Wine Regions Experiencing Growth

It's not entirely doom and gloom for the American wine biz. There are areas that are adding vineyards and have new wineries planned. Here's a few of them.

Click on maps to enlarge. All are from Wikipedia, unless otherwise noted.

 

Lamorinda CA

Situated in SF Bay's East Bay region touching on the Livermore Valley AVA this new wine region is named for the three towns of Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda. It's comprised of mostly very small, sometimes backyard vineyards, with micro wine producers. If this might seem amateurish, this is how most big wine regions started. Lamorinda is a warm Mediterranean climate, warmer and less foggy than the towns on the bay to the west, cooler than the Central Valley to the east. Estimated total vineyard plantings is under 150 acres.

 

Suisun Valley CA (suh SOON)

East of Napa, and just getting into the hotter Central Valley. The difference here are the cooling winds coming through from the bay that moderate temperatures. There are mostly boutique operations, but there's also a big investment from John Wagner of Caymus Wine. They grow a bit of everything here. Its past was rooted in Petite Sirah, but now it's going for Cab and Chard. There are 3,000 acres of vineyards planted.

 

West Sonoma Coast CA

This is the coolest grape growing area in Sonoma County and is all about Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Everyone goes crazy for cool climate Chard and especially Pinot. The wines are top-tier with higher acid and more elegance than many other California Chards and Pinots. Prices are often higher as the remoteness and terrain make it expensive to grow here. There are 1,000 acres of planted vineyards, but not many wineries call the region home because of the remoteness. This area became an official AVA in 2022 so it's just starting to show up on wine labels.

 

San Luis Obispo Coast CA

Another new coastal region, the SLO Coast contains the established Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande Valley growing areas, so there are lots of vineyards and wineries here, with 4,000 acres of grapes planted. It's mostly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but there are 20 varieties grown including Albarino (a Spanish white wine grape), Riesling, and Syrah.

map from Oregon Wine Board

Willamette Valley OR

World-famous for Pinot Noir and diversifying into Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Riesling. They are fairly new to wine fame and still adjusting. They timed the Pinot Noir boom perfectly and seem to realize they can't count on Pinot being the hot grape forever. Maybe Chardonnay will be next because Americans have always loved Chard. Willamette Valley has over 500 wineries.

 

Texas Hill Country 

 A 9.6 million acre viticultural area because everything is bigger in Texas. The region has drier air and cooler nights than the surroundings to allow the growing of vinifera wine grapes. Tempranillo is the most planted grape. Viognier and Sangiovese are also popular. Recent and planned future plantings focus on hot weather grapes, like Tannat and Tempranillo. There are over 100 wineries and over 2,000 acres of grapes planted.

Leelanau Peninsula, MI

Originally known for apples and cherries, it's now about Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gruner Veltliner (a central European grape that's gaining popularity), Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc. There are about 30 wineries and 700 acres of vines. Lake Michigan and the Grand Traverse Bay moderate the northern climate to allow a fruit belt. Heck, even real estate is high for the Midwest. Leelanau County home prices average $490,000; the Leelanau Peninsula $800,000.

 

Finger Lakes, NY

Known for Riesling, the area is now adding more Riesling and Cabernet Franc vineyards. With 4,000 acres of vineyards, more than 140 wineries, and many grape varieties grown, this region isn't slowing down. Their primary grape is the American native Concord. Less than a quarter of the vineyard acreage is European grapes, and that should expand to help with future growth. Perhaps Cab Franc and Gruner Veltliner will fuel growth.