Designation Recognizes the Area’s Unique Winemaking Conditions
The
designation allows winemakers to include the region’s name on any wines
with 85 percent or more of their volume derived from area grapes,
assuring consumers that wines with Shawnee Hills on the label are
enriched by the region’s characteristic grape attributes. In addition,
the designation will let wineries within the AVA use the term “Estate
Bottled” for the first time to describe area wines produced on the same
premises on which the grapes are grown.
“The
AVA designation earns Shawnee Hills a place on the map along with the
nation’s most respected wine regions,” said Ted Wichmann, founder of
An
unglaciated ridge of land that runs 20 miles north to south, the
Shawnee Hills region spans 80 miles east to west and is bordered by the
Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. The area earned AVA recognition due to its
proven distinguishing geographic and climate characteristics that make
it well-suited for grape-growing.
The
region’s sandstone- and limestone-based soil offers superior ground
water drainage in an area that can experience excessive rainfall.
Sitting 400 to 800 feet higher than neighboring areas, the region’s
constant summer breezes allow faster drying of the vineyards,
minimizing the risk of fungal infection in an otherwise humid climate.
Significantly cooler than areas to the south that can be too hot to
grow quality grapes in the summer, the region is also notably warmer
than areas to the north, providing a longer growing season to ripen
grapes. These features combine to produce a near-perfect environment
for grape varieties such as Chambourcin, Seyval, Norton and Chardonel,
among others.
Some
consumers view an AVA designation as a “quality tag” for wine products.
Vintners hope that the naming of Shawnee Hills as an AVA will, over
time, add value to the region’s wines by creating a quality connotation
similar to that enjoyed by existing AVAs such as
“
The
new AVA encompasses 18 wineries and 55 vineyards covering approximately
300 acres. In recent years the
area’s Shawnee Hills Wine Trail has grown to become a tourist
destination that entertains more than 100,000 visitors each year,
generating gross annual revenues exceeding $2 million. Comprising eight
wineries set among the rolling hills and picturesque vistas of the
Unwind with a glass of wine on the
Shawnee Hills Wine Trail!
To request information for touring the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail
Maps / Brochures / Bed & Breakfasts / Attractions - Contact:
1-800-248-4373
Wineries
Calendar
vesta
-
Imagine taking college courses, earning college credit, expanding your understanding of the grape and wine industry without ever leaving your home. More...

