Verde Valley becomes 3rd Arizona wine growing region to earn AVA recognition

Arizona has three major wine growing regions, but until Nov. 10, only two of them were recognized by the federal government as official wine growing areas.

On Wednesday, Nov. 10, more than four years after local winemakers first submitted a petition, the Federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau designated a roughly 200-square mile area in Yavapai County as the Verde Valley Viticultural Area.

This means that the Verde Valley has officially joined Wilcox and Sonoita as a recognized American Viticultural Area.

“I am ecstatic with this TTB announcement,” said Tom Schumacher, president of the Verde Valley Wine Consortium

in a news release. “The Verde Valley AVA petition was submitted to the TTB by the Verde Valley Wine Consortium in 2017. This shows that our arduous efforts to submit the petition have been fruitful.”

The Verde Valley is now an AVA. What does that mean?

Throughout the country, there are 260 established AVAs, with 142 of them located in California, according to the TTB. With the addition of the Verde Valley, Arizona now can claim three.

According to the TTB’s Nov. 10 ruling, “With the establishment of the Verde Valley AVA, its name, ‘Verde Valley,’ will be recognized as a name of viticultural significance.”

The Verde Valley, which sits around the intersection of Oak Creek and the

Verde River, is home to 19 commercial vineyards and 25 tasting rooms, according to the Verde Valley Wine Trail.

More than 40 varieties are grown in the region and tasting rooms allow customers to try different types of locally produced wine, including Chardonnay, Vermentino, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese.

There are many benefits to AVA designation, including national recognition as a wine-producing region and the prominence that comes with that title. It also provides cohesiveness for wineries in the area, as they define their region’s wine characteristics tied to the soil, climate and growing conditions. It can also help winemakers sell their products at a higher price.

Now, with an AVA designation

behind them, Verde Valley winemakers are on their way to national recognition. Yavapai College, which houses the Southwest Wine Center, an acclaimed wine production program, vineyard and tasting room, aims to help even more graduates become winemakers in the surrounding area.

The AVA designation officially goes into effect on Dec. 10, 2021.