Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/780573
112 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 { appellations } Hames Valley AVA established: 1994 acres of vineyards: 2,200 primary grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Alicante Bouschet as well as Portuguese varieties Tinta Cão and Touriga Nacional With minor influence from the Pacific Ocean and protection from the Santa Lucia Mountains, Hames Valley is a warmer AVA in Monterey. No wineries actually exist within the AVA, but a great deal of warmer-climate varieties go into Monterey County blends. Chalone AVA established: 1982 acres of vineyards: 300 primary grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay Chalone Winery—the sole winery within the Chalone AVA—specializes in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, though the Chenin Blanc and the Grenache are wonderful too. In fact, Chalone has historic Chenin Blanc dating back to 1919, still used in estate wines. The high elevation, up to 1,800 feet, incites large diurnal shifts that pro - vide a great balance of sunshine for ripeness of fruit and cold nights for maintaining acidity. The unique soil composition includes limestone and decomposed granite, encouraging low yields and uniform ripeness. Carmel Valley AVA established: 1983 acres of vineyards: 300 primary grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot Surrounding the picturesque Pacific enclave of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Carmel Valley is home to few vineyards. Bernardus pro- duces wines from estate vineyards at higher elevations, and Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot comprise 70 percent of vineyard plantings in the AVA. "The proximity to the highly touristed town of Carmel-by-the-Sea and the warm country charm of Carmel Valley has brought 25 tasting rooms to the vil - lage, including Talbott and Bernardus and recent openings of more boutique brands of Testarossa, Joyce and I. Brand & Family wines," informs Stemler. With the push for more recognition for its quality wines, this growing tourism can only help. For more information, go to montereywines.org. PHOTO COURTESY OF BERNARDUS. Sunset over Bernardus's Marinus Estate Vineyard in Carmel Valley. Marinus, the flagship red Bordeaux-style blend from Bernardus, comes from the winery's vineyards in the upper Carmel Valley. Made for Chardonnay Which California appellation grows the best Chardonnay in Jerry Lohr's opinion? Here's a hint— it's not the Russian River Valley and it's not Carneros. No, this par - ticular area has a longer growing season (20 to 40 days longer) than any other California AVA. Here's another hint: This longer hang time is partly because the strong afternoon winds blowing into the area delay the process of photosynthesis. Give up? It's Arroyo Seco. In fact, Lohr gives the Arroyo Seco AVA so much clout that he spent 14 years preparing his Arroyo Vista Vineyard. In order to optimize the quality of wines from this area, Lohr spent over a decade figuring out stuff like which Chardonnay clone and which trellising practices performed best, while simultane - ously priming the gravelly loam and loamy soils. Arroyo Vista Vineyard is also known for its "greenfield potatoes," small white rocks offering the same benefit as Châteauneuf-du-Pape's celebrated galets roulés: heat absorption. Lohr determined that the California Clone 5 Chardonnay does best here, employing a modified vertical shoot positioning trellising technique planted on 5-C rootstalk. —Jessie Birschbach PHOTO COURTESY OF J. LOHR VINEYARDS & WINE The J. Lohr Riverstone Chardonnay provides a classic but value-packed example of Arroyo Seco fruit.