Early explorers found native American wines (US Wines) varietals already growing.  As settlers began building homes, they began using natives vines to produce American wines (US Wines) as early as the 1500s.  In the 1600s they began to cultivate European varietals.  Modern American wines (US Wines) features European grapes but a new trend is the increasing interest in American wines produced from native varietals.  American Viticultural Areas (AVA) were established in 1978 based on geographical and climate features important to American wine production.  Some AVA's for American Wines include Napa Valley, Columbia Valley, Central Coast, and Sonoma Valley.  America features a wide range of geographical and climate variations, making it possible for American wines to grow throughout the country.  More than 6,000 American wineries are in operation in the United States, most are in California, but there is at least one winery in each state.  US Wine varietals including Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Semillon.  Native American wines varietals include Concord, Catawba, Niagara, Noah, and Sterling.