USA - History & AVAs

Question 1

What was the first AVA in the USA

Answer 1

Augusta, Missouri, 1980

Question 2

When was Napa Valley awarded an AVA?

Answer 2

1981

Question 3

Which government body oversees the USA AVA system?

Answer 3

TTB

Tax and Trade Bureau

Question 4

What does an AVA represent?

Answer 4

A geographic origin

Question 5

If an AVA is stated, what percentage of grapes must come from that AVA?

Answer 5

85% - most AVAs
AVAs in Washington State - 95%
AVAs in California and Oregon - 100%

Question 6

If a wine is simply labelled with a county, state or country (ie. USA), what percentage of grapes must come from that AVA?

Answer 6

75%

Question 7

If a wine from the United States is labelled as a single vineyard, what percentage of grapes must come from that vineyard?

Answer 7

95%

Question 8

If a wine uses the term ‘estate bottled’, what are the legal requirements?

Answer 8

100% of the grapes come from land owned or controlled by that estate.
The estate must be located inside an AVA
All of the vineyards and the winery must be located in the same AVA

(this last requirement led to the establishment of the Northern Sonoma AVA per the request of Gallo)

Question 9

What alcohol percentage is required to label a wine ‘Light Wine’ or ‘Table Wine’ in the United States?

Answer 9

7-14%abv

Question 10

Wine labelled with a vitis vinifera grape variety must contain what percentage of that grape variety?

Answer 10

75%

Question 11

Wines labelled with a vitis labrusca grape variety (ie. Concord) must contain what percentage of that grape variety?

Answer 11

51%

Question 12

What is USA and the world’s largest demarcated wine region?

Answer 12

Upper Mississippi River Valley AVA (2009)

30,000 square miles/ 77,700 square km