Arroyo Seco AVA
Arroyo Seco is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Monterey County, California, southeast of Monterey Bay. The appellation encompasses 18,240 acres (29 sq mi) in the valley adjacent to the Arroyo Seco Creek with approximately 8,500 acres (3,440 ha) of cultivation. The region's proximity to the Pacific Ocean produces the maritime climate, and is best suited for those cool climate grape varieties.
| Wine region | |
Chardonnay from the Arroyo Seco AVA | |
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1983 2006 Amended |
| Years of wine industry | 62 |
| Country | United States |
| Part of | California, Central Coast AVA, Monterey County, Monterey AVA |
| Heat units | s |
| Total area | 18,240 acres (28.5 sq mi) |
| Size of planted vineyards | 8,500 acres (3,440 ha) |
| Grapes produced | Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Grenache, Merlot, Mourvedre, Muscat Canelli, Pinot blanc, Pinot gris, Pinot noir, Riesling, Sangiovese, Sauvignon blanc, Syrah, Viognier |
The soils in the Arroyo Seco area consist of a series of gravelly and fine sandy loams well suited to the cultivation of grapes. The viticultural area is an alluvial fan formed by well drained soils with slopes ranging from 0 to 9 percent. Principal soil series include Mocho, Lockwood, Arroyo Seco, Rincon, Elder, and Chular. The prominent soils, Chular and Arroyo Seco, are coarse sandy loams derived from decomposed granite washed down from the Gabilan Range. These soils are gravelly and low in lime content similar to the vineyards in the Medoc and Graves districts of Bordeaux, and to the better vineyards in the Palatinate