Wine from California
According to the Wine Institute, there are over are over 200 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) in the United States and over 100 AVAs in California alone.
Each AVA is recognized as having unique growing conditions such as climate (i.e. temperature, humidity), soil (i.e. drainage, acidity) or altitude that results in certain characteristics in the finished wine.
When an AVA is designated on a wine label, 85% of the grapes used to make that wine must have come from that AVA. If a non-AVA, Appellation or region, is designated on a wine label, at least 75% of the grapes must come from that area. It should be noted that the designation of an AVA does not guarantee the quality of the wine, but may sometimes infer a general characteristic of the wine.
In very general terms, California wine grape growing regions can be divided into the following:
|
Wine Region
|
Example AVAs
|
|
North Coast
|
Sonoma Valley, Napa Valley, Alexander Valley, Guenoc Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Los Carneros
|
|
Central Valley
|
Anderson Valley, Lodi, Clarksburg
|
|
Sierra Foothills
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Amador County, Shenandoah Valley, El Dorado, Fiddletown
|
|
Central Coast
|
Livermore Valley, Santa Cruz Mountains, Monterey, Paso Robles, Edna Valley, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Ynez Valley
|
|
South Coast
|
Temecula, San Pasqual Valley
|
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Napa is the most well known growing region and is widely visited year round.
Sonoma has a beautiful coastline with many small, charming towns. This region produces more types of wine than any other due to the great variance of microclimates. Russian River, Mendocino County and Alexander Valley are part of Sonoma.
Carneros is in both southern Napa and Sonoma, near the Delta. This area produces some of the best Pinot Noir in the world and also very good Sparkling Wines.
Central Coast Region is spread out over a wider area and may be hard to cover on a short day trip; it also has some beautiful coastal areas and cities such as Carmel, Monterey and Santa Barbara. This region also includes Santa Cruz and the surrounding mountain vineyards.
Smaller, Less Known Regions include Lake County (near beautiful Clear Lake) and the Sierra Foothills (in Gold Country).
AVAs can themselves contain unique smaller regions called sub-AVAs. For example, the Napa Valley is an AVA that contains the Saint Helena and Oakville AVAs, among others.
Below is a full list of California AVAs -- all approved American Viticultural Areas in alphabetical order.
|
AVA Name
|
State
|
Acreage
|
Effective Date
|
|
Anderson Valley
|
California
|
600
|
9/19/1983
|
|
Central Coast
|
California
|
1000000
|
11/25/1985
|
|
Diablo Grande
|
California
|
30000
|
8/21/1998
|
|
Diamond Mountain District
|
California
|
5000
|
7/31/2001
|
|
Dry Creek Valley
|
California
|
80000
|
9/6/1983
|
|
Dunnigan Hills
|
California
|
89000
|
6/14/1993
|
|
Edna Valley
|
California
|
22400
|
6/11/1987
|
|
El Dorado
|
California
|
416
|
11/14/1983
|
|
Cucamonga Valley
|
California
|
109400
|
5/1/1995
|
|
Fair Play
|
California
|
21120
|
4/27/2001
|
|
Fiddletown
|
California
|
11500
|
11/3/1983
|
|
Alexander Valley
|
California
|
32536
|
6/13/1988
|
|
Arroyo Grande Valley
|
California
|
42880
|
2/5/1990
|
|
Arroyo Seco
|
California
|
18240
|
5/16/1983
|
|
Atlas Peak
|
California
|
11400
|
2/24/1992
|
|
Ben Lomond
|
California
|
38400
|
1/8/1988
|
|
Benmore Valley
