Wine, Wit, and Wisdom

Base Map via the TTB AVA Explorer

On March 24, 2026, the TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) of the United States approved the Nashoba Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA). The new AVA is located Worcester County, Massachusetts.

With the approval of this new appellation, Massachusetts is now home to three AVAs (including the Martha’s Vineyard AVA and a portion of the Southern New England AVA, both previously established). The Nashoba Valley AVA is not, however, located within nor does it contain any other established viticultural area.

According to the original petition—submitted by Justin Pelletier of Nashoba Valley Winery in April of 2022—the distinguishing features of the Nashoba Valley AVA are primarily its topography, elevation, climate, and soils. These features are discussed below.

Topography, Elevation, and Climate:  The Nashoba Valley AVA has a warm climate, classified as Region III on the Winkler Scale. The area is significantly warmer and more humid than the surrounding areas as it sits in a valley (at elevations ranging from 121 feet to 580 feet above sea level) between two of the highest points in Central Massachusetts. In addition, the region is not within the range of the cooling influence of the Atlantic Ocean.

Base Map via the TTB AVA Explorer

Interestingly, the Nashoba Valley AVA is periodically subject to significant winds. These winds can be both beneficial and dangerous to the vines. On the positive side, the winds can help assuage the potential damage from early spring frost, and, during the summertime, the winds can help to lessen the fungal growth that may follow the frequent rains. However, if the wind becomes severe in the early spring, the vine’s newly-formed shoots may become damaged. While this may prove detrimental to the quantity of the year’s grape production and could even permanently damage the vines; such involuntary shoot-thinning can help to create a smaller, yet more intensely flavorful harvest in a given year.

Soils: The predominant soil type within the Nashoba Valley AVA includes moderately deep to very deep, well-drained, loamy soils. These soils allow for unobstructed root growth and contribute to the nutritional balance and stability of the vines.

When the Nashoba Valley AVA is brought into force—on April 23, 2026, the same date as the (also) newly-approved Nine Lakes of East Tennessee AVA—the total number of AVAs in the United States will be 279.

The Nashoba Valley AVA contains a total of 18,367 acres. Peach and apple orchards—the traditional agriculture of the region—take up much of the land at present. Viticulture is becoming well-established as well, and there are currently three commercial vineyards covering a total of 16 acres of vines. A range of grapes—including vinifera, labrusca, and hybrid varieties—are cultivated. Leading varieties include Albariño, Arandell, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Lemberger, Marquette, Riesling, and Seyval Blanc.

Welcome to the world, Nashoba Valley AVA!

Note: The Nine Lakes of East Tennessee AVA (located in Massachusetts) was also approved on March 24, 2026. Click here for more information on the Nine Lakes of East Tennessee AVA.

 References/for more information:

• TTB-Establishment of the Nashoba Valley AVA
• Petition to Establish the Nashoba Valley AVA

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

Base Map via the TTB AVA Explorer

On March 24, 2026, the TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) of the United States approved the Nine Lakes of East Tennessee American Viticultural Area (AVA). The new AVA is located in northeastern Tennessee, covering (portions of, in some cases) Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, Monroe, Roane, Sevier, and Union Counties. These counties—centered around the city of Knoxville—surround the nine lakes formed by the Tennessee Valley Authority dams along the Tennessee River.

With the approval of this new appellation, Tennessee is now home to three AVAs (including the Upper Cumberland AVA and a portion of the Appalachian High Country AVA, both previously established). The Nine Lakes of East Tennessee AVA is not, however, located within nor does it contain any other established viticultural area

According to the original petition—submitted on behalf of the Appalachian Region Wine Producers Association and first published by the TTB in September of 2023—the distinguishing features of the Nine Lakes of East Tennessee AVA are primarily its topography, elevation, soils, and climate. These features are discussed below.

Base Map via the TTB AVA Explorer

Topography and elevation:  In terms of geology, the eastern portion state of Tennessee can be roughly divided into three regions (from west to east): the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Valley and Ridge Province, and the Cumberland Plateau. The Nine Lakes of Eastern Tennessee AVA is located entirely within the middle of these three sections, the Valley and Ridge Province. This area is characterized by long, linear valleys tucked alongside the ridges of the Appalachian Highlands at elevations between 700 feet and 1,200 feet above sea level (significantly lower than the areas to its east and west).

Also significant, the Nine Lakes of Eastern Tennessee AVA sits entirely within the watershed of the Tennessee River and its tributaries. The Tennessee River flows southwesterly for 652 miles from the city of Knoxville to its confluence with the Ohio River near Paducah, Kentucky. Beginning in the 1930s, the Tennessee Valley Authority built 32 dams along the Tennessee River system to generate hydroelectric power, control flooding, and provide a navigable waterway between Knoxville and the Ohio River. Along the way, the namesake nine lakes of the region were created.

