| Catoctin AVA (wine region) | |
|---|---|
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
| Year established | 1983, amended in 1987[1] |
| Country | USA |
| Part of | Maryland |
| Precipitation (annual average) | 36 inches (91 cm) to 42 inches (107 cm)[2] |
| Total area | 170,000 acres (68,797 ha)[3] |
| Grapes produced | Cabernet Sauvignon, Muscat Canelli, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Vidal Blanc[2] |
The Catoctin AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Frederick and Washington counties of western Maryland. The region is bordered by Catoctin Mountain to the east, the Pennsylvania border to the north, South Mountain to the west, and the Potomac River to the south. "Catoctin" is Algonquian for "speckled rock" (c.f. Ojibwa gidagasin: "speckled rock", "flecked rock" or "spotted rock"), a geological feature of the area. Only one commercial winery is operating in the AVA, Frederick Cellars, and most of its production is not labelled with the Catoctin AVA designation.[2]