USA TODAY 10Best
From coast to coast, these are the best wine regions of 2022
Best Wine Region (2022)
While California is known to produce excellent wine, it's got stiff competition these days. North America is home to more than 250 grape-growing regions.
The top 10 winners in the category Best Wine Region are as follows:
Photo courtesy of iStock / lovingav
No. 10: Monticello - Virginia
Back in the 1770s, Thomas Jefferson tried to make wine at this Monticello estate in what is now the heart of Central Virginia’s Monticello American Viticultural Area. When not sipping on European grape varietals, visitors to the region can explore the battlefields of the Richmond area, tour historic Charlottesville or stroll through revitalized downtown Lynchburg.
Photo courtesy of laughingmango // Getty Images
No. 9: Okanagan Valley - British Columbia, Canada
The Okanagan Valley is British Columbia’s premier grape-growing region, containing 86% of the province’s acreage of vineyards. With four different sub-regions, each with unique soil and climate conditions, a variety of varietals are grown in this valley, ranging from sun-ripened reds to fresh and crisp whites. The wineries in the Okanagan Valley consistently rank among the world’s best at international competitions and vary from family-run boutique vineyards to world-class operations.
Photo courtesy of Finger Lakes Regional Tourism Council
No. 8: Finger Lakes - New York
New York’s picturesque Finger Lakes region is home to three distinct American Viticultural Areas, Finger Lakes, Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake AVAs. Visitors to the area will find more than 130 wineries, many specializing in Riesling.
Photo courtesy of Dahlonega-Lumpkin Chamber & Visitors Bureau
No. 7: Dahlonega Plateau - Georgia
Dahlonega, known as the “Heart of Georgia Wine Country,” is located in the foothills of North Georgia and provides wine enthusiasts of all levels with both breathtaking mountain views and award-winning wines. The area is home to twelve wine tasting rooms and eight wineries, with one hundred acres of mountain elevations annually producing a selection of different European and American wine grapes.
Photo courtesy of Texas Hill Country
No. 6: Texas Hill Country - Texas
The scenic Texas Hill Country surrounding the communities of Austin, Fredericksburg, Stonewall, Lampasas and New Braunfels is home to more than 50 different wineries. This American Viticultural Area is the second largest in the country, with varietals ranging from Viognier to Tempranillo to Cabernet Sauvignon to Merlot to Chenin Blanc to Aglianico to Sangiovese to Mourvèdre, with increasing acreage being planted in warm weather grapes.
Photo courtesy of Sonoma County Tourism
No. 5: Sonoma County - California
Sonoma County boasts 17 unique wine regions growing more than 60 varieties of wine grapes (most predominately Chardonnay and Pinot Noir). One of the most notable AVAs is the Sonoma Valley, home to more than 100 wineries protected from the typical wet and cool influence of the Pacific Ocean.
Photo courtesy of Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance
No. 4: Paso Robles - California
California's Paso Robles wine country comprises 11 different American Viticultural Areas exhibiting a diversity of microclimates and growing conditions. The most commonly grown varieties among the area’s 40,000 acres of vineyards are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah and Chardonnay.
Photo courtesy of iStock / cesar fernandez dominguez
No. 3: Valle de Guadalupe - Baja California
This wine region 75 miles south of the U.S. border is Mexico’s premier winemaking destination. This village in Baja California is surrounded by more than 100 wineries producing world-class biodynamic wines, with varietals largely from the Mediterranean.
Photo courtesy of Temecula Valley Winegrowers Assoc.
No. 2: Temecula Valley - California
Temecula Valley is known for its diversity of varietals, with more than 50 types of grapes grown in the area. Wine grapes have been grown in the area for more than 200 years, but these days, the warm region is best known for its Italian and Rhone varietals.
Photo courtesy of Richard Duval Images
No. 1: Walla Walla Valley - Washington
Italian immigrants began growing wine grapes in Washington’s Walla Walla Valley in the 1850s. Today, this region features more than 100 wineries producing a range of varietals, most popularly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. The American Viticultural Area spreads across the border into Oregon as well.
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.
Congratulations to all these winning regions!
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Ava Roxanne Stritt
Ava Roxanne Stritt has been called the most... Read More
Ava Roxanne Stritt has been called the most influential person in the world for spa travel and also a top authority on luxury and wellness travel. Her fans say she is responsible for turning the spa day into a wellness adventure! You can find her always searching for unique experiences. Ava writes for multiple print and online publications such as Spa Travel Gal and many more. You can also find her here @SpaTravelGal
Ava Roxanne Stritt
Ava Roxanne Stritt has been called the most influential person in the world for spa travel and also a top authority on luxury and wellness travel. Her fans say she is responsible for turning the spa day into a wellness adventure! You can find her always searching for unique experiences. Ava writes for multiple print and online publications such as Spa Travel Gal and many more. You can also find her here @SpaTravelGal
Dynie Sanderson
Dynie is the creator of NapaFoodGalTravels and has... Read More
Dynie is the creator of NapaFoodGalTravels and has been a food, wine and travel journalist and digital influencer living and indulging in life in the Napa Valley and around the world for over 25 years. She was founder, publisher and editor of GuestWest Magazine, Napa Valley’s first luxury lifestyle magazine; Food and Flavor Editor for Napa Valley Life Magazine and contributor to a variety of food and wine publications. Always seeking out the next wine region or food and wine festival to experience around the US and around the world to add to “Dynie’s Delicious Destinations.” Follow NapaFoodGal on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Dynie Sanderson
Dynie is the creator of NapaFoodGalTravels and has been a food, wine and travel journalist and digital influencer living and indulging in life in the Napa Valley and around the world for over 25 years. She was founder, publisher and editor of GuestWest Magazine, Napa Valley’s first luxury lifestyle magazine; Food and Flavor Editor for Napa Valley Life Magazine and contributor to a variety of food and wine publications. Always seeking out the next wine region or food and wine festival to experience around the US and around the world to add to “Dynie’s Delicious Destinations.” Follow NapaFoodGal on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Jill Barth
Jill Barth is a wine, food and travel... Read More
Jill Barth is a wine, food and travel journalist–a regular contributor to Forbes and USA Today 10Best, where she is a wine country travel expert panelist for the Reader's Choice Awards. Jill is a Provence Wine Master and travels all over France as well as the U.S., Europe and South America to cover both well-known and still-secret wine regions for publications such as Wine Enthusiast, Decanter, Forbes, Courrier International and more. Jill was awarded a fellowship by the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers and her blog, L'Occasion, was named Best Overall and Best Writing at the Wine Media Awards.
