What does AVA stand for in U.S. wine labeling?

• A. Appellation
• B. American Viticultural Area
• C. Alcohol by Volume
• D. Average Age

Answer: (B)

AVAs are the official American designation for where a wine’s grapes come from. AVA stands for American Viticultural Area, a legally defined grape-growing region recognized by the U.S. government. When a bottle carries an AVA on the label, it signals that the wine uses grapes from that specific area and that the region’s climate, soils, and topography help shape the wine’s character. There’s usually a minimum proportion of grapes from that AVA required to use the name on the label.

This is different from “Appellation,” which is a general regional term used in some countries outside the U.S.; “Alcohol by Volume” refers to the beverage’s strength, not origin; and “Average Age” isn’t a labeling term at all.