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Beyond Napa and Sonoma are a number of places that fully display the wild and interesting diversity of California. Mendocino is one such place, just north of what is jokingly called “Sonapanoma”. It is less known internationally then Napa and Sonoma, and has far fewer wineries, all of which come from Californians North Coast. However, with the cool climate is one of the advantages- particularly in Mendocino’s highly regarded Anderson Valley, spectacular wine is still produced. Surrounding Clear Lake, which is inland from the Pacific Ocean, a warm climate hovers that is suitable for Sauvignon Blanc (white wines), and Cabernet Sauvignon (red wines). Together these two varieties comprise more than half of the county’s planting, in soils are largely volcanic because of the residue from the ancient blast of Mount St. Helena and Mount Konocti. Growers consider themselves outpost pioneers, far removed form normal channels of commerce. To this day not a single railway line enters Lake County to serve its half-dozen wineries. Many of the vineyards are owned by Napa-based wine companies, such as Sutter Home, Louis Martini and Beringer (now part of Nestle). Mendocino County splits into two primary zones: the arm interior Ukiah Valley and the chilly Anderson Valley running west to the Pacific Ocean. Three dozen wineries cover about 12,000 acres of Vineland.
The area surrounding San Francisco Bay embraces a wide variety of vine growing sites as well, form the graveled lowlands of Livermore Valley to the rainforest slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains. There are downtown wineries in this region, such as Audubon and Rosenblum. Livermore Valley is mirrored by this bay area, with plantings of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon for red wines, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon for white. The cool mountains above Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties see predominantly Chardonnay and Riesling for white wines, with Zinfandel and Pinot Noir for red.
Traveling south, the counties of Monterey (on the coast) and San Benito (inland) offer a still greater range of viricultural sites. Monterey, with its long and sunny growing season, is a land made by irrigation. With irrigation and loose sandy soils that discourage phylloxera, Monterey reached a high of nearly 40,000 acres of vines by the mid 1970’s. Mostly planted in Cabernet Sauvignon which, with all the water, turned vegetal as wine.
In the Salinas Valley today the acreages is down to under 30,000 acres, nearly a third of which is Chardonnay (white wine). Cabernet Sauvignon (red wine) is the second most planted, followed by Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Zinfandel, and Pinot Noir. Once a part of Monterey County, San Benito used to be known for the large Cienega Valley planting; located by Almaden and its winery, and earthquake bisected by the San Andreas Fault. Calera’s Pinot Noirs are the county’s claim to fame today.
Paso Robles, another region, is the largest viticultural area in San Luis Obispo County- with 40 wineries farm nearly 10,000 acres of vine. West of highway 101, Paso Robles is know for its fruity, soft, accessible red Cabernet Sauvignons, grown in the warmth of the climate, and hosts a major wine festival each May. The York Mountain, just 30 acres on high ground west of Templeton, is the exclusive domain of York Mountain Winery, founded in 1882. The Edna Valley is best known for its creamy Chardonnays, while Arroyo Grande has become home to crisp sparkling wines. The southernmost edge of the county takes in a small part of the Santa Maria Valley, most of which extends over Santa Barbara County.
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