United States
Varied
One of the world's largest wine producers, led by California, with Oregon, Washington and New York among its other major regions.
Overview
About United States
Wine is made in all fifty states, but California accounts for the great majority. The American Viticultural Area (AVA) system, in place since 1978, defines wine regions by geography alone and, unlike most European systems, places no restrictions on grape varieties or methods.
Prohibition, from 1920 to 1933, devastated the industry, and modern American wine dates largely from the 1960s and 70s. The 1976 'Judgment of Paris' tasting, in which California wines beat top French examples in a blind tasting, announced the country as a serious fine-wine producer.
Where is a grape grown?
Hover a marker to see what's grown there, and click it to open that place. On a touch screen, tap once to preview and again to open. Bigger markers have more grapes linked to them.
United States of America
The land
Climate & terroir
Climate
Varied
Maritime along the Pacific coast, continental in the interior and Northeast, and Mediterranean in much of California.
Terroir & soils
What the vines grow in
Extremely varied, from volcanic and marine-sediment soils on the West Coast to the glacial soils of the Finger Lakes in New York.
Go deeper
How the wines are classified
American wine regions are defined by geography alone. There is no ranking of quality, and no rule about which grapes may be grown.
AVA
American Viticultural Area, a defined geographic area such as Napa Valley or Willamette Valley. At least 85% of the grapes must come from it.
State or county
A wine labelled 'California' must be 100% Californian; a county name needs 75%.
Varietal labelling
A wine named for a grape must contain at least 75% of it, though Oregon requires 90%.
No quality tiers
Terms like 'Reserve' have no legal meaning, so quality is judged by producer and vineyard.
Within United States
Regions
California
The engine of American wine: a long, sunny, Pacific-cooled state that makes the great majority of US wine, from Napa Cabernet to Sonoma Chardonnay.
Oregon
A cool, rainy Pacific Northwest state whose Willamette Valley Pinot Noir rivals Burgundy for elegance.
What's grown here
Grapes
Grapes linked to United States or to a place within it. Each grape's page links back here.
Alicante Bouschet
Grown in California.
Barbera
Grown in California.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Grown in Napa Valley, Oakville, Rutherford and 1 more.
Chardonnay
Grown in California.
Colombard
Grown in California.
Durif
Grown in California.
Merlot
Grown in California.
Muscat Hamburg
Grown in California.
Pinot Gris
Grown in Oregon and Willamette Valley.
Pinot Noir
Grown in Oregon and Willamette Valley.
Ruby Cabernet
Grown in California.
Sauvignon Blanc
Grown in California.
Viognier
Grown in California.
Zinfandel
Grown in California.