Why Marketing AVAs in New Jersey Reveals a Bigger Problem for the U.S. Wine Industry
Having recently served as Chair of the New Jersey wine industry association, I follow the industry’s marketing very closely. In recent weeks, I’ve noted recent emphasis on promoting the state’s four AVAs (American Viticultural Areas), featured prominently in both print and social media campaigns.
For context: an AVA is a federally designated grape-growing region defined by specific geographic or climatic features. There are more than 270 AVAs across the U.S., from Napa Valley to small, lesser-known areas in emerging wine states. And let’s be honest: if you can identify more than ten of them, you’re likely a wine writer — or a Jeopardy champion. 🎯
On paper, promoting AVAs seems like a smart move — they carry legitimacy, signal terroir, and align with how the global wine trade talks about place.
But here’s the reality: outside of AVAs like Napa and Willamette, AVAs don’t mean much to consumers. And marketing them in New Jersey points to a bigger problem across the U.S. wine industry: too often, we’re telling stories consumers don’t care about.
The New Jersey case study:
🍇 No recognition. “Outer Coastal Plain” or “Warren Hills” don’t resonate with visitors. What they connect with is Hunterdon wineries, Central Jersey wine weekends, or simply New Jersey wine.
🗺️ Confusing geography. The largest wineries in Hunterdon County, including Old York Cellars, sit just outside the Central Delaware Valley AVA, which awkwardly extends across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania. That’s hardly a clean marketing story.
🚚 Mismatch with production reality. Many wineries source grapes from growers outside their AVA or even outside their state. Old York Cellars, for example, leases a portion of a vineyard in the Outer Coastal Plain AVA. The overwhelming majority of guests don’t care about the technical boundary. They care about the wine, the food, the music, and the overall experience.
📉 Increasing irrelevance. In 15 years of running Old York Cellars, I’ve encountered virtually no consumer interest in New Jersey’s AVAs. Millennials and Gen Z, in particular, aren’t looking for AVAs on a label. They’re looking for authenticity, fun, and shareable experiences.
This isn’t just about New Jersey. Across the country, some smaller wine regions are leaning on AVAs to give themselves credibility. But when AVAs are put front and center in consumer marketing, it doubles down on a story only the trade cares about — while younger audiences tune out.
👉 AVAs have their place in trade conversations and on labels.
❌ But they’re not what will bring the next generation of drinkers to tasting rooms.
If the U.S. wine industry wants to grow, the story has to be simpler, prouder, and more relatable:
🍷 Drink Local Wine.
📍 Discover [State/Region] Wine Country.
✨ Make the Experience the Brand.
At the end of the day, AVAs don’t sell the story — experiences do.
