Ozark Highlands AVA

Ozark Highlands is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in southern Missouri in the Ozark Mountains just east of Jefferson City extending north to the Eleven Point River and south through portions of Phelps, Maries, Osage, Gasconade, Franklin, Crawford, Shannon, Dent, Texas, Reynolds, and Pulaski counties and adjacent to the western boundaries of the Mark Twain National Forest and Ozark National Scenic Riverways. It was established on August 31, 1987, by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Mr. Laurence R. Carver of the Carver Wine Cellar on behalf of the Ozark Highland Vintners, an association of seven Missouri wineries including Carver Wine Cellar, proposing a viticultural area to be known as "Ozark Highlands."

The 1.28 million acres (2,000 sq mi) wine appellation expands across the northernmost hills of the Ozark Plateau surrounding the towns of Rolla and Dillon. At the outset, many of the 500 acres (200 ha) under vine are located on south-facing slopes with an additional 500 acres (200 ha) devoted to table grapes. The AVA is a sub-appellation within the vast, multi-state Ozark Mountain AVA. Its climate is drier than other parts of the state, but the soil of sandy loam and clay retains moisture well. The first grapevines in the Ozark Highlands were planted in the 1890s by Italian immigrants in the Rosati area. All grape varieties are grown in the area, including Vitis vinifera, Vitis labrusca and French hybrids.