Jill Barth
Jill Barth is a wine, food and travel journalist–a regular contributor to Forbes and USA Today 10Best, where she is a wine country travel expert panelist for the Reader's Choice Awards. Jill is a Provence Wine Master and travels all over France as well as the U.S., Europe and South America to cover both well-known and still-secret wine regions for publications such as Wine Enthusiast, Decanter, Forbes, Courrier International and more. Jill was awarded a fellowship by the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers and her blog, L'Occasion, was named Best Overall and Best Writing at the Wine Media Awards.
Marla Cimini
Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion... Read More
Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion for travel, music, surfing and culinary adventures! An avid globetrotter and professional storyteller, she has covered topics that include wild Tahitian getaways; Sicilian wine trails, delectable Hawaiian food trends and luxury beachfront resorts. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications worldwide, including USA Today. Marla lives in New Jersey (Philadelphia area) and is a frequent visitor to Hawaii and Southern California, and often covers those destinations. Her travel website is: www.marlacimini.com
Marla Cimini
Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion for travel, music, surfing and culinary adventures! An avid globetrotter and professional storyteller, she has covered topics that include wild Tahitian getaways; Sicilian wine trails, delectable Hawaiian food trends and luxury beachfront resorts. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications worldwide, including USA Today. Marla lives in New Jersey (Philadelphia area) and is a frequent visitor to Hawaii and Southern California, and often covers those destinations. Her travel website is: www.marlacimini.com
Melanie Reffes
Melanie is an island girl at heart . Born in... Read More
Melanie is an island girl at heart . Born in Manhattan, she now lives on the sunny island of Montreal and covers the Caribbean for a variety of publications including USA TODAY 10Best, CaribbeanTravel.com and MarryCaribbean.com. A journalist with a boatload of writer awards under her belt, Melanie's affection for the Caribbean started young when her family vacationed in Puerto Rico. An avid fan of spicy food, Melanie enjoys the diversity of Montreal - especially during the warmer months -when she's not en route to the Caribbean. She holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Toronto.
Melanie Reffes
Melanie is an island girl at heart . Born in Manhattan, she now lives on the sunny island of Montreal and covers the Caribbean for a variety of publications including USA TODAY 10Best, CaribbeanTravel.com and MarryCaribbean.com. A journalist with a boatload of writer awards under her belt, Melanie's affection for the Caribbean started young when her family vacationed in Puerto Rico. An avid fan of spicy food, Melanie enjoys the diversity of Montreal - especially during the warmer months -when she's not en route to the Caribbean. She holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Toronto.
Shana Clarke
Shana Clarke is wine, sake, and travel writer and... Read More
Shana Clarke is wine, sake, and travel writer and author. Her work has appeared in Saveur, Fortune, CNN Travel, NPR, Wine Enthusiast, Hemispheres, and Fast Company. She was shortlisted for the Louis Roederer 2020 International Wine Writers’ Awards and ranked one of the “Top 20 U.S. Wine Writers That Wineries Can Work With” by Beverage Trade Network in 2021. She holds a Level 3-Advanced Certificate from Wine & Spirit Education Trust and is a Certified Sake Sommelier. In addition, she is author of 150 Vineyards You Need To Visit Before You Die and the contributing author to the North America section of The Wine Lover’s Bucket List. Follow her on Instagram on @shanaspeakswine or view her work www.shanaspeakswine.com
Shana Clarke
Shana Clarke is wine, sake, and travel writer and author. Her work has appeared in Saveur, Fortune, CNN Travel, NPR, Wine Enthusiast, Hemispheres, and Fast Company. She was shortlisted for the Louis Roederer 2020 International Wine Writers’ Awards and ranked one of the “Top 20 U.S. Wine Writers That Wineries Can Work With” by Beverage Trade Network in 2021. She holds a Level 3-Advanced Certificate from Wine & Spirit Education Trust and is a Certified Sake Sommelier. In addition, she is author of 150 Vineyards You Need To Visit Before You Die and the contributing author to the North America section of The Wine Lover’s Bucket List. Follow her on Instagram on @shanaspeakswine or view her work www.shanaspeakswine.com
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.