Are you part of the wine industry and in search of local data to enrich your website or provide valuable insights for your wine tasting and tours?
Perhaps you are a wine writer or an industry professional seeking specific information about a particular wine region. Look no further than AVA Fact Sheets, a great source of information on your wine region.
Fact sheets are one of the most common types of information found on the websites of regional wine associations, which play a vital role in supporting American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). AVAs are the officially designated wine regions in the United States. While varying in format, these fact sheets consistently offer key data about the region, making them a valuable resource.
In reviewing the fact sheets of all California regional associations, I’ve identified the most frequently presented quantitative facts about AVAs, listed below in order of their prevalence:
- Year of AVA approval
- Total AVA acres
- Total AVA acres under vine
- Number of grape varieties
- Number of wineries
- Number of growers
- Elevation range
- First vintage in the region
- Winkler region
- Approved Sub AVAs
You’ll often find these fact sheets in the “Technical Information” or “Facts and Figures” sections of association websites, catering to media professionals. Some organizations, like the Mt. Veeder Appellation Council and Napa Valley Vintners, provide straightforward one-page PDFs full of factual information.
Others, such as the Santa Barbara Vintners and Anderson Valley Wines, integrate these details directly into their website, making it easy to modify but harder to download.
The Lodi Wine Commission and the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance have one of the most comprehensive fact sheets (part of a press kit), making it an essential resource for wine industry professionals in those areas.
It also felt important to identify the less frequently mentioned facts, yet equally vital details about the region or AVA, including:
- Cases produced
- Vineyard slope
- Top soil depth
- Feet above sea level
- Percent of grape varieties
- Average temperature
- Average rainfall
- Average vineyard size
- Percent family owned
- Average price per ton
It’s important to note that the focus here has been on quantitative information, but many fact sheets also offer valuable qualitative insights, such as descriptions of topography and geography.
So, if your work involves talking or writing about wine, explore the fact sheets provided by supporting organizations, often non-profits, associated with your AVA. These fact sheets are invaluable for enhancing your knowledge and communicating effectively about wine. In cases of AVAs without supporting organization, you can consult the AVA petition on the federal website.
There are 147 AVAs in California, with about half being supported by regional associations. In turn, half of those organizations list some version of a fact sheet on their website. Here are the links to some of those fact sheets:
- Alexander Valley Winegrowers
- Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association
- Arroyo Seco Winegrowers
- Ballard Canyon
- Carneros Wine Alliance
- Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley
- Eagle Peak Mendocino County
- Green Valley Vintners
- Howell Mountain Vintners and Growers Association
- Lake County Winegrowers
- Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association
- Lodi Winegrape Commission
- Mendocino Winegrowers
- Monterey County Vintners & Growers Association
- Mt. Veeder Appellation
- Atlas Peak Appellation
- Rockpile Grapegrowers
- Santa Barbara County Vintners
- Santa Lucia Highlands Wine Artisans
- Santa Rita Hills Wine Alliance
- Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers
- Suisun Valley Vintners and Grape Growers Association
- Yorkville Highlands Growers and Vintners Association
