United States of America

California is host to almost half this country’s wineries. Situated in coastal valleys and foothills, nearly eight hundred wineries await the wine country tourist with varied and scenic geography, and wines recognized worldwide.

California springs to mind for most people when considering American wines, and with good reason, as it is the leading wine-producing state in the nation. Over 850 wineries, situated in coastal valleys and foothills, are mostly family-owned and produce nearly a half billion gallons of wine each year. This represents about 2 out of every 3 bottles of wine sold in the USA.

Oregon wineries are generally small and decentralized within each official wine region of the state. They are often winemaker- or family-owned. Most Oregon wine regions lie in valleys between the southern Cascade Mountains that run through the state and its Coastal Range to the west.

The northwest portion of Oregon is celebrated for its cool-climate grape varieties, including Pinot Gris, Riesling, Chardonnay, and especially Pinot noir. The Southern Oregon appellation (AVA), starting south of Eugene, includes the Umpqua Valley AVA, the Applegate Valley AVA and the Rogue Valley AVA, all located in the southwestern portion of the state. These regions, along the vineyards of the Columbia Gorge AVA, are generally higher, much warmer and significantly drier than those appellations in the northwestern quadrant of Oregon State including the Willamette Valley AVA.

It wasn’t until early 2005 that the Southern Oregon appellation (AVA) was federally authorized as the macro viticultural area encompassing the previously authorized regions of the Umpqua, the Applegate and the Rogue Valleys. The rich variety of "micro climates" in southern Oregon (as well as in the Columbia Gorge AVA at Oregon’s north central border) provide distinctive vineyard locations capable of nurturing high-quality Bordeaux and Rhone grape varieties, as well as French Burgundian varieties such as Pinot noir and Chardonnay.

Canada

Canada has numerous microclimate regions that are excellent for producing fine wines. The warm breezes off the Great Lakes provide the Ontario regions; most notable are the Niagara Peninsula and the Lake Erie North Shore with their microclimate. In British Columbia lies the Okanagan Valley with the southern end being Canada’s only true desert region.

Canada first attracted attention for its award winning Icewines. So favourable are the conditions for producing Icewines that the country is now the world’s leading producer. Canada has proven it belongs in the international market, winning its share of international competitions.