Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/780573
{ SOMMjournal.com } 111 South of Santa Lucia Highlands, Arroyo Seco lies at the inland end of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range and literally trans - lates to "dry creek." The soils and meso- climates vary drastically, opening the door to a vast array of grape varieties that grow well within the region. Pioneering winemakers sourcing from the AVA are widespread, and Wente Vineyards has an important stake in Arroyo Seco. Though known for their Livermore Valley home estate, the Wente family planted in the Arroyo Seco area as early as the 1960s. They make an array of wines from the AVA, including single- vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir as well as sparkling wine, Pinot Blanc, Viognier, Counoise and Grenache under their Small Lot label and Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah under The Nth Degree brand. San Bernabe AVA established: 2004 acres of vineyards: 5,000 primary grape varieties: Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc San Bernabe is the first of the more south- erly, slightly warmer AVAs of Monterey County. With less coastal influence and warmer daytime temperatures, the area starts to lean toward warmer-climate grape choices, although cooler vineyard parcels still produce Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Within Monterey County, sandy soils are unique to San Bernabe and aid in irrigation and minimal drainage. Delicato Family Vineyards owns the larg - est amount of land here, and the resulting wine goes into their Diora, Irony and La Merika labels as well as into some of their North Coast and California series wines. Farming in California since the 1920s, and producing wine since the 1930s, Delicato now boasts 16 different wine labels. San Lucas AVA established: 1987 acres of vineyards: 8,000 primary grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc Further south and inland in Monterey wine country, San Lucas receives little influence from Monterey Bay. Warm days encourage thicker-skinned grape varieties, and cooler nights ensure slower ripening for flavor development. Large-volume producers pur - chase the majority of the San Lucas fruit, but wineries like Scheid, a name dating back to the 1960s in Monterey, makes wine here as well as sells to Cloudfall. Scheid actually started as Monterey Farming Corp., originally selling all of its grape production to larger producers. In the early 1990s, the Sheids innovated their business plan to begin making their own quality-driven wine as well as continuing to sell a portion of their yield. They currently own eleven vineyards totally 4,000 acres throughout the Monterey area. San Antonio Valley AVA established: 2006 acres of vineyards: 800 primary grape varieties: Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah The warmest AVA in Monterey, San Antonio Valley relies on the shelter of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range for its warmth. Although varying elevation and a slight coastal influence still encourage acidity, warmer-climate varieties thrive here, partic - ularly Rhône varieties like Syrah, Grenache and Marsanne. The area, however, seems to be a veritable playground for winemakers, growing everything from Barbera and Petit Verdot to Touriga Nacional and Valdigiué. Producers include Argyle, Magpie Vineyards and Pierce Ranch Vineyards. PHOTO COURTESY OF WENTE VINEYARDS Wente Vineyards' Fifth Generation Winemaker Karl Wente in the family's vineyards in Arroyo Seco. Arroyo Seco AVA established: 1983 acres of vineyards: 7,000 primary grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, but an array of varieties are grown within the AVA Us Hwy 101 Us Hwy 101 Us Hwy 101 Zabala Zabala Family Riva Ranch Wente Family Estates Bassetti Bassetti Family Vineyards J. Lohr J. Lohr J. Lohr Guidotti J. Lohr J. Lohr Scheid Scheid Suter Arroyo Seco Sanctuary Jekel Ste Philippe Hahn Rancho Tierra Jackson Family Wines J. Panziera Farms Rodger-Rose R&L Panziera Mark's Ranch Valley Farm Mgmt Soledad Mission Ranch Mission Ranch Vineyard LLC Clark Jackson Family Wines Panorama Jackson Family Wines Force Canyon Gallo Brayden's Monterey Pacific Bellavita D'Arrigo Riverbank Ranch Wente Family Estate Silva F & G/J. Lohr Griva Cedar Lane Cedar Lane Vineyard LLC Vineyard Library #1 Valley Farm Mgmt Castle Coastal Kovacevich-Britz Glassman Ste Nicholas Hahn Loma Pacific Monterey Pacific Beeswax Silva Kimberley Monterey Pacific Windmill Arroyo Seco Loma Vista Valley Farm Mgmt Gravelstone SAM Vaquero Arroyo Seco Twin Oak Arroyo Seco Arroyo Seco Canyon Holaday Massa Massa Massa Wagner Family Shale Canyon Delfina's Blair Estate Ventana North Ventana Property Holding LLC Windsong Ranch Silviera Elm Scheid Rocky Ranch Go Farming Charvera Frank Stanek Cobblestone Valley Farm Mgmt Arroyo Vista J. Lohr Vineyard Library #4 Valley Farm Mgmt El Camino Real Valley Farm Mgmt El Camino Scheid Arioto - Bosio Arioto-Bosio Partners R&L Panziera Petit Slope Arroyo Seco F & G Griva 0 2 . 5 1 . 2 5 Scale in Miles Zanetta Arroyo Seco Guidotti Brothers Grandma's Albertoni PO Box 519, Greenfield, CA 93927 A rr o y o S e c o W i n e g r o w e r s . c o m Arroyo S eco a p p e l l a t i o n San Francisco Monterey Los Angeles C A L I F O R N I A Big Sur Carmel Monterey Soledad Arroyo Seco AVA MAP COURTESY OF ARROYO SECO WINEGROWERS Wente Vineyards Riva Ranch Chardonnay is made in a fleshy style with toasty oak and citrus notes.