Soils: Limestone is the predominant bedrock in the area along with dolomite, shale, and sandstone. Topsoil consists mainly of silt, sand, and gravel atop clay. There are up to 18 different soil types found in the region; these vary due to elevation, aspect, slope, and depth.

 Climate: Mainly due to its lower elevation, the Nine Lakes of East Tennessee AVA has slightly warmer overall temperatures than the areas to the east and west. The area also enjoys a longer frost-free growing season—averaging 213 days—than the surrounding areas (save for those to the immediate south). According to the Winkler Heat Summation Index, the new AVA falls between levels III (moderate) and V (warm). The new AVA is somewhat drier than the surrounding areas and receives between 40 inches and 45 inches of rain in a typical year.

When the Nine Lakes of East Tennessee is brought into force—on April 23, 2026, the same date as the (also) newly-approved Nashoba Valley AVA—the total number of AVAs in the United States will be 279.

The Nine Lakes of East Tennessee AVA is spread across 4,064 miles. The area has 232 acres planted to vines as well as 32 commercial vineyards and 30 wineries (numbers are approximate). A great diversity of grapes—including vinifera, labrusca, and hybrid varieties—are planted in the region. At this time, the leading varieties include Chardonnay, Norton, Catawba, Riesling, Niagara, Cabernet Franc, Vidal, and Chambourcin.

Welcome to the world, Nine Lakes of East Tennessee AVA!

Note: The Nashoba Valley AVA (located in Massachusetts) was also approved on March 24, 2026. Click here for more information on the Nashoba Valley AVA. 

 References/for more information:

• TTB-Establisment of the Nine Lakes AVA
• Proposal Nine Lakes of East Tennessee AVA
• Nine Lakes Wine Country

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

Wine news flash! The Médoc AOC has been approved for the production of dry white wines! Originally approved in 1936, the Médoc AOC was previously approved for dry red wines only and has consistently been a prodigious producer—averaging 300,000 hectoliters a year—of good quality, reasonably affordable red Bordeaux.

After several years of debate, the INAO approved the production of white wines in the Médoc AOC—covering the same area as allowed for the appellation’s red wines—in 2024. As of March 3 of this year (2026), the proposal was approved by the EU and communicated via publication in the Journal of the European Union.

Dry white wines will now be a part of the production of the Médoc AOC in accordance with the following guidelines:

• Grape varieties:
  • Principal grape varieties—must comprise a minimum 90% of the final blend: Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Sauvignon Gris, and/or Muscadelle
  • Grape varieties allowed “of interest for adaptation purposes” (in anticipation of potential climate change) may comprise up to 5% of an estate’s vineyard holdings and 10% of an individual wine’s blend: Alvarinho  (Albariño), Liliorila, Sauvignac, Souvignier Gris, and/or Floréal
• Ageing: must be aged on the winemaker’s premises until March 31 of the year following the harvest; at least 30% of each vintage must be aged in contact with wood
• Packaging: bottling/packaging must occur between April 1 and December 31 of the year following the harvest
• Alcoholic strength: must be between 11% and 13% alcohol by volume

Map of the Médoc via the INAO

It is estimated that 420 acres/170 ha of the Médoc vineyards are planted to white varieties. Until now, the resulting wine—to include some made by top producers such as Aile d’Argent (made by Château Mouton Rothschild), Pavillon Blanc (made by Château Margaux) and Château Cos d’Estournel Blanc—would have been bottled under the Bordeaux AOC. With this new development, those producers that choose to abide by the appellation’s standards may commercialize their wines as Médoc AOC. We look forward to trying some!

Welcome to the world, Médoc Blanc AOC!

References/for more information:

• Cahier des Charges Medoc AOC March 2926

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

Wine Map of Tuscany via Federdoc. Suvereto DOCG is #4.

If you have never heard of the Suvereto DOCG, do not be too hard on yourself. At 185 acres/75 hectares, its vineyard acreage is super-small and at an annual total production of 4,080 cases, the region just screams “boutique.”

Nevertheless, the Suvereto DOCG is proudly Tuscan and one of Tuscany’s 11 DOCG regions (at last count). Located west of Siena and about 7 miles from the coast, Suvereto was formerly part of the shoreline-hugging Val di Cornia DOC. In 2011, it was spun-off as a red-wine only DOCG, focusing on “Super Tuscan” style red wines —Suvereto Rosso—made using any proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot with an allowance (typical of Tuscan appellations) for up to 15% of other red grapes allowed for use in Tuscany. Varietally-labeled red wines—featuring Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Sangiovese—were also allowed.

