The federal law created the American AVA in 1978 to supplement the existing appellation system. Many confuse the AVA as a quality indicator, which it is not. The AVA is a guarantee of source and, if mentioned on the bottle, 85% of the grapes came from that area.
Variety is another misleading factor on the label for American wine. Nationally, the lowest percentage allowed and still be called a varietal name is 75%. In other words, if you buy a wine that says Cabernet Sauvignon, it must be at least 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% of anything else. This allowed varietal percentage varies from state to state, California allowing a minimum 75%, Washington at 85%, and Oregon at 95%. Just something to think about when shopping, drinking and discussing. Thanks.
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