New California Wine Regions

Fiddletown. What? Shenandoah Valley. Where? Santa Clara. Who? It certainly can be a chore keeping the long list of names straight, but the millions of us that love California wines need to know these names in order to keep up with the ever-changing landscape of vines in the Golden State. With ten new American Viticultural Areas designated since 2000 alone, even a seasoned veteran can come up with a “huh?” and a scratch of the head when searching for a sipper with dinner. Names such as Santa Rita Hills and Contra Costa don’t exactly roll off of the tip of the tongue the way that Napa and Sonoma do, but each region has to start somewhere, and how many people could pinpoint Napa Valley on a map ten years ago? What is new and unknown today may be the new hotspot tomorrow.

These up and coming regions are also a great place to look when hunting for bargains. Wines that hail from the more well-established areas usually carry a higher price tag as well. Hey, supply and demand!

Let’s start with just a word on terminology. An American Viticultural Area, or AVA for short, is a region designated by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau as a grape-growing area that has established significance in terms of history, geography and climate. In a word, what makes the area special. This system is loosely based upon the French Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) system that has become the standard-bearer for the rest of the planet’s wine laws. Unlike the French AOC however, the AVA system regulates only where the grapes are grown (85% must be from within that AVA or the wine cannot be labeled as originating from that particular AVA) as opposed to making any regulations regarding yield, varietals used or even quality. This is an unfortunate fact, as the structure to regulate the quality of American wine is in place, if only there was the desire. Wine in our country as a whole would be better.

Now that I have descended from my soap box, let’s get back to the wine.

Santa Barbara County

Just about everyone is familiar with the name Santa Barbara. If you aren’t, stop reading this article, go and rent the movie Sideways, and then return to the article. It’s ok. I’ll wait. Better? Good. Pinot Noir sales across the country have risen almost 20%, and in no spot in California is this more evident than Santa Barbara. The increase in interest in both the grape and the region have transformed this sleepy little county just to the north of L.A. into a destination spot, replete with traffic, soaring sales and Paul Giamatti drinking from a spit bucket at Fess Parker.

While this area certainly isn’t new, the new found fame is bringing long overdue attention to a region perfectly suited to grow cool-climate varieties such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, though Syrah may eventually become the star here. Wineries such as Jim Clendenen’s Au Bon Climat, Ojai, Sea Smoke and Babcock have taken well to the cooling Pacific air that blankets the valley. Look for the AVAs of Santa Maria Valley, Santa Ynez Valley and the newly created Santa Rita Hills AVA located within the cool confines of the Santa Ynez Valley.

San Luis Obispo and Monterey Counties

You might be hard pressed to find a grape-growing area of the world that has progressed as much as the Central Coast of California, a region that stretches from the northern reaches of L.A. and Santa Barbara to the southern tip of San Francisco Bay. San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles have long been known for the high yields produced for large scale bottlers such as Mondavi, J Lohr and Beringer, but over the last ten years a few smaller areas have come to the forefront in wine production south of San Francisco Bay.

Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande to the south are gaining momentum as wineries such as Laetitia, Alban and Talley have found success just to the west of Pismo Beach. Even Paso Robles has joined the ranks of serious wine areas with the likes of Rhône-style producers Eberle, Tablas Creek (the CA outfit of Château Beaucastel) and Zinfandel superstar Turley Wine Cellars.

Further north in Monterey County we find the lovely Santa Lucia Highlands nestled high above Highway 101. The cool climate of the region can be attributed to Monterey Bay, thus providing an extended growing season that has been a boon to both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Great wineries such as Mer Soleil, Morgan, Hahn and Talbott are producing world-class wines.

San Francisco Bay

This large area has many small regions that are raising the bar for everyone else north of the Bay. The Santa Cruz Mountains AVA is known for outstanding Cabernets, Pinot Noir and Chardonnays produced from rugged and hardy terrain. Famous names such as Ridge and Cinnabar mingle with up and comers such as Lonen and Kathryn Kennedy. Santa Clara Valley to the west may be more well-known as “Silicon Valley,” but wineries such as J. Lohr and Rapazini have held strong through the years.

Central Valley

Starting with Contra Costa and Lodi just to the west, this is the hot, inland region of California where wonderful old-vine Zinfandel and delicious Syrah are produced by a handful of wineries. Also found in these areas are plenty of grapes slated for the famous California “jug” wines that have been both a boon and a bane to the region. El Dorado and the Sierra Foothills AVAs, as well as the tiny Shenandoah Valley and Fiddletown AVAs, are home to many fine producers of varietals ranging from Riesling to Cabernet to Italian varietals. Some of my favorites include Lava Cap, Amador Foothill and Boeger. Keep an eye out for the newly created Fair Play AVA.

Mendocino and Lake Counties

Home to thirteen different AVAs, Mendocino and Lake Counties have enjoyed quite a revival as of late. The cool Anderson Valley has been a hot spot for sparkling wine since Roederer established a winery here in 1982, but many producers of still wine are also starting to gain fame. Look for wines from Handley, Lazy Creek and Goldeneye. In the larger Mendocino AVA several wineries including Jepson and Domaine St. Gregory have done well with both Rhône and Burgundy varietals.

Napa and Sonoma

By no means are the two most famous counties in California being left out in the cold. New AVAs in Napa include Diamond Mountain, a long-time stalwart for excellent red wines; Oak Knoll District, a relatively cool area of Napa that is the home of many fine Chardonnays; and finally Yountville and the less well-known Chiles Valley.

To the west in Sonoma the newly created Bennett Valley AVA is home to just two wineries at this point, Matanzas Creek and Sable Ridge, but this will soon change. Just to the north of the Dry Creek valley lies Rockpile, a rough and tumble region that boasts high elevations and hot daytime temperatures.

As I write this there have probably been six more AVAs created, but for now this will have to do. The key to staying on top of what is hot, and as to which new wine is from where, is to experiment. Keep an open mind in regards to which region you look to for California favorites. Remember, each of the more famous spots had to start from humble beginnings. Finding a gem from these up and coming areas may provide you with not only a sense of accomplishment for finding a diamond in the rough, but also a sense of pride in fostering a new wine region. Good luck and happy hunting.

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