• While all these wine styles remain approved by the Suvereto DOCG, in December of last year, the EU approved a revised set of standards that allow for an expanded list of grape varieties and wine styles to be part of the appellation. As such, the following styles of wine are now allowed to be produced under the Suvereto DOCG:
  • Varietal Cabernet Franc
  • Varietal Syrah
  • Suvereto Rosso produced using any combination of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc, and/or Syrah.

In addition, the required assemblage for the original slate of varietally-labeled wines—Suvereto Cabernet Sauvignon, Suvereto Merlot and Suvereto Sangiovese—has been amended. The required percentage of each respective grape variety has increased from a minimum 85% to 100 %.

• The ageing requirements of Suvereto DOCG wines were not affected by this update and remain as follows:
  • In general: wines may not be released until June 1 of the second year following the harvest; this makes for a mandated age of approximately 18 months before release.
  • For reserva wines: Wines may not be released until January 1 of the third following the harvest; this makes for a mandated aging period of approximately 30 months before release. Of these, at least 18 months must be in oak and at least 6 months must be in the bottle.

We look forward to trying these “new Suvereto” wines!

References/for more information:

• Suvereto DOCG-Feb 2026
• Toscana – Federdoc – Wine Map of Tuscany via Federoc

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

The Entre-Deux-Mers AOC—located within Bordeaux and first approved as a white wine-only appellation back in 1937—has been going through a quiet revolution of late. We can trace this modernization trend back to August of 2023, when the appellation was approved for the production of red wines. While this was a substantial change in regard to the history of the appellation, in practice the area has always been heavily planted with red grapes, particularly Merlot.

In addition—in September of 2025—the appellation revised its standards to include mandatory lees aging for its white wines. The revised cahier des charges notes that lees aging is now required until (at least) November 15 following the harvest and stated that this was already an established practice in the area. At this same time, the regulations were revised to reflect the effect of lees aging on the finished wine as follows: “On first impression, they are usually refreshing, then generous and round. Lees contact during the making of white wines confers roundness and richness on the palate.”

More recently, the regulations were updated to include a more specific set of requirements as per the grape varieties and blending proportions—to include a maximum of 80% of any single variety. As noted in the cahier, “The purpose of this distinction is to strengthen the identity of the wines by enhancing the complexity of their aromatic profiles. Furthermore, by imposing this 80 % limit, the producer group for the designation wishes to avoid labelling the wines as single varietal. This new requirement is in addition to the rule that the wines must be made from at least two main grape varieties.”

Photo via: https://vignobles-lobre.com

The new standards concerning grape varieties are as follows:

• White Wines:
  • Principal varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Muscadelle, and/or Sauvignon Gris
  • Accessory varieties: Colombard and/or Ugni Blanc
  • Limitations: The wine must contain at least two grape varieties, no single grape may comprise more than 80% of the blend, and accessory varieties are limited to a maximum of 30% of the total assemblage.

• Red Wines:
  • Principal varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec (aka Côt), and/or Petit Verdot
  • Accessory variety: Carmenère
  • Limitations: The wine must contain at least two grape varieties, no single grape may comprise more than 80% of the blend, and accessory varieties are limited to a maximum of 30% of the total assemblage. (These are identical to the limitations for white wine.)

Entre-Deux-Mers has long been a widely distributed, popular style of Bordeaux and with these changes…it just keeps getting better!

References/for more information:

• Cahier des Charges Entre-Deux-Mers AOC January 2026

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

Map of Abruzzo via Federdoc. The new Casauria DOCG will encompass areas in the center of the province, inland from the town of Pescara

Wine geeks of the world, unite! Today is your lucky day! Italy has officially announced a new Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita for wine: Casauria DOCG. The application for this new appellation has been in the works for about two years, and on November 11 (2025), the EU made it official. The appellation is named for the Abbey of San Clemente a Casauria, built in the town of Pescara in 871 by Louis II, great-grandson of Charlemagne.

This is Italy’s 79th DOCG for wine to date, and the third for the province of Abruzzo (joining Colline Teramane Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOCG and Tullum/Terre Tollesi DOCG). The area encompassing the new Casauria DOCG is situated in the foothills of the Apennines inland from the coastal town of Pescara. Vineyards must be located in areas that receive plenty of sun at elevations up to 600 meters/1,970 feet above sea level. The Casauria DOCG overlaps (and was formerly a sub-zone of) the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC.

