United States

**United States** is the largest wine producer outside Europe and a major force in the global market, with California alone accounting for the overwhelming majority of its output. American wine ranges from mass-market bottlings to some of the most sought-after cult wines in the world. **Signature wines** — bold Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel, ripe Chardonnay, and cool-climate Pinot Noir; Washington and Oregon add elegant reds and aromatic whites to the picture. **Key regions** — California (Napa Valley, Sonoma, Paso Robles, and beyond), Oregon's Willamette Valley, and Washington's Columbia Valley, with growing scenes in New York's Finger Lakes and elsewhere. **Good to know** — the US uses the American Viticultural Area (AVA) system to define grape-growing zones by geography, though unlike Europe it does not dictate which grapes may be planted or how wine must be made. The 1976 "Judgment of Paris" tasting, where California wines bested French classics in a blind lineup, put American wine firmly on the world stage.

Wines

• "Konner Ray" Columbia Valley — Smasne Cellars
• 1/2 Ass Red — Smasne Cellars
• 1858 Cabernet Sauvignon — Caymus Vineyards
• 1871 — Forgotten Fire Winery
• 188º SW — Gamache Vintners
• 400 Traminette Barrel Series — Broad Mountain Vineyards
• 471 Reserve Limited Block 471 Release — Vineyard 29
• 96 Cedars Red — Auclair Winery
• ARTEMIS Cabernet Sauvignon — Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
• Adagio — Carpenter Creek Cellars
• Adaptation Cabernet Sauvignon — Adaptation by Accendo Cellars
• Affordable Luxury — Stone's Throw Winery
• Albariño — Stone Farm Cellars & Vineyard
• Albariño — Category 5
• Albariño Affinity — Alexandria Nicole
• Albariño Coyote Canyon Vineyard — Coyote Canyon Winery
• Albariño Otis Vineyard — Smasne Cellars
• Albariño Proprietor's Reserve — Maryhill
• Alegria — Stone's Throw Winery
• Alexander Valley — Silver Oak