United States
The USA—by geography and winemaking.
Pacific fog, rain shadows cast by the Cascade Range, and lakes and seas in the east. Learn how to interpret AVAs and connect to grape varieties, extraction, and barrel aging.
You can study geography, grape varieties, appellations, and winemaking in sequence. Knowledge gained from articles can be verified through exercises comparing regions and styles.
Grasp the location of the region.
- Napa Valley: From valley floor to mountain vineyards Western & California
- Sonoma: Pinot Noir from the fog, reds from inland Western & California
- Central Coast: Cool Air Through East–West Valleys Western & Santa Barbara
- Lodi and the interior: Remember the Delta winds Western & California Inland
- Oregon: From Willamette to the south and border region Northwest: representative sites of Willamette
- Washington: Rain shadow and the Columbia Valley Northwest: representative sites of Columbia Valley
- New York: Riesling from the lakes and Merlot from the sea Eastern & Finger Lakes featured locations
- Virginia: Cabernet Franc and Aromatic Whites Eastern & Virginia featured locations
Choose from articles
United States / Wine regions
Overview of the US: From West Coast to East
Place wine regions under the state name and compare the influences of the sea, mountains, and lakes.
American Viticultural Area
The basics of AVA and origin labelling
AVA refers to the name of a grape growing area. Distinguish it from grape varieties and classifications.
Cabernet Sauvignon / Zinfandel / Riesling
Key varieties: from Cabernet to Riesling
Use famous grape and region combinations as a starting point for comparison.
Napa Valley
Napa Valley: From valley floor to mountain vineyards
Reread Cabernet-growing regions in relation to fog and elevation.
Sonoma County
Sonoma: Pinot Noir from the fog, reds from inland
Within a broad county, distinguish Russian River from Dry Creek.
Central Coast / Santa Barbara
Central Coast: Cool Air Through East–West Valleys
In east-west open valleys, cold air enters from the sea. Besides latitude, the orientation of the valleys is a point to compare coastal regions.
Lodi / Sierra Foothills
Lodi and the interior: Remember the Delta winds
Add the position of rivers and foothills to the concept of 'inland.'
Oregon / Willamette Valley
Oregon: From Willamette to the south and border region
Using Pinot Noir as a basis, expand to various regions within the state.
Washington / Columbia Valley
Washington: Rain shadow and the Columbia Valley
Do not directly apply Seattle’s weather to major vineyard areas.
New York / Finger Lakes / Long Island
New York: Riesling from the lakes and Merlot from the sea
Compare the inland lakes and Atlantic coastal islands within the same state.
Virginia
Virginia: Cabernet Franc and Aromatic Whites
Learn about Cabernet Franc and aromatic whites starting from the conditions of vineyards located south of New York.
Variety / Origin / Vintage / Estate bottled
Label exercise: What do the 75%, 85%, and 95% figures represent?
Write the headings 'Variety', 'Place', and 'Year' before the number.
Napa Valley / Fog and elevation
A deeper look at fog: Napa’s north and south and mountain vineyards
Consider both the entry of cold air and the height of the fog in two different cross-sections.
Ridge / Lytton Springs 2023
Producer Case Study: Ridge Lytton Springs Blending and Barrels
Use the ratios provided by the producer to thoroughly understand the grape sources and maturation.
Major topics of study are selected and included. This is not an encyclopedia listing every appellation, variety, or producer.