Winery owners are truly visionaries with a huge passion for their trade. And, as wine lovers, we too have a great passion for the wines they produce. America’s Wine Trails provides over 5500 wineries and vineyards listed by state for you to discover. Some are younger and establishing their own mark in the wine industry, and many are several generations old with a legacy for great wine making. In any case, each winery offers a tasting room waiting for you to sip samples from a variety of wines for your enjoyment.

Many of the wineries listed are part of American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). These AVAs are defined as legally designated wine grape-growing regions that have specific geographic features, with boundaries that are defined and approved by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau and the United States Department of the Treasury. The bureau approves these areas based on a number of the area’s characteristics such as its elevation(s), soils, and climate. An AVA may also take into consideration historical precedents. The key requirement for wine with an AVA designation on the label is that 85% of the grapes must be grown in that designated viticulture area. The Augusta, Missouri AVA was the first federally approved American Viticultural Area gaining the status on June 20, 1980.

Check out the American Viticultural Areas and discover the many appellations that are spread out over America. Keep in mind, viticultural areas are not considered quality designations by the U.S. government, but winemakers try very hard to use them as indicators of quality. The importance of the appellation information on a wine label that discloses where the grapes were grown opens up marketing opportunities. For winegrowers and vintners in America, marketing by appellation has many advantages in today’s global marketplace.

Choose a U.S. State below to see wineries in that state.