Niagara Escarpment AVA

Niagara Escarpment
Wine region
Arrowhead Spring Vineyards on the Niagara Escarpment
TypeAmerican Viticultural Area
Year established2005[1]
Years of wine industry35
CountryUnited States
Part ofNew York
Other regions in New YorkCayuga Lake AVA, Champlain Valley of New York AVA, Finger Lakes AVA, Hudson River Region AVA, Lake Erie AVA, Long Island AVA, North Fork of Long Island AVA, Seneca Lake AVA, The Hamptons, Long Island AVA, Upper Hudson AVA
Climate regionContinental
Total area18,000 acres (28 sq mi)[1]
Size of planted vineyards400 acres (160 ha)[1]
Grapes producedBaco noir, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Catawba, Chancellor, Chardonnay, Concord, Diamond, Merlot, Niagara, Pinot noir, Riesling, Seyval blanc, Siegfried, Steuben, Syrah, Malbec, Vidal blanc[2]
No. of wineries11[2]

Niagara Escarpment is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Niagara County, New York along the Niagara Escarpment. It was established on September 7, 2005 by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Michael Von Heckler of Warm Lake Estate Vineyard and Winery proposing an American viticultural area to be called "Niagara Escarpment."[3]

The boundary area runs in a narrow 28 miles (45 km) Niagara escarpment landscape which is part of a free-draining limestone ridge that also stretches around Lake Ontario and the Canadian province it was named after. It stretches from the village of Johnson Creek traveling west through the towns of Gasport and Lockport, and ending at the Niagara River at Lewiston. The 18,000 acres (28 sq mi) wine region is less developed with more available land 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 grape varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Riesling to fruit wines. The hardiness zones are 6a and 6b.[1]

History

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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 11 wineries cultivating approximately 400 acres (160 ha) of vineyards on the Niagara Wine Trail.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Establishment of the Niagara Escarpment Viticultural Area (2004R–589P)" (27 CFR Part 9 [T.D. TTB–33; Re: Notice No. 33] RIN 1513–AA97 Final Rule). Federal Register. 70 (173). Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Treasury: 53300–53304. September 8, 2005.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ a b "Niagara Escarpment (NY) (AVA): Appellation Profile". Appellation America. 2007. Archived from the original on January 30, 2018. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  3. ^ Von Heckler, Michael (May 17, 2004). "AVA Petition for the Niagara Escarpment". TTB.gov. Warm Lake Estate Vineyard and Winery.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. ^ Zeiler, Millie (November 1, 2023). "New York's Vineyards And Wine Making History". Classic New York History. Archived from the original on February 29, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
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43°10′36″N 78°59′27″W / 43.176689°N 78.990826°W / 43.176689; -78.990826