Monterey

Monterey County is quickly emerging as one of the Premier wine growing areas of California's central coast. While large-scale vineyard plantings did not start here until the 1980's, sub AVA's of Monterey County such as the Santa Lucia Highlands have already emerged as areas of tremendous potential. Monterey County itself stretches for about 100 miles starting just outside of Paso Robles and heading north. The northern more coastal parts of the Monterey AVA are cooler with long mild seasons, whereas weather in more southern parts can almost mimic that of Paso Robles. Chardonnay is currently the primary grape coming out of this region but plantings of Pinot Noir, Riesling, and even Rhone & Bordeaux varieties are present here as well.