California Wine Country: American Viticultural Areas of California

An American Viticultural Area (AVA) is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features. An AVA has 3 requirements: - Evidence that the name of the proposed new AVA is locally or nationally known as referring to the area - Historical or current evidence that the boundaries are legitimate - Evidence that growing conditions such as climate, soil, elevation, and physical features are distinctive