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Learn about California grape growing regions - oftentimes referred to as appellations or American Vitacultural Areas (AVA). According to the California Wine Institute, California currently has 110 AVA's with Cole Ranch in Mendocino County the smallest, at 150 acres, and the Central Coast the largest, at nearly 6.8 million acres.
A wine label identifies a wines geographic origin. Appellations may be AVAs or areas defined by political boundries, such as counties or states. A wine bearing the "California" appellation ensures consumers that one hundred percent of the grapes were grown in California. To use a county name, at least 75 percent of the grapes must come from that county; and if an AVA is used, at least 85 percent of the grapes must come from the defined area. California's wine regions are found along the entire length and breadth of the Golden State. If you're planning a visit, there's a good chance you will travel in or near one of these winegrowing regions.
Find California Winery Associations By Region
THE APPELLATIONS OF CALIFORNIA WINE |
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When a US winery wants to tell you the geographic pedigree of its wine, it uses a tag on its label called an Appellation of Origin. This tag must meet federal and state legal requirements. A lot of people believe that the term appellation of origin is synonymous with viticultural area, but that's not the case.
Viticultural areas are to appellations like grapes are to fruit. Viticultural areas are one kind of appellation. Not all appellations are viticultural areas. An appellation of origin can be the name of a country, the name of a state or states, the name of a county or counties within a state. Viticultural areas are a hybrid appellation. In size, they range from extremely small to extremely large (larger than a few states). In terms of plantings, a viticultural area may be filled with vineyards or could be almost sparse. In terms of quality, there is no guarantee that a wine labeled with a viticultural area is any better or worse than wines that don't bear such information.
Find California Winery Information By Region
Wine-type grapes are grown in 46 of California’s 58 counties, covering 513,000 acres in 2004. There are more than 107 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) in California (distinct winegrape growing areas recognized by the U.S. government), a testament to the variety of microclimates in the state. Most of the AVA information comes from the Wine Institute website section on American Viticultural Areas.
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American Viticultural Areas Located in California by Name
| AVA Name |
Download Type |
Acreage |
Effective Date |
| Alexander Valley |
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32,536.00 |
6/13/1988 |
| Alta Mesa |
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55,400.00 |
8/16/2006 |
| Anderson Valley |
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600.00 |
9/19/1983 |
| Arroyo Grande Valley |
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42,880.00 |
2/5/1990 |
| Arroyo Seco |
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18,240.00 |
5/16/1983 |
| Atlas Peak |
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11,400.00 |
2/24/1992 |
| Ben Lomond |
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38,400.00 |
1/8/1988 |
| Benmore Valley |
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1,440.00 |
11/18/1991 |
| Bennett Valley |
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8,140.00 |
12/29/2003 |
| Borden Ranch |
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70,000.00 |
8/16/2006 |
| California Shenandoah Valley |
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10,000.00 |
2/27/1987 |
| Capay Valley |
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102,400.00 |
2/18/2003 |
| Carmel Valley |
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19,200.00 |
1/13/1983 |
| Central Coast |
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1,000,000.00 |
11/25/1985 |
| Chalk Hill |
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22,400.00 |
6/13/1988 |
| Chalone |
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8,540.00 |
7/14/1982 |
| Chiles Valley |
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6,000.00 |
4/19/1999 |
| Cienega Valley |
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0.00 |
9/20/1982 |
| Clarksburg |
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64,640.00 |
2/22/1984 |
| Clear Lake |
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168,960.00 |
6/7/1984 |
| Clement Hills |
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85,400.00 |
8/16/2006 |
| Cole Ranch |
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150.00 |
5/16/1983 |
| Cosumnes River |
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54,700.00 |
8/16/2006 |
| Covelo |
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38,000.00 |
3/20/2006 |
| Cucamonga Valley |
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109,400.00 |
5/1/1995 |
| Diablo Grande |
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30,000.00 |
8/21/1998 |
| Diamond Mountain District |
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5,000.00 |
7/31/2001 |
| Dos Rios |
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15,500.00 |
11/14/2005 |
| Dry Creek Valley |
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80,000.00 |
9/6/1983 |
| Dunnigan Hills |
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89,000.00 |
6/14/1993 |
| Edna Valley |
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22,400.00 |
6/11/1987 |
| El Dorado |
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416.00 |
11/14/1983 |
| Fair Play |
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21,120.00 |
4/27/2001 |
| Fiddletown |
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11,500.00 |
11/3/1983 |
| Green Valley of Russian River Valley |
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32,000.00 |
12/21/1983 |
| Guenoc Valley |
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4,396.00 |
12/21/1981 |
| Hames Valley |
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10,240.00 |
4/25/1994 |
| High Valley |
