Andy
You have made some valid points.
The whole problem as I see it is the naming of BLENDS. Naming a wine after a single varital is no problem.
Surely, however, you have heard of "Meritage" wine This is a copycat of Bordeaux wines using the same varieties that go into a typical Bordeaux.
Meritage is a legally recognized name and I am sure there are requirements as to which grapes can and can not be included in the blend(s) - the same as Bordeaux
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The term "Meritage" is used because wineries in this country can not label their wines "Bordeaux" because Bordeaux is an Appelation in France and NOT in the United States.
It is true that when you see a wine labeled "Bordeaux" you know what grapes could or could not be included in the blend.
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The problem is that at present there is not way to legally name a wine after the AVA here in the United Sates. You see this as no problem; I do.
PERHAPS naming a wine after an AVA would be too broad if there were not limitations put on which grapes could or could not be included in the blend, as you have stated. I do not think, however, they we should not be constricted in naming blends named "Meritage" and including ONLY those grapes that typically go into a "Bordeaux".
Perhaps each AVA could decide which grapes representing their particular AVA could go into a BLEND and cary the name of the AVA.
For example, growers in Missouri may not be able to grow the typical "Bordaux" varieties with a lot of success. However, they may be able to grow Nortin, Chambourcin, Chancellor etc and produce excellent wine from them. I think it would be appropriate if the AVA decided on which grapes it wanted to be included in a blend from that AVA and named for that particular AVA. This would not prevent them from making single varital wines and naming the wine after the variety or for that matter creating blends of whatever and naming their blends anything they so desire.