|
California
|
1440
|
11/18/1991
|
|
California Shenandoah Valley
|
California
|
10000
|
2/27/1987
|
|
Carmel Valley
|
California
|
19200
|
1/13/1983
|
|
Chalk Hill
|
California
|
22400
|
6/13/1988
|
|
Chalone
|
California
|
8540
|
7/14/1982
|
|
Chiles Valley
|
California
|
6000
|
4/19/1999
|
|
Cienega Valley
|
California
|
0
|
9/20/1982
|
|
Clarksburg
|
California
|
64640
|
2/22/1984
|
|
Clear Lake
|
California
|
168960
|
6/7/1984
|
|
Cole Ranch
|
California
|
150
|
5/16/1983
|
|
|
Guenoc Valley
|
California
|
4396
|
12/21/1981
|
|
Hames Valley
|
California
|
10240
|
4/25/1994
|
|
Howell Mountain
|
California
|
14080
|
1/30/1984
|
|
Knights Valley
|
California
|
36240
|
11/21/1983
|
|
Livermore Valley
|
California
|
259000
|
10/1/1982
|
|
Lodi
|
California
|
458000
|
3/17/1986
|
|
Los Carneros
|
California
|
0
|
9/19/1987
|
|
Madera
|
California
|
230000
|
1/7/1985
|
|
Malibu-Newton Canyon
|
California
|
850
|
6/13/1996
|
|
McDowell Valley
|
California
|
540
|
2/27/1987
|
|
Mendocino
|
California
|
275200
|
7/16/1984
|
|
Mendocino Ridge
|
California
|
87466
|
12/26/1997
|
|
Merritt Island
|
California
|
5000
|
2/27/1987
|
|
Lime Kiln Valley
|
California
|
2300
|
7/6/1982
|
|
Redwood Valley
|
California
|
22400
|
2/21/1997
|
|
River Junction
|
California
|
1300
|
7/9/2001
|
|
Pacheco Pass
|
California
|
3200
|
4/11/1984
|
|
Paicines
|
California
|
4500
|
9/15/1982
|
|
Paso Robles
|
California
|
666618
|
11/3/1983
|
|
Potter Valley
|
California
|
27500
|
11/14/1983
|
|
Sonoma Coast
|
California
|
480000
|
7/13/1987
|
|
Green Valley of Russian River Valley
|
California
|
32000
|
12/21/1983
|
|
Sonoma Mountain
|
California
|
5000
|
2/22/1985
|
|
Sonoma Valley
|
California
|
4000
|
1/24/1982
|
|
South Coast
|
California
|
115200
|
12/23/1985
|
|
Spring Mountain District
|
California
|
8600
|
6/14/1993
|
|
Stags Leap District
|
California
|
2700
|
2/27/1989
|
|
Suisun Valley
|
California
|
15360
|
12/27/1982
|
|
Temecula Valley
|
California
|
33000
|
2/7/1986
|
|
Sierra Foothills
|
California
|
2600000
|
12/18/1987
|
|
Solano County Green Valley
|
California
|
2560
|
1/28/1983
|
|
Wild Horse Valley
|
California
|
3300
|
12/30/1988
|
|
Monterey
|
California
|
35758
|
7/16/1984
|
|
Mount Harlan
|
California
|
7440
|
12/17/1990
|
|
Mount Veeder
|
California
|
15000
|
3/22/1990
|
|
Napa Valley
|
California
|
225280
|
2/27/1981
|
|
North Coast
|
California
|
3008000
|
10/21/1983
|
|
Northern Sonoma
|
California
|
348000
|
9/25/1986
|
|
Oakville
|
California
|
5760
|
8/2/1993
|
|
North Yuba
|
California
|
22400
|
8/30/1985
|
|
Russian River Valley
|
California
|
96000
|
11/21/1983
|
|
Rutherford
|
California
|
6650
|
8/2/1993
|
|
Saint Helena
|
California
|
9060
|
10/11/1995
|
|
San Benito
|
California
|
45000
|
11/4/1987
|
|
San Francisco Bay
|
California
|
1566713
|
3/22/1999
|
|
San Lucas
|
California
|
33920
|
3/2/1987
|
|
San Pasqual Valley
|
California
|
9000
|
9/16/1981
|
|
San Ysidro District
|
California
|
2340
|
12/17/1990
|
|
Santa Clara Valley
|
California
|
332800
|
4/27/1989
|
|
Santa Cruz Mountains
|
California
|
408000
|
1/4/1982
|
|
Santa Lucia Highlands
|
California
|
22000
|
6/15/1992
|
|
Santa Maria Valley
|
California
|
80000
|
9/4/1981
|
|
Sta. Rita Hills
|
California
|
30720
|
7/30/2001
|
|
Santa Ynez Valley
|
California
|
76800
|
5/16/1983
|
|
Seiad Valley
|
California
|
2160
|
6/20/1994
|
|
York Mountain
|
California
|
9360
|
2/27/1987
|
|
Yorkville Highlands
|
California
|
40000
|
6/8/1998
|
|
Yountville
|
California
|
8260
|
5/18/1999
|
|
Rockpile
|
California
