Volcanic Wine Awards | The Jancis Robinson Story | 🎁 25% off annual & gift memberships

Much ado about AVAs

Monday 15 July 2019
Front and back labels of Joe Wagner's The Willametter

Where is a wine's origin? That's a particularly tricky question in the United States. 

Winemakers in America are increasingly running foul of regulations that have kept pace neither with the march of technology nor with the evolving ingenuity of business. Some of the latest controversies in American wine have to do with trying to decide what criteria should be used to determine where a wine is from. This seemingly simple question doesn’t have an easy answer, thanks to America’s complex and antiquated laws governing alcohol sales and, more importantly, alcohol labelling. 

Place of origin has seemingly been a crucial component...

Become a member to continue reading
JancisRobinson.com 25th anniversaty logo

Celebrating 25 years of building the world’s most trusted wine community

In honour of our anniversary, enjoy 25% off all annual and gift memberships for a limited time.

Use code HOLIDAY25 to join our community of wine experts and enthusiasts. Valid through 1 January.

Member
$135
/year
Save over 15% annually
Ideal for wine enthusiasts
  • Access 286,158 wine reviews & 15,819 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
Inner Circle
$249
/year
 
Ideal for collectors
  • Access 286,158 wine reviews & 15,819 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
  • Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
Professional
$299
/year
For individual wine professionals
  • Access 286,158 wine reviews & 15,819 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
  • Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
  • Commercial use of up to 25 wine reviews & scores for marketing
Business
$399
/year
For companies in the wine trade
  • Access 286,158 wine reviews & 15,819 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
  • Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
  • Commercial use of up to 250 wine reviews & scores for marketing
Pay with
Visa logo Mastercard logo American Express logo Logo for more payment options
Join our newsletter

Get the latest from Jancis and her team of leading wine experts.

By subscribing you agree with our Privacy Policy and provide consent to receive updates from our company.

More Alder on America

SLO Coast Derbyshire Vineyard
Alder on America This new AVA delivers on cool-climate wines – and excellent value for money. Above, the Derbyshire Vineyard, the Pacific Ocean...
Mokelumne Glen vineyard
Alder on America A little corner of Germany and Austria in Lodi (photo of Mokelumne Glen Vineyard by Randy Caparoso). Psychologists analysing paratroopers...
A closeup of the ingredient label on a Ridge wine.
Alder on America US wine labelling rules look set to follow those in the EU – at some point. Alder examines the complicated...
US recession image
Alder on America The US wine industry eyes up the prospect of a recession (although at least they have a nice strong currency)...

More from JancisRobinson.com

Cristal 95 and 96 bottles
Tasting articles A comparative tasting of champagne from the highly acclaimed 1996 vintage and the overshadowed 1995. And a daring way to...
Sylt with beach and Strandkörbe
Nick on restaurants An annual round-up of gastronomic pleasure. Above, the German island of Sylt which provided Nick with an excess of it...
screenshot of JancisRobinson.com from 2001
Inside information The penultimate episode of a seven-part podcast series giving the definitive story of Jancis’s life and career so far. For...
Wine news in 5 logo and Bibendum wine duty graphic
Wine news in 5 Plus potential fraud in Vinho Verde, China’s recognition of Burgundy appellations, and the campaign for protected land in Australia’s Barossa...
My glasses of Yquem being filled at The Morris
Free for all Go on, spoil yourself! A version of this article is published by the Financial Times . Above, my glasses being...
Fortified tasting chez JR
Tasting articles Sherry, port and Madeira in profusion. This is surely the time of year when you can allow yourself to take...
Brokenwood Stuart Hordern and Kate Sturgess
Wines of the week A brilliantly buzzy white wine with the power to transform deliciously over many years. And prices start at just €19.90...
Saldanha exterior
Inside information On South Africa’s remote West Coast an unlikely fortified-wine revival is taking place. Malu Lambert reports. Saldanha’s castle is an...
Wine inspiration delivered directly to your inbox, weekly
Our weekly newsletter is free for all
By subscribing you're confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions.