One of the Premier Wine Regions in the World
Franciscan friars planted the first wine grapes at Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad in the late 1700s. Although the vines are long gone, the practice of wine-growing, that began 200 years ago, took root in the Salinas Valley and today, it is one of the premier wine regions in the world.
There are nine American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) throughout Monterey County. From the bench lands of the Santa Lucia mountains to the fertile Salinas Valley floor to the hot Arroyo Seco, the more than 200 vineyards found here are representative of 40 plus wine grape varietals. Chardonnay tops the list; more is grown here than in any other county in the state. Rounding out the rest of the fields are Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer and Petite Sirah.
The South Monterey County AVAs are San Lucas, San Bernabe, San Antonio Valley and Hames Valley. Each has distinctive attributes: San Lucas is the oldest, San Bernabe’s 5,000 acres is one continuous vineyards which makes it one of the largest, San Antonio is the highest and Hames Valley has the largest daily temperature change of anywhere in Monterey County.
The River Road Wine Trail hugs the base of the Santa Lucia Mountains from Soledad north to Chualar.
