The Ozark Mountain AVA is a large American Viticultural Area located in the central United States, covering parts of Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Established in 1986, it is one of the largest AVAs in the country and encompasses a broad range of terrain within the Ozark Plateau.
The AVA includes diverse elevations, rolling hills, and forested landscapes. While the designation covers a large geographic area, vineyard development is concentrated in smaller pockets where soil and climate conditions are most suitable for grape growing.
The Ozark Mountain AVA spans three states:
Arkansas - northwestern region including the Arkansas River ValleyThe region is characterized by upland plateaus, valleys, and moderate elevations that influence vineyard conditions.
The Ozark Mountain AVA contains smaller, more defined wine regions within its boundaries.
Altus AVA (Arkansas)
A key sub-region and the primary wine-producing area in Arkansas.
Ozark Highlands AVA (Missouri)
A more narrowly defined AVA with concentrated vineyard activity.
Vineyards in the Ozark Mountain AVA grow grape varieties suited to humid continental and subtropical conditions.
Common grape types:
Cynthiana (Norton)
Concord
Niagara
French-American hybrid varieties
The region produces a range of wine styles:
red wines from native and hybrid grapes
sweet and semi-sweet wines
fruit-forward wines
small-scale local production wines
Viticulture in the Ozark Mountain AVA is influenced by:
humid continental to subtropical climate
warm summers and variable winters
high humidity and rainfall
elevated terrain with varied microclimates
These conditions favor disease-resistant grape varieties and localized vineyard development.
The Ozark Mountain AVA is a large and geographically diverse wine region covering parts of Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. While much of the area is not intensively planted, smaller sub-regions such as Altus AVA and Ozark Highlands AVA support active vineyard development and wine production.
There are four smaller AVA's that reside within the larger Ozark Mountain AVA and one, the Augusta AVA, that borders on it.
| AVA Name | State | Date Established | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altus | Arkansas | Jun. 29, 1984 | 12,800 acre = 5,180 hectare |
| Arkansas Mountain | Arkansas | Sept. 26, 1986 | 2,880,000 acre = 1,165,495 hectare |
| Ozark Highlands | Missouri | Aug. 31, 1987 | 1,280,000 acre = 5,179,987 hectare |
| Augusta | Missouri | Jun.20, 1980 | 9,600 acre = 3,885 hectare |
| Hermann | Missouri | Aug. 18, 1983 | 51,200 acre = 20,720 hectare |