About Us
The Beauty of Anderson Valley is Quietly Inspirational…
The illustrious Anderson Valley is located in the rolling hills of the northern California coastal region of Mendocino County, 110 miles northwest of San Francisco. It is the wine country we all used to know – approachable, intimate, uncrowded, and primarily owner-operated.
Only fifteen miles long, this beautiful valley is home to a unique group of vineyards and wineries producing a broad range of ultra-premium wines including world-class Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Alsace Varietals (Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris).
We are the coolest wine-growing region in California and our grapes are also used in award-winning sparkling and late harvest wines. Rolling vineyards meet forests of redwood and pigmy habitations, and our soils benefit from wild flora native to coastal Mendocino. For any lover of wine, Anderson Valley deserves exploration to see why we are considered by many as the most desired wine region in the New World.
Learn more with our 1-hr recording of the Introduction to Anderson Valley Masterclass.
2,457
PLANTED ACRES
90
VINEYARDS
62
WINERIES
53°
AVG TEMP
15
MILES OF VIEWS
The Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association (AVWA) is a non-profit 501(c)6 organization established in 2005 to support and promote Anderson Valley as a world-class, wine producing and wine grape growing region specializing in producing award-winning cool climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, sparkling, and Alsatian wines that showcase the unique terroir and climate of our wine region. Our members are dedicated to protecting our environment so that our natural resources and farmlands are preserved for future generations.
The Association includes winery members, growers and associate businesses or individuals. The Association produces festivals and wine country events; provides information to consumers and media; markets the Anderson Valley wine region; promotes affiliate businesses supporting wine tourism; and advocates for the promotion and protection of the Anderson Valley wine and grape industry.
Meet The Team
It takes a dream team like this to make the #mendomagic happen
FY23 Board of Directors
From left to right: Norm Kobler (Philo Vineyard Solutions) | Thomas T Thomas (Thomas T Thomas Vineyard) | Jeffrey Jindra (Scharffenberger Cellars) | Chris Lanier (Lula Cellars) | Ramon Jimenez (Visit Mendocino) | Sarah Wuethrich (Maggy Hawk Wines) | Doug Stewart (Lichen Estate) | Courtney DeGraff (AVWA Executive Director)
Courtney DeGraff
Executive Director
Courtney was bitten by the wine bug in college. She arrived sight unseen in Anderson Valley in 2017 after leaving a career in the financial services industry in Boston and accepting a wine business internship with Foursight Wines. Working for a growers association was the career direction she intended to pursue and she performed a marketing and sales role with the small family winery until she began with the AVWA in 2019. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking and photography and has offered many of her images to the association to help share the story of this unique wine region. Her most memorable wine experience is a 1947 Chateau d’Yquem and a 1978 Ridge Montebello.
Tina Casey
Member Relations, Events and Social Media
Longtime visitor and recent Anderson Valley full-time resident, Tina Casey joins us for Member Relations, Events and Social Media. Through the unique power of words combined with pictures, Tina looks to share the stories of our special little valley, highlighting the natural beauty as well as the talented, kind people who make up our community. With a degree in Journalism, the majority of Tina’s professional background is in the world of Advertising. The aspect of wine Tina appreciates most is the way it reflects the character of the fruit, terroir and creativity of the winemaker all in one delicious taste. In her spare time, Tina enjoys life on a ranch with 11 chickens, 5 goats, 1 sheep, 1 llama, 2 barn cats, 1 house cat and 1 livestock guard dog.
Barbara Barrielle
Press Relations
Barbara is a longtime publicist, travel writer, wine writer and filmmaker. She lives in charming Healdsburg in the wine country and writes frequently about the area and wine areas around the world, as well as the industry. She continues to work as a PR rep for several wineries and Anderson Valley Winegrowers and has made feature films and a documentary about the California wildfires.
VOLUNTEER WITH US !
Our wine and food events are a community effort. If you’d like to volunteer to help us make our events happen, we have incentives (including event entrance and exploring delicious wine). Let us know by submitting this form, and someone will get back to you.
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