Two vineyards southwest of Eugene — King Estate Winery and Iris Vineyards — are now included in the state’s grape growing area.
The change, issued by the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, “means wine buyers will eventually see bottles from the brands with ‘Willamette Valley’ on the labels,” according to the Register Guard.
Following the model of designated wine regions in France, the U.S. government sets American viticultural areas, or AVAs.
“These designations allow vintners and consumers to attribute a given quality, reputation, or other characteristic of a wine made from grapes grown in an area to its geographic origin,” according to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade bureau.
(READ MORE: Register Guard)
