The AVA’s are coming into play in the USA...Similar to the way the French are hooked on the ‘Control’ of their Appellations – The USA is getting more detailed!

Here in the USA the more known your wine gets the more independence you want to be able to label your wine from where it comes from. If your wine is actually from Napa Valley or Yountville, you want to be able to say it proud and say it loud.

That’s what the American Vinicultural Area is about – The AVA’s are coming into play in the USA. Very similar in the way the French are hooked on the ‘Control’ of their Appellations – The USA is getting more detailed; which is great for the consumer and great for the winery or the area if it starts to get prevalent. For example, Stag’s Leap, Carneros, Alexander Valley, Paso Robles, Willamette Valley, Walla Walla Valley, Monticello and the Finger Lakes to name a bunch throughout the country.

An American Vinicultural Area (AVA) is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), United States Department of the Treasury. As of March 2015, there were 230 AVAs in the United States.

And just so you know the TTB defines AVAs at the request of wineries and other petitioners and current regulations push for extra requirements on an AVA.

For instance, the proof that the name of the proposed new AVA is locally or nationally recognized as denoting to the area. Also key is the historical or current evidence that the boundaries are legitimate (using maps); And the evidence that the terroir or growing conditions such as climate, soil, elevation, and physical features are distinguishing characteristics.

Once an AVA is established, at least 85% of the grapes used to make a wine must be grown in the specified area if an AVA is referenced on its label; per the TTB

Keep in mind that the state or county boundaries—such as for Oregon or Sonoma County—are not actually AVAs, even though they are used to identify and designate the source of a wine. The AVAs are reserved for situations where a geographically defined area has been using the name and it has come to be identified with that area. It is meant to be specific. So one can know with more detail where the wine is coming from, to be able to dig deeper to the source.

To illustrate, a vineyard may be in more than one AVA. Case in point, the Santa Clara Valley AVA and Livermore Valley AVAs are located within the territory of the San Francisco Bay AVA, which is itself located within the Central Coast AVA.

FYI, The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) website, the Wine Institute and Wikipedia has a lot of this good listing and information here; for that matter.

So just be aware…The more popular wine areas get the more you’ll realize what’s on the label and be able to distinguish the efforts at better quality wine and how to use your pocketbook for a real distinguishable and solid AVA wine.

A Grand List of Wines (mostly under $25) that will not dissapoint...Seek them out over 2015 and 2016

A friend asked me to put together a wine list and this is what I did. Enjoy the list and happy searching.

 

 

2011 Abadia Retuerta Seleccion Especial Sardon de Duero, Ribera del Duero (750ml)

 

2014 Daou Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles (750ml)

 

2012 Bodega Norton Privada, Mendoza (750ml)

 

2010 Castello di Bossi Berardo Chianti Classico Riserva, Chianti (750ml)

 

2013 M.Chapoutier Domaine de Bila-Haut Occultum Lapidem, Cotes du Roussillon Villages (750ml)

 

2013 Villacreces Pruno, Ribera del Duero (750ml)

 

2012 Montes Alpha Syrah, Colchagua Valley (750ml)

 

2012 Fattoria Poggiopiano Chianti Classico, Chianti (750ml)

 

2011 Frescobaldi Castello di Nipozzano Chianti Rufina Riserva, Chianti (750ml)

 

2012 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa (750ml) $32

 

2013 Ladera Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa (750ml) $29

 

2013 Newton Cabernet Sauvignon Unfiltered, Napa (750ml) $34

 

2012 St. Clement Cabernet Sauvignon Oroppas, Napa (750ml) $39

 

2012 Chateau Haut Bergey Rouge, Pessac-Leognan (750ml)

 

2006 Chateau La Vieille Cure, Fronsac (750ml)

 

2012 La Fleur de Bouard, Lalande de Pomerol (750ml) $29

 

2012 Chateau La Tour Carnet, Haut-Medoc (750ml) $33

 

2012 Saint Damien Les Souteyrades, Gigondas (750ml) $29

 

2013 Saint Cosme, Gigondas (750ml) $34

 

2010 Domaine Pallieres Gigondas Les Terrasse du Diable, Gigondas (750ml) $36

 

2013 Chateau Saint Roch La Chapelle, Côtes du Roussillon (750ml) $29

 

2012 Ridge Zinfandel Three Valleys, Russian River (750ml)

 

2012 Condado de Haza Tinto, Ribera del Duero (750ml)

 

2011 Allegrini Palazzo della Torre, Veneto (750ml)

 

2012 Tikves Bela Voda, Tikves (750ml)

 

2014 Turley Wine Cellars Juvenile Zinfandel, California (750ml)

 

2013 Duorum Colheita, Douro (750ml)

 

2012 Zolo Reserve Malbec, Uco Valley (750ml)

 

Five Top Red Wine Values under $20 - that are Big and Bold; that Drink 3 to 5 times their Cost - A Special Report by Wine Correspondent Ralph Del Rio

By Ralph Del Rio, Wine Correspondent

Every now and then I jot down some of my favorites values; especially when they knock your socks off! Here are 5 wines that are ridiculously good. They are big tasty wines. Decant if you like...but not necessary. All of them are delicious on their own or with a hearty meal, stew or grilled meats. Try them today, they won’t disappoint.

