Establishment of the Nine Lakes of East Tennessee Viticultural Area
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The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) has officially established the 'Nine Lakes of East Tennessee' as a designated American Viticultural Area (AVA) covering approximately 4,064 square miles in northeastern Tennessee. This designation provides a legally recognized geographic appellation that winemakers in the region may use on wine labels to indicate the origin of their product. The Nine Lakes of East Tennessee AVA is a standalone viticultural area — it is neither nested within any existing AVA nor does it contain any previously established AVA within its boundaries. This makes it an independent geographic designation with its own distinct identity. The primary purpose of this AVA designation is twofold: it allows vintners operating within the defined boundaries to more precisely communicate the geographic origin of their wines to the market, and it helps consumers more easily identify and differentiate wines produced in this specific region of Tennessee when making purchasing decisions.
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Key Changes
- TTB officially establishes the 'Nine Lakes of East Tennessee' as a new American Viticultural Area (AVA), effective upon rule publication date of 2026-03-24.
- The new AVA covers approximately 4,064 square miles in northeastern Tennessee.
- The Nine Lakes of East Tennessee AVA is designated as a standalone area — it is not nested within any existing AVA and contains no sub-AVAs within its boundaries.
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