Monterey AVA
Monterey AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in eastern Monterey County, California. It was recognized on July 16, 1984 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by the Monterey Winegrowers Council to establish the "Monterey" viticultural area. It is within the multi-county Central Coast AVA encompassing about 100 miles (160 km) from the northern shore of Monterey Bay to its southern point near the vicinity of Paso Robles, California. Approximately 40,000 acres (16,187 ha) of wine grapes are currently cultivated in the Monterey AVA.
| Wine region | |
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1984 |
| Years of wine industry | 254 |
| Country | United States |
| Part of | California, Central Coast AVA, Monterey County |
| Sub-regions | Arroyo Seco AVA, Hames Valley AVA, San Bernabe AVA, San Lucas AVA, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA |
| Total area | 640,000 acres (1,000 sq mi) |
| Size of planted vineyards | 40,000 acres (16,187 ha) |
| Grapes produced | Albarino, Alvarelhao, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin blanc, Gewurztraminer, Grenache, Malbec, Malvasia, Merlot, Orange Muscat, Petite Sirah, Pinot blanc, Pinot gris, Pinot noir, Riesling, Roussanne, Sangiovese, Sauvignon blanc, Semillon, Souzao, Syrah, Tannat, Tinta Cao, Touriga Nacional, Valdiguie, Viognier, Zinfandel |
The Monterey AVA includes parts of the Carmel Valley and the Salinas Valley, and contains five smaller American Viticultural Areas. The northern portion is a cool growing region, but one with a very long growing season. Daytime temperatures rarely exceed 75 °F (24 °C) in most parts of the region, although the southern part of the Monterey AVA reaches 100 degrees at times. The soil is sandy and most regions require extensive irrigation from the Salinas River.
Over 50% of the grapes grown in the Monterey AVA are chardonnay. In the northern area, Riesling and Pinot noir are popular, while in the south, Bordeaux varietals are most often grown.