Madera AVA
The Madera AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in both Fresno County and Madera County, in central California.
Wine region | |
Type | American Viticultural Area |
---|---|
Year established | 1984, amended in 1985 and 1987[1] |
Country | United States |
Part of | California |
Total area | 230,000 acres (93,078 ha)[2] |
Size of planted vineyards | 38,000 acres (15,378 ha)[3] |
Grapes produced | Barbera, Black Muscat, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Chardonnay, Colombard, Grenache, Malbec, Malvasia, Merlot, Muscat Canelli, Muscat of Alexandria, Orange Muscat, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, Riesling, Souzao, Syrah, Tinta Cao, Tinta Madeira, Touriga Nacional, Valdiguie, Viognier, Zinfandel[3] |
Production
With a total area of 230,000 acres (93,078 ha), 38,000 acres (15,378 ha) of which are planted to wine grapes, this region in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley region of the Central Valley produces 10% of all wine grapes grown in the state of California. Modern grape growing practices have shown that this region can produce very high quality wines. The region has seen tremendous growth and success due to the shift from high-volume production to high-quality production.
Uses
In years past, many of the grapes grown in Madera were used for the production of low-priced wines. Today the grapes are shipped to producers of wines throughout the state, including Napa and Sonoma. The wineries located in the region produce award-winning wines from the large variety of grapes grown in the Madera AVA designation.[3]
References
- Code of Federal Regulations. "§ 9.92 Maderas." Archived 2012-02-12 at the Wayback Machine Title 27: Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; Part 9 — American Viticultural Areas; Subpart C — Approved American Viticultural Areas. Retrieved Jan. 28, 2008.
- Wine Institute (2008). "American Viticultural Areas by State" Archived 2008-01-27 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved Jan. 23, 2008.
- Appellation America (2007). "Madera (AVA): Appellation Description". Retrieved Jan. 28, 2008.