|
15400
|
4/29/2002
|
|
Capay Valley
|
California
|
102400
|
2/18/2003
|
|
Bennett Valley
|
California
|
8140
|
12/29/2003
|
|
Red Hills Lake County
|
California
|
0
|
9/10/2004
|
|
Salado Creek
|
California
|
2940
|
8/30/2004
|
|
San Bernabe
|
California
|
24796
|
8/30/2004
|
|
Willow Creek
|
California
|
6000
|
9/19/1983
|
|
Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley
|
California
|
8300
|
4/26/2004
|
|
Ramona Valley
|
California
|
89000
|
1/6/2006
|
|
Dos Rios
|
California
|
15500
|
11/14/2005
|
|
High Valley
|
California
|
14000
|
8/1/2005
|
|
Trinity Lakes
|
California
|
96000
|
4/29/2005
|
|
Alta Mesa
|
California
|
55400
|
8/16/2006
|
|
Borden Ranch
|
California
|
70000
|
8/16/2006
|
|
Clement Hills
|
California
|
85400
|
8/16/2006
|
|
Cosumnes River
|
California
|
54700
|
8/16/2006
|
|
Jahant
|
California
|
28000
|
8/16/2006
|
|
Mokelumne River
|
California
|
85700
|
8/16/2006
|
|
Sloughhouse
|
California
|
78800
|
8/16/2006
|
|
Covelo
|
California
|
38000
|
3/20/2006
|
|
Tracy Hills
|
California
|
39200
|
12/8/2006
|
|
Saddle Rock Malibu
|
California
|
2090
|
8/16/2006
|
|
San Antonio
|
California
|
150400
|
7/10/2006
|
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“Exceptional handcrafted wine from the Family of Silver Oak Cellars.”
The 2007 Twomey Merlot is a beautiful example of what this noble variety can achieve in an excellent vintage: suppleness, complexity and great expression of berry fruit.
94% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon
California , Napa Valley
Red , Merlot
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Medium bodied, light purple and garnet, with an expressive bouquet of strawberries, plums and cedar. In the palate, sweet spices and a hint of herbs introduce confected plum, youthful acid and tight, tea-like tannins that will soften as the wine ages. Persistent flavors of red fruits, flowers, and oak sweeten the tannins in the finish.
California , Napa Valley
Red , Merlot
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This 2003 Merlot has an enticing nose of mulberry, coffee and mocha. It exhibits a rich palate of plum, black cherry and cedar with soft tannins. While delicious to drink now, it should age well for many years. Winemaking style followed classic Bordeaux methods. Following fermentation, the wine was aged in French oak barrels (40% new oak) for 18 months before bottling in May 2005.
California , Napa Valley
Red , Merlot
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Seavey harvested the 2006 Merlot in just two days, beginning on October 12 with their steep hillside block and finishing on October 16 with the lower blocks. The fruit had low potential alcohol and medium-high acidity, which led to a very bright and structured wine, with an abundance of red fruit character. They counterbalanced the Merlot’s austerity with the addition of some rich Cabernet Sauvignon from their two best blocks. The resulting wine is concentrated, smooth and balanced.
California , Napa Valley
Red , Merlot
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The 2001 Merlot offers fresh fruit and floral aromas of cherries, violets, truffles and spice. Integrated and structured with a medium body, it will continue to age well for years. Winemaking style followed classic Bordeaux methods. Following fermentation, the wine was aged in French oak barrels (45% new oak) for 18 months before bottling in June 2003.
California , Napa Valley
Red , Merlot
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