Mesilla Valley AVA
| Wine region | |
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1985 |
| Country | United States |
| Part of | New Mexico, Texas |
| Growing season | 231 days |
| Climate region | Region V |
| Heat units | 4000 GDD |
| Precipitation (annual average) | 8 in (200 mm) snow: less than 3 in (76 mm) |
| Soil conditions | Rich alluvium on layers of clay loam and fine sandy loam |
| Total area | 285,000 acres (445 sq mi) |
| Size of planted vineyards | 40 acres (16 ha) |
| No. of vineyards | 21 |
| Grapes produced | Albariño, Barbera, Black Muscat, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Dolcetto, Gewurztraminer, Malvasia, Merlot, Montepulciano, Tempranillo, Moscato, Mourvedre, Muscat of Alexandria, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Primitivo, Riesling, Sangiovese, Shiraz, Syrah, Tempranillo, Viognier, Zinfandel |
| No. of wineries | 3 |
| Wine produced | Madre D'eira |
Mesilla Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in the Mesilla Valley landform that extends along the Rio Grande River encompassing an area from the vicinity north of Las Cruces, New Mexico within Dona Ana County on a 50-mile (80 km) north–south axis toward the Mexican border, across the state border to El Paso County, Texas and the vicinity of El Paso. It was established as the nation's 76th, and the initial appellation in New Mexico and Texas, on February 14, 1985, by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Mr. George Newman, President of the Las Cruces Chapter of the New Mexico Wine and Vine Society, proposing a viticultural area located in New Mexico and Texas named "Mesilla Valley."
Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Syrah are the most important grape varieties planted there. The plant hardiness zones are 8a and 8b. The climate in the Mesilla Valley is dry and hot.