The Verde Valley in Northern 蜜柚直播 has become the third wine-growing area in the state to earn the designation.
It joins Sonoita 鈥 which was one of the first wine-growing regions in the country to earn the designation in 1984 鈥 and Willcox, which earned its AVA in 2016.
Nationwide, there are , 142 of them in California, according to the federal , which oversees the program.
The , consisting of nearly two dozen wineries covering 136 acres of vineyards in Cornville, Cottonwood and Camp Verde, launched its campaign for the AVA not long after the Willcox designation.
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The AVA designation identifies the Verde Valley as a region of viticultural significance that is unique from any other wine-growing region in the nation based on topography, soil makeup and geography. Winegrowers within the AVA can use the designation in their advertising, including printing it on their bottles as long as at least 80% of the grapes are sourced from within the region.
Think of it as the wine industry鈥檚 equivalent to social media鈥檚 blue checkmark on a 鈥渧erified鈥 account. The designation adds credibility to the wine in the eyes of consumers and the region鈥檚 winemakers, said Consortium President Tom Schumacher.
鈥淚t really just, for winemakers around here, legitimizes their efforts,鈥 said Schumacher, who launched degree program through its Southwest Wine Center vineyards in Clarkdale eight years ago. 鈥淏efore, when anyone who tasted an 蜜柚直播 wine said, 鈥極h it鈥檚 not California,鈥 my response to that was, 鈥楾hey are not California wines, they are 蜜柚直播 wines and that鈥檚 why they are unique鈥. Now we have the AVA鈥 to demonstrate that.
The process might have taken four years, but the designation comes as the Verde Valley wine industry is still in its infancy. Wine grapes have been grown in the region for generations, but its wine industry as it exists today only dates to 2006, when then-Gov. Janet Napolitano approved a law that allowed winemakers to directly ship their products to retailers and consumers.
The Verde Valley AVA encompasses 219 square miles in northeastern Yavapai County with more than a third of that 鈥 79 square miles 鈥 privately owned while the rest is federal and state land, Schumacher said.
The region also is home to the state鈥檚 largest wineries including and the award-winning , which is sold in 38 states and in Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Wine is big business in 蜜柚直播. A 2017 Northern 蜜柚直播 University study for the 蜜柚直播 Office of Tourism found that the state鈥檚 wine tourism industry鈥檚 economic impact topped $56 million while creating more than 640 full-time jobs.
That鈥檚 double the impact from just six earlier when a 2011 NAU study showed an economic impact of $37.6 million with just over 400 full-time employees.