Santa Lucia Highlands AVA
The Santa Lucia Highlands AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Monterey County, California. It is part of the larger Monterey AVA, and located in the Santa Lucia Mountains above the Salinas Valley. Over 2,300 acres (931 ha) of vineyards are planted in the AVA, some as high as 1,200 feet (366 m) above sea level, with about half of them planted to the Pinot noir grape. The region enjoys cool morning fog and breezes from Monterey Bay followed by warm afternoons thanks to direct southern exposures to the sun.[3]
| Wine region | |
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1990[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Part of | California, Central Coast AVA, Monterey AVA |
| Total area | 22,000 acres (8,903 ha)<r[2] |
| Size of planted vineyards | 2,300 acres (931 ha)[3] |
| Grapes produced | Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin blanc, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Pinot gris, Pinot noir, Riesling, Roussanne, Syrah, Viognier[3] |
The Santa Lucia Highlands is also home to one of the vineyards that Wine Enthusiast Magazine named a California "Grand Cru" vineyard, as a recognition of the locations that produce the highest-quality wine grapes. The Sleepy Hollow Vineyard is owned by Talbott Vineyards and grow grapes for Talbott wines.[4]
The River Road Wine Trail runs along the length of this AVA.
References
- "§ 9.139 Santa Lucia Highlands" (Title 27: Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; Part 9 — American Viticultural Areas; Subpart C — Approved American Viticultural Areas). Code of Federal Regulations. Retrieved January 25, 2008.
- "American Viticultural Areas by State". Wine Institute. 2008. Archived from the original on January 27, 2008.
- "Santa Lucia Highlands (AVA): Appellation Profile". Appellation America. 2007. Archived from the original on 2018-10-11. Retrieved January 25, 2008.
- "California's Grand Cru Chardonnays". Wine Enthusiast Magazine. 2016-08-17. Retrieved 2017-07-25.