New Wine Appellations Await U.S. Approval

Most wine producing areas have evolved appellations to identify and highlight specific growing areas. Official wine appellations facilitate the protection of geographical indications for wines. Earning the federal stamp for a U.S. appellation requires winemakers to submit paperwork documenting locally significant geography, climate and growing conditions that make their wine unique. The intent is to use knowledge of the appellation system for consumers to get a handle on wine quality. Soon Oklahoma's own Summerside Vineyards may succeed in getting their own appellation identified.

With a record number of petitions for American Viticultural Areas (AVA) in the hopper - 43 to be exact - the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) has its hands full.

Of the appellation petitions in progress, 35 are applications for new AVAs: 18 from California, eight from Oregon, two from Illinois, two from Texas and one each from Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma and Washington. Some petitions represent regions long known for wine production, such as Calistoga, in Napa Valley. Other applications come from regions that are off the beaten path in terms of winemaking, such as Grand Lake O' the Cherokees in Oklahoma.

Full article from Wine Spectator Online Daily Wine News: A Record Number of Wine Appellations Await U.S. Approval