Vineyards

The history of winemaking and viticulture in the Santa Clara Valley goes back to the 18th Century. From the discovery of native "Vitis Californica" grapes growing wild and the first plantings of Mission grapes at the Santa Clara Mission in 1798, through boom years and depression, phylloxera and prohibition, the region has some of the richest tradition of anywhere in the country.  

Vineyards: Estate, Hacienda Rincon, Church Creek Vineyard

Overlooking the renowned Silicon Valley, the Santa Cruz Mountains is a winegrowing region where high tech gives way to high altitude. It’s the first California appellation defined by its high-altitude vineyards and unique location at the convergence of coastal mountains, the Pacific Ocean, and the San Francisco Bay. Since the 1870s, this area has been recognized as one of California’s finest growing regions.

Vineyards: Muns Vineyard

The vineyards of the Highlands are planted on the terraces of the Santa Lucia mountain range, overlooking the Salinas River Valley. Here, fogs and breezes off nearby Monterey Bay funnel southeast, between the Santa Lucia and Gabilan ranges, creating a truly cool climate.  The exceptionally long SLH growing season of early bud break, lack of fall rains, and prolonged harvests allow the grapes to develop full, phenolic ripeness and flavors.    

Vineyards: Pavo Real Vineyard & Highlands Ranch Vineyard

urrounded by the Santa Lucia range, the San Antonio Valley appellation is located in a bowl-shaped valley in the southern most area of the county. Although temperatures here are warmer on average than the other AVAs in Monterey, San Antonio Valley is still influenced by occasional morning fog from nearby Lake San Antonio and cool evening breezes from the Pacific Ocean.

Vineyards: Pierce Ranch Vineyard

The Paicines area is in a wind tunnel of cool ocean air flowing to the San Joaquin Valley.  In the afternoon, Paicines takes advantage of the slight cooling breeze that comes in off the Monterey Valley. At night Paicines is more protected from the evening fog than much of the surrounding area because of its open location.  

Vineyards: Pedregal de Paicines Vineyard

Monterey’s world-class wines rely on those very same picture-perfect elements. Warm sun, cool fog, ancient soils: all essential components to the winegrower’s art.