A
Taste Through the Thermal Rainbow
Monterey
County is legendary for its breathtaking views and incredible
wildlife. The way that weather, earth, and ocean combine together
make it a dream come true for nature lovers or anyone who just
wants to slip away into the area's quixotic charms. There's
more to the county than one might think at first glance. Sure,
the cool ocean breezes, evening fog, and moderate temperatures
are all staples of the area, but to view the region as all following
the same weather pattern would be far too simplistic. Diverse
soil types, varying amounts of wind and fog, as well as generally
increasing summertime highs from north to south, mean the appellation
has the ability to produce a wide variety of wines. The Grand
Blue Canyon, as Monterey Bay is know in wine circles, has a
great influence over the viticulture of the region, which covers
a great area, stretching from the edge of San Luis Obispo to
the top of Paso Robles. In between, there is a great amount
of variety, and those who grow grapes, have taken full advantage
of it. There are currently 42 different varietals being grown
within the nine different American Viticulture Area (AVAs) of
Monterey County. Each AVA has it's own unique set of growing
conditions that contribute to the county's Thermal Rainbow.
In the north, it's generally cooler and more heavily influenced
by the bay. Down south, closer to Paso Robles, the temperatures
are generally warmer, with the bay's influence coming in the
form of afternoon breezes. We'd like to share the "personality"
of each AVA so anyone unfamiliar with the region can start to
understand just what a one-of-a kind place Monterey County is
and just how many different wines there are to try when you
travel along the Thermal Rainbow.
Chalone
The Chalone region is the smallest A.V.A (American Viticulture
Areas) in Monterey County, with about 300 acres of grapes planted.
Its location, 1,800 feet up in the mountains, means that ocean
fog has less influence over the temperature. As a result, the
vines experience great diurnal swings of 40 to 50 degrees during
a day. These dramatic changes create greater flavor complexity
in the region's wine. A very unique soil composition of decomposed
granite and limestone, along with very little rainfall, create
conditions which turn out berries that have a very high skin
to juice ratio, and ultimately, more interesting wine. The district
produces a range of varietals, including Chardonnay, Chenin
Blanc, and Syrah, but Pinot Noir, and Pinot Blanc are two grapes
that can truly thrive. Graff
Family Vineyards offers a fine example of Pinot Blanc
and Michaud
Vineyard does the same for Pinot Noir.
The
Monterey A.V.A
The Monterey AVA is the county's largest growing region by far.
Stretching from the Monterey Bay itself all the way down to
the border of Paso Robles, there are over 40,000 acres of grapes
planted. Because of the vast distance the AVA covers, there
is a very wide variety of grapes grown throughout the region.
Up north, closer to the Bay, the cool climate varietals Pinot
Noir and Riesling are more abundant. Moving a bit farther south,
vast amounts of Chardonnay as well as some Merlot start to crop
up, and at the southern most end of the AVA Bordeaux varietals
become the most commonly planted. The range of possible plantings
in this AVA are a fine example of the numerous possibilities
that exist within the entire appellation. Wrath
has a notable Chardonnay from the region, while Estancia
offers a distinctive Sauvignon Blanc.
The
Carmel Valley
Even though it's located in the northern part of the county,
because the valley sits at elevation, it sits well above the
fog line, and has a warmer overall climate. During the summer,
temperatures can reach into the 100_s but with the valley's
proximity to the coast the evenings are rather cool, dropping
into the low 40_s at times. The heat of the day combined with
the cool nighttime temperatures, results in shorter growing
days for the grapes (when grape vines are too hot or too cold
they essentially shut-down and rest). This results in a longer
growing season where vines may not be harvested until well into
November. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are considered the signature
varietals of the AVA, and Galante Vineyards cultivates both
on their estate. Read more about those wines here.
Santa
Lucia Highlands
The Santa Lucia Highlands sit high above the fertile Salinas
River Valley, where miles and miles of produce are farmed year
after year. Fruit grown at this elevated location can enjoy
the full effect of fog, which keeps morning temperatures in
the high 40's to low 50's. Soil also drains exceptionally well,
and winds off the Pacific ensure afternoons are not much warmer
than the mid-70's. Thus, cool weather loving varietals like
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir flourish in this area. Two fine examples
of Pinot Noir from this renowned region come from Morgan's
Double L Vineyard as well as Estancia's
Pinnacle Ranch.
Arroyo
Seco
This AVA has a range of topography; beginning with a narrow
gorge at the foot of the Santa Lucia Mountain range, it stretches
out into the Sallinas Valley. In the canyon, near the mountains,
vineyards are shielded from afternoon breezes, so they experience
warmer overall temperatures. Soil in the gorge is also less
fertile, meaning the vines' roots have to dig deeper into the
soil for water and nutrients. Out in the valley, there is no
such protection from the wind, so grape vines planted here are
tempered in their growth by the cooling drafts. The soil contains
a great number of palm sized river rocks that provide good drainage
for the vines as well as retain daytime heat so the grapes do
not freeze during the chilly nights. The eastern and central
areas produce a fair amount of Chardonnay, while Zinfandel,
along with any array of French varietals, are grown throughout
the canyon. However, Riesling is considered a signature varietal
of the AVA by many in the biz. Jekel Winery along with Ventana
Vineyards both to full advantage of this fact. Check out their
Rieslings here
and here.
San
Bernabe
San Bernabe is the most centrally located AVA in the Monterey
region, with about 5,000 acres cultivated with grapes. There
are a wide variety of microclimates in the AVA, which allows
growers to farm a number of different varietals. Additionally,
the area has an unusual sandy soil composition. Predominately
sandy soils drain extremely well. Thus, the vineyards can make
use of irrigation to control the vigor of the vines. With red
grapes, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Sangiovese are all well
suited to the area. For whites Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and
Malvasia are all grown but Chardonnay is very big in the region.
Fog Head Winery makes a very
nice example of the AVA's most prominent grape. Read more about
the Chardonnay here.
San
Lucas
At the southwester edge of the Salinas Valley, more than 8,000
acres are cultivated for grapes. The vines here are much less
affected by ocean breezes, so they experience warmer overall
temperatures during the day. The AVA is somewhat elevated, so
it is not uncommon to see fog. These influences result in 40
degree temperature swings during the summer months. Varietals
grown in the region include Merlot, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon
Blanc. However, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel both ripen
very well.
Lockwood Vineyard has a fine
Cab from the AVA, while Scheid
Vineyards has a memorable Zin.
San
Antonio Valley
The San Antonio Valley is Monterey County's newest AVA. At the
far southern end of the region, temperatures here are generally
warmer than much of the appellation, but there is still a fog
influence from nearby Lake San Antonio, as well as some effect
from the Pacific's breezes. Over 800 acres are cultivated for
grapes in the San Antonio Valley, with over twenty different
varietals being grown. Because of the heat, with summer highs
reaching triple digits, there is an emphasis on bold red wine
grapes. These include Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, which
Chateau
Julien and Line
Shack take full advantage of to produce some fine
examples of the varietals.
Hames
Valley
The Monterey appellation's southern most AVA, the Hames Valley,
has a very warm overall climate, but it also experiences the
region's most significant diurnal swings, with 50-degree temperature
changes from day to night. Due to the heat, vineyard managers
must pay careful attention to vine-direction and canopy management.
With soils that drain well and only about 9-10 inches of rain
a year, the vines stress, and thus, produce smaller berries,
with high skin to juice ratios. This results in more intense
flavors in the AVA's wines. At Scheid Vineyards, they understand
how favorable these conditions are for Petite Sirah, sourcing
their fruit from this valley to make a very nice wine. Read
about it here.
By Jason Barlow