Dona Paula Black Label Red Blend Argentina, South America 2012 - Whiffs of plum, spices and juicy red pepper stand out in this very harmonious(Is it forward or not?) and balanced wine; with round integrated tannins and a deliciously endless finish…grapes are from a very high altitude.

Substance Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley, Washington 2013 - Charles Smith, who continues to make great wines at all prices…the 2013 Substance is big and bold with aromas and flavors of cassis, wild flowers, pencil shavings and tobacco it is a great wine at any price; tastes 3 times what wines like this are usually going for…not kidding.

Bodegas Castano Solanera Spain 2012 – It comes through importer Eric Solomon. Every year it’s one you can count on. This is better than the 2003. It’s rich and harmonious with black raspberries, blueberries and black currants abound. It’s very full-bodied, very intense but somehow approachable. Magic for the price. It taste almost five times as much which sounds totally preposterous!

Gerard Bertrand Corbieres 2011 Languedoc-Roussillon, France - the 2011 Corbieres Terroir offers an elegant lead pencil, tobacco leaf presence and with blackberry notes and plummy aromas and flavors. It has enveloping solid structure with a persistent feel that goes into a memorable finish

Bodegas Zerran Tinto Spain 2011 - a Jorge Ordonez from the region of Montsant which by the way has soils just like its neighbor, Priorat! The overall balance is remarkable, very intense black fruit flavors with high level of concentration with hint of vibrancy. The fruit is ripe, chewy with earthy, smoky nuances on the palate and the retrohale.

The Columbia Valley! Wake up and jump in with both feet to America’s second largest wine region

The say that the Columbia River was created when ice dams gave way on an ancient lake and sent a massive flood of water from Montana through Idaho and Washington State.  They also say that this flood was so big that it was as big as the flow of all of today’s rivers combined(that's more than big!!!) and when you include the non-stop volcanic activity of those times you get the conditions for  great soils for grapevines. Let's raise our glasses and give three cheers to the Geologists!

The state of Washington is truly becoming a hot spot! The Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and especially the Reisling coming out of this northwest state is to be reckoned with. The Columbia Valley AVA incorporates about 11 million acres of land and you will find  the high end wines as well as the value wines. The Columbia Valley is actually recognized for being the foremost area for value oriented sparkling wines too, done in the traditional method; which rival from time to time the expensive bubblies. Yet their reds are the ones to watch.

The Columbia River forms a boundary between most of Washington and Oregon. The Walla Walla Region is near the 90-degree bend on the river. Cabernet Sauvignon is the most eminent and widely planted grape in the area, followed by Merlot, Syrah, Sangiovese, and Cabernet Franc.

Nearly 40 percent of Washington’s wines come from grapes grown in the Yakima Valley which is different than the rest of the Columbia River Basin in terroir. It's different because the soils are much more sandy and the weather is cooler. The water drains rapidly in this area and this leads to brighter acidity in the wines. A lot of the times you find that this acidity makes the wines adapaptable to food...and you thought the Italians were the only ones playing on this field!

The Yakima Valley is bordered by some of the states most admired and respected sub-appellations – Rattlesnake Hills, Horse Heaven and Red Mountain; Makes for Great Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Further, there is also the new Wahluke Slope which is on the east of Yakima on the Columbia River and is the warmest wine region. This smaller area is known for its Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Giant Chateau Ste. Michelle owns a majority of the Columbia Valley vineyard land ; nevertheless, there are over 250 wineries in the “Columbia Valley” appellation. And really great ones too. Wines such as Amavi, Cadence, Cayuse, Le Ecole No.41 and Leonetti are several to search for.

PS...Columbia Crest and Chateau Ste Michelle are wineries that provide a path to taste alot for starters. Good wines, good values...and they also have very sophisticated wines as well if you enjoy their profiles. I also like what winemaker Charles Smith is doing at all price points. His wines usually have funky names like Boom Boom!, Kung Fu Girl, and Steakhouse...you get the point.