the California Coast
The Wines of the California Coast
With its diverse collection of vineyards, California’s Central Coast is quickly becoming a world-renowned wine growing region.
The Central Coast American Viticulture Area (AVA) stretches 250 miles along California's coast from San Francisco to Santa Barbara. Hundreds of vineyards dot the coastline, each with its own climate, soil and history. Bound together by a single defining characteristic - proximity to the Pacific Ocean - the vineyards of the Central Coast are turning out unforgettable wines.
Today, the Central Coast encompasses four-million acres, with about 100,000 acres planted to vineyard. The vast region, which was officially recognized as an American Viticulture Area (AVA) in 1985, produces 15% of California's winegrapes and boasts more than 350 wineries
Grape varieties from Albariño to Zinfandel - and nearly everything in between - thrive under the region's warm days and cool nights. The film Sideways brought national attention to the appellation's Pinot Noir, but Chardonnay claims the most Central Coast acreage. At the southern end of the AVA, Bordeaux and Rhône varietals reign on south-facing hillsides and high benchlands.
