Mimbres Valley AVA
| Wine region | |
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1985 |
| Years of wine industry | 397 |
| Country | United States |
| Part of | New Mexico |
| Other regions in New Mexico | Mesilla Valley AVA, Middle Rio Grande Valley AVA |
| Growing season | 180–207 days |
| Climate region | Region IV-V |
| Heat units | 3,826–5,049 GGD |
| Precipitation (annual average) | 9–10 in (230–250 mm) snow: 1–4 in (2.5–10.2 cm) |
| Soil conditions | Sandy to loamy alluvium, and are generally fine, mixed and deep in character |
| Total area | 636,800 acres (995 sq mi) |
| Size of planted vineyards | 400 acres (160 ha) |
| No. of vineyards | 12 |
| Grapes produced | Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Dolcetto, French Colombard, Malvasia Bianca, Merlot, Muscat Canelli, Nebbiolo, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, Ruby Cabernet, Syrah, Ugni Blanc and Zinfandel |
| No. of wineries | 2 |
Mimbres Valley (/'mɪm.bɹɛ/ MIM-bress) is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Southwestern New Mexico between the towns of Silver City and Columbus encircling Deming. It was the nation's 80th and the state's second appellation established on November 21, 1985, by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Pam Ray, President of The Southwest Chapter of the New Mexico Vine and Wine Society, proposing a viticultural area along the Mimbres River Valley in Grant and Luna Counties named "Mimbres Valley." The viticultural area follows the Mimbres River southward from an area located approximately two miles (3 km) miles north of the town of Mimbres to approximately three miles (5 km) south of Columbus on the U.S.-Mexico border flanked by the Mogollon Mountains to the north and the Florida Mountains to the east. The AVA includes the Mimbres River watershed where most of the vineyards lie between 4,000 and 6,000 feet (1,200 and 1,800 m) above sea level. The area is a desert, but irrigation and the deep, rich soils of the once-larger Mimbres River have made viticulture possible since the late 19th century. The plant hardiness zone is 7 to 8.