Texas Davis Mountains AVA
| Wine region | |
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1998 |
| Years of wine industry | 49 |
| Country | United States |
| Part of | Texas |
| Other regions in Texas | Mesilla Valley AVA, Bell Mountain AVA, Escondido Valley AVA, Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country AVA, Texas Hill Country AVA, Texas High Plains AVA, Texoma AVA |
| Growing season | 180 days |
| Climate region | Region II-IV |
| Heat units | 2948–3730 GDD |
| Precipitation (annual average) | 20 in (510 mm) |
| Soil conditions | gentle to steep gravelly soils and rock outcrop on limestone hills; rolling to steep very gravelly loamy soil |
| Total area | 270,000 acres (422 sq mi) |
| Size of planted vineyards | 50+ acres (20+ ha) |
| No. of vineyards | 3 |
| Grapes produced | Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Carignane, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Sauvignon Blanc, Tannat, Tempranillo, Viognier, Zinfandel |
| No. of wineries | 3 |
| Wine produced | Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Riesling |
Texas Davis Mountains is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Jeff Davis County of the Trans-Pecos region in western Texas. The area was established as the nation's 155th and Texas' seventh AVA on March 11, 1998, by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Maymie Nelda "Nell" Weisbach, of Blue Mountain Vineyard, Inc., proposing a viticultural area in Jeff Davis County to be known as "Texas Davis Mountains." The last AVA recognized in the 20th century encompasses approximately 270,000 acres (422 sq mi) and originally contained one commercial winery operated by the petitioner cultivating about 40 acres (16 ha) under vine.
The Davis Mountains in West Texas were named for Jefferson Davis, who served as the president of the Confederate States of America. Davis was stationed in the area in the 1850s, before his presidency.
Surrounded by the Chihuahuan Desert, the appellation takes advantage of cooler elevations and lower annual rainfall in the Davis Mountains. The land within the boundaries of the AVA ranges between 4,500 and 8,300 feet (1,372–2,530 m) above sea level. The soil is primarily granitic, porphyritic, and volcanic in nature. The hardiness zones are 7b and 8a. The viticultural area is distinguishable from surrounding areas primarily by its altitude, which contributes to the geographic and climatic features which provide for excellent winegrowing.