Where the Mountains Meet the Sea

The Central Coast Range is California’s next great wine area. Stretching hundreds of miles from San Luis Obispo in the south to Monterey County in the northern reaches of the Range, the Central Coast is a vast region that encompasses an exceptional diversity of micro-climates. Three primary areas comprise the Central Coast: Monterey County, where ocean breezes from Monterey Bay fill the valleys with cool, damp air perfect for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay; Paso Robles – with hot dry days protected from the ocean by the Santa Lucia range, ideal for Shiraz and Merlot; and the exceptionally cool southern valleys near San Luis Obispo, prized as well for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Monterey:
One of the most intriguing wine-growing regions in California today, Monterey consists of eight official viticultural areas (AVAs), including the Monterey County appellation. Monterey’s prime vineyard areas lie within the 100-mile long Salinas Valley, bordered by the Santa Lucia Mountains on the west side of the range and the Gabilans on the east. This long, narrow valley funnels the cool ocean breezes blowing off of Monterey Bay, creating prime growing conditions for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

The star among the Monterey AVAs is Arroyo Seco – first planted in 1962, it’s renowned for its exceptional Chardonnays. Arroyo Seco sits near the center of the Monterey AVAs in the Salinas Valley, defined by a narrow steep canyon leading into the Santa Lucia Mountains on its western edge. The Salinas Valley draws the afternoon winds off of Monterey Bay over Arroyo Seco's vineyards, cooling them and yielding one of California's longest growing seasons. This long season intensifies varietal flavors and produces well-developed flavors and complex wines. The large cobblestone soil of Arroyo Seco is additionally instrumental to producing exceptional wine; the cobblestones provide drainage while storing and releasing heat.

Additionally, the highlands of Monterey are gaining increasing notoriety for Pinot Noir. Near the mouth of the Salinas Valley, these vineyards are cool and wind-whipped. Innovative grape growers have discovered the prime vineyards nestled among the protective hills of the Central Coast Range, where the cool conditions create a long-growing season while the Range protects the grapes from over-exposure to the winds of Monterery Bay. Pinot Noir, the classic varietal of Burgundy, excels in the unique terroir of Monterey.

For more information on Monterey wines, visit the Monterey County Vintner's and Grower's Association.

San Luis Obispo:
Though merely two hours north of Los Angeles, the southern Central Coast near San Luis Obispo possesses a rare climate prized for its cool conditions – a product of its unique orientation to the marine influence of the Pacific Ocean. Here the Seven Peaks of the Central Coast Range run east-west, channeling ocean breezes from the Pacific through the valleys, cooling the land enough to make these southern reaches prime territory for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The cool marine climate also leads to one of California’s longest growing seasons, yielding wines of exceptional complexity and character.

The southern Central Coast consists most prominently of the Edna Valley and the Arroyo Grande Valley, both officially designated American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). While today these valleys sit in the shadows of the volcanic Seven Peaks, millions of years ago they sat beneath the ocean, which left rich calcareous soils filled with marine deposits that are today overlaid by clay and loam topsoil. Together, the climate and rich marine soils help create the distinct, complex wines of the southern Central Coast.

For more information on the southern Central Coast, visit the San Luis Obispo Vintner’s and Grower’s Association.

Paso Robles:
Paso Robles is unique within the Central Coast. Exactly halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, it is protected from the marine influence that defines most of the Central Coast’s wine growing regions. The Santa Lucia Mountains run north-south along the Western edge of Paso Robles, protecting the valleys from the constant cooling effect of the Pacific Ocean. The days here are long, hot and sun-drenched, with temperatures reaching over 90 degrees. At sunset, the winds of the Pacific pour over the Santa Lucia Mountains and temperatures drop dramatically – the area averages a forty degree temperature difference between night and day. This daily temperature fluctuation is an essential factor in the wines of Paso Robles – the cold evenings maintain acidity in the grapes and ensure lengthy growing seasons and proper ripening.

Commercial winemaking has existed here since 1882, when Andrew York planted grapes on what is now York Mountain and founded Ascension Winery. Modern winemaking pioneers “rediscovered” the area in the late 1960s and early 1970s. By 1983, Paso Robles and York Mountain became official AVAs. Today, growers have planted vineyards on over 22,000 acres, making Paso Robles the largest AVA in San Luis Obispo County.

For more information on Paso Robles, visit the Paso Robles Vintner's and Grower's Association.