Niagara Escarpment AVA

{{Short description|American Viticultural Area in Niagara County, New York}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}

{{Infobox Wine Region

| name = Niagara Escarpment

| image = Foggy panorama2.jpg

| caption = Arrowhead Spring Vineyards on the Niagara Escarpment

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| other name =

| type = American Viticultural Area

| year = 2005{{cite journal |title=Establishment of the Niagara Escarpment Viticultural Area (2004R–589P) | url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2005-09-08/pdf/05-17759.pdf | journal=Federal Register | date=2005-09-08 | publisher=Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Treasury|volume=70|issue=173|format=27 CFR Part 9 [T.D. TTB–33; Re: Notice No. 33] RIN 1513–AA97 Final Rule |pages=53300-53304}}{{PD-notice}}

| wine years = {{years ago|1990}}

| country = United States

| part of = New York

| similar = Cayuga Lake AVA, Champlain Valley of New York AVA, Finger Lakes AVA, Hudson River Region AVA, Lake Erie AVA, Long Island AVA, North Fork of Long Island AVA, Seneca Lake AVA, The Hamptons, Long Island AVA, Upper Hudson AVA

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| climate region = Continental

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| total size = {{convert|18000|acre|sqmi}}

| planted = {{convert|400|acre}}

| vineyards =

| grapes = Baco noir, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Catawba, Chancellor, Chardonnay, Concord, Diamond, Merlot, Niagara, Pinot noir, Riesling, Seyval blanc, Siegfried, Steuben, Syrah, Malbec, Vidal blanc{{cite web |website=Appellation America| date=2007 |url=http://wine.appellationamerica.com/wine-region/Niagara-Escarpment-(NY).html |title=Niagara Escarpment (NY) (AVA): Appellation Profile |access-date=2008-01-31| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180130120341/http://wine.appellationamerica.com/wine-region/Niagara-Escarpment-(NY).html|archive-date=2018-01-30 |url-status=live}}

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| wineries = 11

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Niagara Escarpment is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Niagara County, New York along the Niagara Escarpment. It was established on September 7, 2005 by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Michael Von Heckler of Warm Lake Estate Vineyard and Winery proposing an

American viticultural area to be called "Niagara Escarpment."{{cite web |title=AVA Petition for the Niagara Escarpment |author1=Von Heckler, Michael|url=https://www.ttb.gov/media/68935/download?inline|website=TTB.gov|publisher=Warm Lake Estate Vineyard and Winery|date=2004-05-17}}{{PD-notice}}

The boundary area runs in a narrow {{convert|28|mi}} Niagara escarpment landscape which is part of a free-draining limestone ridge that also stretches around Lake Ontario and the Canadian province it was named after. It stretches from the village of Johnson Creek traveling west through the towns of Gasport and Lockport, and ending at the Niagara River at Lewiston.

The {{convert|18000|acre|sqmi}} wine region is less developed with more available land than the 70 or so Niagara Peninsula wineries on the Canadian side of the Niagara River, but shares the same terroir. Wines range from traditional grape varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Riesling to fruit wines. The hardiness zones are 6a and 6b.