Arizona AVAs

Climate, Soil, and Topography of American Viticultural Areas in Arizona

Climate, soil, and topography – environmental conditions sometimes referred to as elements of the terroir at a vineyard – are important to the suitability of an area for the production of winegrapes. These factors can affect vine growth and yield as well as fruit quality and composition, which together influence wine quality and vineyard profitability. To help inform about the expanding winegrape-growing industry in Arizona, we are compiling and visualizing data of several relevant aspects of climate, soil, and topography specific to the Sonoita, Willcox, and Verde Valley American Viticultural Areas (AVAs).

An AVA is a federally registered grape-growing region that is relatively unique in its climate, geology, soils, and other relevant physical features, distinctively named after the local geography, and delineated by a specific, albeit sometimes arbitrary boundary¹.