The Casauria DOCG is approved for dry red wines only. According to the standards of production, it typically shows an intense ruby red color, with younger wines having flecks of violet and older wines showing garnet around the edge. Young wines should show aromas of ripe red fruit and spice. Older wines, and those (optionally) aged in oak will show increased complexity and notes of wood.

• Other production standards for the Casauria DOCG include the following:
  • Grape variety: 100% Montepulciano
  • Minimum alcohol by volume: 13%; 13.5% for Riserva
  • Aging: The wine must be aged for a minimum of 18 months before being released to distribution.
    • Wines designated as Riserva must be aged for a minimum of 24 months, calculated beginning on November 1 of the harvest year.
  • Production, aging, and bottling must occur within the designated production zone.

Welcome to the world, Casauria DOCG! We can’t wait to find a bottle!

References/for more information:

• Casauria DOCG-Disciplinare Nov 2025
• Consortium for the protection of Abruzzo Wine
• Link to the consortium’s wine maps of Abruzzo

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

We’re just here to say good-bye.

News flash for French wine lovers and all students of wine! As of this month (October 2025), the Graves Supérieures AOC has been declassified by the INAO (Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité/French National Institute of Origin and Quality) and cancelled by the EU. To put it simply, the Graves Supérieures AOC is no more.

The Graves Supérieures AOC, established in 1937 and located in the southern reaches of Bordeaux’s Left Bank, originally allowed for the production of just one style of wine: sweet, botrytis-affected white wines containing the standard white grapes of Bordeaux.

Sweet white wine lovers—have no fear. These wines are still being produced and the parameters surrounding them have not changed. However, moving forward, they will be bottled under the Graves AOC. The Graves AOC will also continue to be approved for dry red wines and dry white wines.

• The requirements for sweet white wines (white wine with residual sugar) produced under the Graves AOC, as amended, include the following:
  • Allowed grape varieties: Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, and Muscadelle—grapes must be “overripe” and harvested by hand in successive selections, (Note: the cahier des charges mentions “mainly Sémillon” and the presence of botrytis with no further details.)
  • Minimum potential alcohol: 13.5%
  • The use of rectified grape must and chaptalization is allowed.
  • Minimum residual sugar: 34 g/l

These wines are intended to be “round, generous wines of a golden color with aromas of candied fruit.” Those of us who have been lucky enough to taste one will also say that they are complex, somewhat earthy, delicious, and a great match for pear-based desserts and blue cheese.

References/for more information:

• EU amendment – Graves Superieures declassified October 2025
• Graves AOC-declassified Graves Superieures

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

Photo via pagodetharsys.com

Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación, MAPA) has announced the approval of a new Denominación de Origen Protegida (PDO) for wine: the Vino de Pago Tharsys! As of October 2 (2025) the EU has also announced its approval of the new appellation. At last count, this makes for a new total of 28 vinos de pago for Spain.

The new appellation is located near the town of Requena, within the western portion of the region (comunidad autónoma) of Valencia. Vineyards and wine production were present in the area as early as the 16^th century. A large estate with seven houses, a flour mill, and extensive vineyard holdings was producing wine in the area until 1950. In 1998, new owners revived the vineyards and adopted the original name of the estate (Tharsys).

The Vino de Pago Tharsys is approved for the production of red (tinto), white (blanco), rosé (rosado), and quality sparkling wine (vino espumoso de calidad). The specific regulations for these wines are as follows:

• Tinto (red wine):
  • May be monovarietal Merlot, Cabernet Franc, or Bobal
  • May be a blended wine using any proportions of the following varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Bobal, Tempranillo, and/or Garnacha Tinta
  • These must be dry, full-bodied red wines with a minimum of 13% abv.

• Blanco (white wine)
  • May be monovarietal Albariño or Chardonnay
  • Must have a minimum of 11.5% abv

• Rosado (rosé)
  • May be produced using any of the following varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Bobal, Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta, Albariño, Chardonnay, and/or Xarel-lo
  • Must have a minimum of 11.5% abv

• Quality Sparkling Wine (vino espumoso de calidad):
  • May be blanco (white) or rosado (rosé)
  • May be produced using any of the following varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Bobal, Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta, Albariño, Chardonnay, and/or Xarel-lo
  • Must have a minimum of 10.5% abv

In 2015, the entirety of the Tharsys vineyards obtained an organic farming certification, and the estate is dedicated to wine quality, soil preservation, and the sustainability of the area’s natural environment.

Welcome to the world, Vino de Pago Tharsys!

References/for more information:

• EU Regulation – Tharsys PDO
• Pliego de Condiciones Pago de Tharsys
• Single Document-Vino de Pago Tharsys
• https://pagodetharsys.com/

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org