Planted Acreage: 125 acres in production, 25+ acres being established
• Most Planted Grapes: Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Grüner Veltliner, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Merlot, Vidal Blanc
• Climate: Warm Continental
• Number of Wineries: Seven, with one slated for opening in 2024

This article originally appeared in the November 2023 issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

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In the 1980s, Robert Russell, co-owner of Westport Rivers Winery in Westport, Massachusetts, and vice president of the AVA’s Coastal Wine Trail, recalls his parents’ attempts to get their wine on Boston restaurant wine lists, hoping to dispel the notion that, “If the wine is from here, it won’t be good.” Now he says, “We have good wine. And we don’t want to be an enigma here.”

The Southeastern New England AVA spans 13 counties along the Atlantic Coast between Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Most vineyards are rooted on 19th-century (or older) dairy or potato farms and are planted, in some measure, with the AVA’s star varietal, Chardonnay. More modern vineyards were planted in the 1980s, with many expanding initial planted acreage to safeguard farmland from developers.

The critical reason that “good” wine is viable is the Atlantic Ocean, a thermal store that holds warm air in summer and cool air in winter. The spring growing season begins slowly, as the ocean blows in cold air after a long winter, thus delaying budbreak until after spring frosts. In autumn, the ocean releases the heat it gathered during the summer, prolonging the growing season into September and, in some areas, even October. Vineyards situated near the ocean have sandy soil, but farther inland, the soil is mineral-rich glacial till, from glaciation that took place 10,000 years ago—granite, flint, shale and basalt.

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Bill Wilson, winemaker for Greenvale Vineyards in Rhode Island, says the extended, extremely cool growing season ensures bright, high-acid wines from their Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Albariño grapes. Cabernet Franc, a thick-skinned and productive red variety, is also widely planted. Westport Rivers is acclaimed for sparkling wine, an identity Russell sees the region further embracing. A flagship Brut cuvée is a classic blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

Apart from Cabernet Franc, which is cold hardy and “shrugs off storm events,” according to Connecticut winemaker Jonathan Edwards, red wines are always a question mark, as ripening is challenging. But hybrids offer possibilities.

Nick and Happy Smith purchased Stonington Vineyards in 1986; the vineyard, previously a dairy farm, was planted in the 1970s. The Smiths focused exclusively on vinifera for many years. Winemaker Mike McAndrew, who has been with Stonington Vineyards since its opening, has recently created a light-bodied, balanced red by blending young Cabernet Franc with Corot Noir (a cross between Seyve-Villard 18- 307 and Steuben) and Petite Pearl. And at Preston Ridge Vineyard, Cara Sawyer and her husband, Andrew, grow Baco Noir for a popular early harvest rosé.

Michael Connery, owner of Connecticut’s Saltwater Farm Vineyard, says the trick to being a good vineyard in coastal New England is planting what will work and accepting there are some limitations. “Not to overstate it, but it really is about pride of place—it’s about the integrity of the place—and trying to maximize what can be done here.”

Region Quick Facts

• Date AVA Established: March 27, 1984
• Total Size/Acreage: 1,875,200
• Total Vine Acreage: Unknown (The AVA spans three states—we lost our count along the way.)
• Number of Wineries: 19
• Most Planted Red Wine Grape: Cabernet Franc
• Most Planted White Wine Grape: Chardonnay
• Climate: Coastal, maritime

This article originally appeared in the October 2023 issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

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The post The Southeastern New England AVA Offers More Than Beachcombing  appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

“There certainly are challenges,” says Portra, who started his wine career in mostly flat Missouri before moving to Colorado and buying Carlson Vineyards in Palisade in 2015. “Most importantly, how do you get the grapes to survive?”

It’s a question that growers and wineries have been working to answer for decades. “It requires a lot of TLC, given all the challenges, but there are a number of promising producers in the AVA,” says Jessica Dupuy, the author of The Wines of Southwest USA: A guide to New Mexico, Texas, Arizona and Colorado. “The key is matching the terroir to the grapes.”

The Grand Valley spans some 118 miles in the western part of the state, filling an oddly shaped box that starts 40 miles from the Utah border and runs to Palisade in the east, about three and a half hours from Denver. Most of the region lies on or between mesas and mountain ranges, crisscrossed by several rivers and with vines planted on slopes and the warmer valley floors. It’s Colorado’s most important growing region, with 30 wineries, nearly 800 acres under vine and accounting for more than 80 percent of Colorado’s grape plantings.

“We’ve had to learn about the problems so we could meet the challenges,” says Ulla Merz, who has owned BookCliff Vineyards in Palisade with husband John Garlich since 1995. “That means arid, so we have to depend on irrigation and dealing with who owns the water rights, and colder winters and challenges with frost.”

The weather has been a special challenge over the past several years, with below freezing temperatures in 2019 and 2020 that devastated yields and forced growers and producers to reexamine which grapes to grow. Viognier, grown on the valley floors, does well, but Riesling has long been the state’s signature white grape. The catch? Though it fared better during the freezes, demand has always been soft, says Doug Caskey, the executive director of the state’s Colorado Wine Industry Development Board. Hence, the harsh winters were a chance to experiment with other white grapes. One possibility is coldhardy hybrids, says Portra, who’s worked with Vidal Blanc and La Crescent, both as varietals and as blending grapes.

The state’s most successful reds include Merlot and Cabernet Franc; the former, says Herz, has shown amazing aging potential, while the latter always does well in the annual Governor’s Cup Competition. Red wines from Grand Valley, in general, tend to have more fruit than East Coast wines (though not as much as California). Cabernet Franc, for example, has less graphite and more cherry.

But whether it’s the climate or terroir, facing adverse conditions has been and always will be a part of the region’s identity. “If you look at the history of the Grand Valley, there have always been challenges,” comments Caskey. “But these are also challenges that the growers and winemakers understand, and it has helped them make quality wine unlike quality wine anywhere else in the world.”

Region Quick Facts

• Date AVA Established: 1991
• Total Acreage: 76,000
• Planted Acreage: 800
• Most Planted Red Wine Grapes: Merlot and Cabernet Franc
• Most Planted White Wine Grape: Riesling
• Climate: Arid, high desert
• Number of Wineries: 30
• Fun Fact: Only two U.S. AVAs are called “Grand”— Colorado’s Grand Valley and Ohio’s Grand River Valley.

This article originally appeared in the August/September 2023 issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!

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