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14,000.00 |
8/1/2005 |
| Howell Mountain |
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14,080.00 |
1/30/1984 |
| Jahant |
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28,000.00 |
8/16/2006 |
| Knights Valley |
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36,240.00 |
11/21/1983 |
| Lime Kiln Valley |
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2,300.00 |
7/6/1982 |
| Livermore Valley |
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259,000.00 |
10/1/1982 |
| Lodi |
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458,000.00 |
3/17/1986 |
| Los Carneros |
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0.00 |
9/19/1987 |
| Madera |
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230,000.00 |
1/7/1985 |
| Malibu-Newton Canyon |
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850.00 |
6/13/1996 |
| McDowell Valley |
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540.00 |
2/27/1987 |
| Mendocino |
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275,200.00 |
7/16/1984 |
| Mendocino Ridge |
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87,466.00 |
12/26/1997 |
| Merritt Island |
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5,000.00 |
2/27/1987 |
| Mokelumne River |
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85,700.00 |
8/16/2006 |
| Monterey |
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35,758.00 |
7/16/1984 |
| Mount Harlan |
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7,440.00 |
12/17/1990 |
| Mount Veeder |
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15,000.00 |
3/22/1990 |
| Napa Valley |
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225,280.00 |
2/27/1981 |
| North Coast |
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3,008,000.00 |
10/21/1983 |
| North Yuba |
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22,400.00 |
8/30/1985 |
| Northern Sonoma |
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348,000.00 |
9/25/1986 |
| Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley |
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8,300.00 |
4/26/2004 |
| Oakville |
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5,760.00 |
8/2/1993 |
| Pacheco Pass |
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3,200.00 |
4/11/1984 |
| Paicines |
|
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4,500.00 |
9/15/1982 |
| Paso Robles |
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666,618.00 |
11/3/1983 |
| Potter Valley |
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27,500.00 |
11/14/1983 |
| Ramona Valley |
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89,000.00 |
1/6/2006 |
| Red Hills Lake County |
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0.00 |
9/10/2004 |
| Redwood Valley |
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22,400.00 |
2/21/1997 |
| River Junction |
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1,300.00 |
7/9/2001 |
| Rockpile |
|
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15,400.00 |
4/29/2002 |
| Russian River Valley |
|
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96,000.00 |
11/21/1983 |
| Rutherford |
|
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6,650.00 |
8/2/1993 |
| Saddle Rock Malibu |
|
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2,090.00 |
8/16/2006 |
| Saint Helena |
|
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9,060.00 |
10/11/1995 |
| Salado Creek |
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2,940.00 |
8/30/2004 |
| San Antonio |
|
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150,400.00 |
7/10/2006 |
| San Benito |
|
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45,000.00 |
11/4/1987 |
| San Bernabe |
|
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24,796.00 |
8/30/2004 |
| San Francisco Bay |
|
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1,566,713.00 |
3/22/1999 |
| San Lucas |
|
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33,920.00 |
3/2/1987 |
| San Pasqual Valley |
|
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9,000.00 |
9/16/1981 |
| San Ysidro District |
|
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2,340.00 |
12/17/1990 |
| Santa Clara Valley |
|
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332,800.00 |
4/27/1989 |
| Santa Cruz Mountains |
|
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408,000.00 |
1/4/1982 |
| Santa Lucia Highlands |
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22,000.00 |
6/15/1992 |
| Santa Maria Valley |
|
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80,000.00 |
9/4/1981 |
| Santa Ynez Valley |
|
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76,800.00 |
5/16/1983 |
| Seiad Valley |
|
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2,160.00 |
6/20/1994 |
| Sierra Foothills |
|
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2,600,000.00 |
12/18/1987 |
| Sloughhouse |
|
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78,800.00 |
8/16/2006 |
| Solano County Green Valley |
|
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2,560.00 |
1/28/1983 |
| Sonoma Coast |
|
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480,000.00 |
7/13/1987 |
| Sonoma Mountain |
|
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5,000.00 |
2/22/1985 |
| Sonoma Valley |
|
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4,000.00 |
1/24/1982 |
| South Coast |
|
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115,200.00 |
12/23/1985 |
| Spring Mountain District |
|
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8,600.00 |
6/14/1993 |
| Sta. Rita Hills |
|
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30,720.00 |
7/30/2001 |
| Stags Leap District |
|
|
2,700.00 |
2/27/1989 |
| Suisun Valley |
|
|
15,360.00 |
12/27/1982 |
| Temecula Valley |
|
|
33,000.00 |
2/7/1986 |
| Tracy Hills |
|
|
39,200.00 |
12/8/2006 |
| Trinity Lakes |
|
|
96,000.00 |
4/29/2005 |
| Wild Horse Valley |
|
|
3,300.00 |
12/30/1988 |
| Willow Creek |
|
|
6,000.00 |
9/19/1983 |
| York Mountain |
|
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9,360.00 |
2/27/1987 |
| Yorkville Highlands |
|
|
40,000.00 |
6/8/1998 |
| Yountville |
|
|
8,260.00 |
5/18/1999 |
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