Niagara Escarpment AVA (wine region) | |
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Type | American Viticultural Area |
Year established | 2005[1] |
Country | USA |
Part of | New York |
Total area | 18,000 acres (7,284 ha)[2] |
Grapes produced | Baco Noir, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Catawba, Chancellor, Chardonnay, Concord, Diamond, Merlot, Niagara, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Seyval Blanc, Siegfried, Steuben, Syrah, Malbec, Vidal Blanc[3] |
The Niagara Escarpment AVA is an American Viticultural Area in the New York state portion of the Niagara Escarpment. The area was officially recognized as an AVA on October 11, 2005, by ruling of the United States Department of the Treasury Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.[4] The oldest winery in the region dates to the 19th century (no longer in business), but the region's growth began in the late 1990s with the opening of the first new winery. There are now 12 wineries making up the Niagara Wine Trail. This wine region is less developed with more open spaces than the 70 or so Niagara Peninsula wineries on the Canadian side of the Niagara River, but shares the same terroir. Wines range from traditional varietals such as Merlot, Cabernets, Chardonnays and Rieslings to fruit wines.