The Monterey AVA is an
American Viticultural Area
An American Viticultural Area (AVA) is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States, providing an official appellation for the mutual benefit of winery, wineries and consumers. Winemakers frequently want their consumers to know abo ...
located in eastern
Monterey County
Monterey County ( ), officially the County of Monterey, is a county located on the Pacific coast in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, its population was 439,035. The county's largest city and county seat is Salinas.
Montere ...
,
California. It was established in 1984.
It is part of the larger
Central Coast AVA. It runs roughly from its northern point, north of Monterey Bay to its southern point, abutting
Paso Robles, California. Approximately of wine grapes are currently cultivated in the Monterey AVA.
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 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.
References
External links
Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association TTB AVA Map
American Viticultural Areas
American Viticultural Areas of California
Geography of Monterey County, California
Salinas River (California)
Salinas Valley
1984 establishments in California
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