"Unknown” AVA’s in the United States

As if the United States Department of the Treasury doesn’t have enough to manage and oversee, one of their responsibilities (along with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) is to define an American Viticultural Area (AVA). We, as club managers, often refer to these AVA’s simply as larger classifications such as regions or states (hopefully not just countries) when educating members and staff about a particular wine. An American Viticultural Area is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States that is distinguishable by geographic features, such as soil characteristics and weather trends. AVAs with which the public is most familiar include the famed Napa and Russian River Valleys in California, and the Willamette Valley AVA in Oregon. Few, however, are familiar with the lesser-known AVAs away from the American West Coast; for example, have you ever heard of the AVA called Lake Michigan Shore?


The AVA identified as Lake Michigan Shore is located in the Michigan’s well- established "farm belt “in the Southwestern part of the state. With the oldest vineyards dating back to 1867, the AVA is both the oldest modern commercial grape region in the state and the area responsible for more than half of the total state wine grape production. With such accreditation behind its name, I write this blog posting in an effort to raise awareness of the “unknown” AVA’s in the United States.

Now, you are probably reading this posting in your office and wondering why I am writing an article on our WS blog regarding unknown AVA’s and the Michigan wine industry. Well, the answer is quite simple. Prior to finding a career path within the private club industry, I spent the summer of 2005 as an intern at Tabor Hill Winery and Restaurant in Buchanan, Michigan (pictured above). This experience provided learning the basics of the wine industry, and opened my eyes to a world I was previously interested in, but know very little about.

Throughout the summer, I rotated between three tasting rooms, assisted with restaurant operations at the estate vineyard, worked various catering events, and even spent time in the vineyard and winery. With such a wide array of opportunities with which Tabor Hill provided me, I gained a great deal of invaluable knowledge that has proven extremely helpful in my career today. Looking back at the experience, one of the lessons I learned was this: We have all come to appreciate a great, memorable bottle of vintage first growth Bordeaux, on that special occasion. On that note, I propose this challenge: Forget those special-occasion, Paker-rated, Wine Spectator-recognized wines, and pick up a bottle of something less familiar. Whether it’s drinking a wine from an “unknown” producer/region, or ordering an unfamiliar glass, be open to the idea of trying something new. It is sometimes those unexpected experiences that make us better appreciate wine and often provide eye- opening experiences that we’ll always remember. Am I suggesting that we remove all of the French and Californian wines from our lists? Absolutely not. But, having a dessert wine from lesser -known AVAs such as the Niagara Peninsula on your club’s list is a great way to spark interest in wine amongst your membership. You never know when Spectator or Enthusiast will endorse an “unknown” AVA, which would ultimately result in a mass exodus of the general public to quickly purchase wines as recommended. Does anyone remember what has happened with Spanish Rioja or South African Malbec in the past ten years?

If you have a moment, browse the website for Tabor Hill Winery and Restaurant. www.taborhill.com And if you are ever able to try “Red Arrow Red” … it comes strongly recommended! You can also learn more about Lake Michigan Shore AVA and other information regarding the wine industry in Michigan by visiting www.michiganwines.com .

On a side note… I would like to thank Paul Landeck, Cathy Fielding and Kenny Petersen at Tabor Hill for allowing the opportunity for a college kid (yours truly) to join the operation and not only learn about the wine industry, but in doing so, establishing a passion for wine.

Cheers,
- Joe