Virginia lays claim to most of the Shenandoah Valley AVA, although it crosses into the West Virginia panhandle. The region is defined by flanking mountain ranges, with the Blue Ridge Mountains as its eastern border and the Allegheny Mountains as its western boundary. Most of the wineries in the AVA lie in Virginia and produce a combination of vinifera varietals, French-American hybrids and a limited amount of the native Norton varietal. The growing season can be distinctly warm and is drier than neighboring regions, which don’t receive the same natural protection offered by the Appalachian Mountains. Dry is a relative term in the Mid-Atlantic States, as the average annual rainfall of the Shenandoah Valley is about 33 inches per year, considered wet by many standards. Winter can be difficult in this interior region, with heavy snowfall and winter vine kill a major issue.