The Grand Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area

American Viticultural Area

An American Viticultural Area is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau , United States Department of the Treasury....

 located in Mesa County

Mesa County, Colorado

Mesa County is the fourth most extensive and the eleventh most populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado in the United States. The county was named for the many large mesas in the area, including Grand Mesa. The county population was 146,723 at the 2010 United States Census. The...

, Colorado

Colorado

Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...

, east of the city of Grand Junction

Grand Junction, Colorado

The City of Grand Junction is the largest city in western Colorado. It is a city with a council–manager government form that is the county seat and the most populous city of Mesa County, Colorado, United States. Grand Junction is situated west-southwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. As...

. The AVA includes the agricultural area around the Grand Valley

Grand Valley (Colorado)

The Grand Valley is an extended populated valley, approximately 30 miles long and 5 miles wide, located along the Colorado River in Mesa County in western Colorado and Grand County, Utah in the United States. The valley contains the city of Grand Junction, as well as other smaller communities...

 of the Colorado River. Viticulture

Viticulture

Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...

 began in the area in the late 19th century. State Governor George A. Crawford

George A. Crawford

George Addison Crawford was an American politician, lawyer and journalist.Crawford was a delegate to the Pennsylvania Democratic State Convention in 1855. In 1857, along with Norman Eddy and others, he purchased and founded the city of Fort Scott, Kansas...

 planted a 60 acres (24 ha) vineyard in the Grand Valley in 1890. Approximately 75% of all wineries

Winery

A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large expanses of...

 in the state of Colorado are located in the Grand Valley AVA. Vineyards in the valley are planted at elevations as high as 4700 feet (1,432.6 m) above sea level. The valley has consistent breezes that provide good air drainage, reducing the risk of frost

Frost

Frost is the solid deposition of water vapor from saturated air. It is formed when solid surfaces are cooled to below the dew point of the adjacent air as well as below the freezing point of water. Frost crystals' size differ depending on time and water vapour available. Frost is also usually...

. During the growing season, the valley has hot and dry days with lots of sunshine. Winters are mild.