American wine production rivals the world’s best both in terroir and vineyard quality and the industry-leading viticulture practices we use in our wine production. While other wine-producing countries have established recognition protocols for identifying their best vineyards, we lack a comprehensive system in America for highlighting our best and brightest wine production. Let’s explore what an American Grand Cru® rating system could add…
Historically, the 1855 Bordeaux Classification system, established at the request of Emperor Napoleon III to help showcase France’s best wine, fundamentally changed Old World wine rankings. Though nuances exist across France’s wine regions, use of Grand Cru classifications has since become widely associated with an expectation of quality wines produced by recognized chateaus and their vineyards.
Today, wines designated as Grand Cru are still profoundly sought after in the global market because the industry understands that these location-specific wines are produced using leading viticulture practices at their unique vineyards to yield the best quality wines.
In the U.S., we designate wine growing regions using the American Viticultural Area (AVA) system to distinguish distinct regional terroir features where wines are produced. We also use points-based ranking systems such as Robert Parker’s 100-point scale to highlight a very small proportion of our elite wines by specific type and vintage.
However, what we are still missing is the ability to identify and recognize America’s best vineyards for both terroir quality and world-class viticulture practices that consistently produce our nation’s best wines across varietals year after year.
Most American wine consumers are familiar with the wine allure associated with Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley wines from California. But selecting the best wines from these and the many other distinct, prolific wine regions in California, Oregon, Washington, Virginia, New York and other states can be daunting because we lack a comprehensive, vineyard-specific designation system that can bridge the gap between overall geographic regional ratings and points-based ratings for a small sample of fine wines.
That’s why we are committed to identifying and recognizing American Grand Cru® vineyards for their commitment to producing world-class wines, and helping to educate wine consumers about the tremendous breadth of quality wine produced across the country.
We hope you’ll join us in supporting America’s best vineyards – cheers!