American Viticulture Area (AVA) Petition

One of the most important projects of the RSF VGA is the production and submission of a formal petition to designate Rancho Santa Fe as an official American Viticulture Area (AVA).   An American Viticultural Area, or AVA, is a specific type of appellation of origin used on wine labels. An AVA is a delimited grape-growing region with specific geographic or climatic features that distinguish it from the surrounding regions and affect how grapes are grown. Using an AVA designation on a wine label allows vintners to describe more accurately the origin of their wines to consumers and helps consumers identify wines they may purchase.

 

The AVA petition is submitted to the US Department of the Treasury's Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).  The RSF VGA is confident it will ultimately earn this designation from the TTB that will help increase viticulture activity in Rancho Santa Fe and notoriety for our grapes and wines.  The petition is a comprehensive document requiring historical, agricultural, scientific and commercial evidence supporting the uniqueness of the Rancho Santa Fe wine growing region.  Once submitted these petitions often take several years for approval.  The RSF VGA submitted its final draft to the TTB in the December 2022.  The Petition has been "perfected" by the TTB.  The RSF VGA expects a final ruling on its petition in 2024.