Santa Maria Valley AVA
| Santa Maria Valley AVA | |
|---|---|
| Appellation type: | American Viticultural Area |
| Year of establishment: | 1981, revised in 1985 |
| Country: | United States |
| Part of the wine-growing region: | California , Central Coast AVA |
| Cultivation climate: | Region I after Winkler and Amerine |
| Recognized cultivation area: | 32,000 hectares (80,000 acres) |
| Planted acreage: | 3,000 hectares (7500 acre) |
| Grape varieties: | Aligoté , Cabernet Sauvignon , Chardonnay , Chenin Blanc , Grenache , Malbec , Marsanne , Merlot , Mondeuse , Nebbiolo , Petit Verdot , Pinot Blanc , Pinot Gris , Pinot Noir , Riesling , Roussanne , Sangiovese , Sauvignon Blanc , Silvaner , Syrah , Tocai Friulano , Viognier , Zinfandel |
Santa Maria Valley AVA has been a recognized wine-growing region in the US state of California since August 5, 1981 and part of the supra-regional Central Coast AVA .
location
The vineyards are spread over the administrative districts of Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County .
history
The growing area has a comparatively long history in this part of California. Vineyards have been documented in writing since the 1830s. From the 1960s onwards, significant new plantings were made and the region served large wineries in other growing areas as a supplier of grapes. With the establishment of the designation of origin , self-marketing winemakers also settled here. Meanwhile, the planted vineyard area is 3000 hectares (this corresponds roughly to the size of the German growing area Rheingau ).
geography
The Santa Maria Valley opens to the west to the Pacific Ocean . The terrain rises from 60 m above sea level. NN near US Highway 101 up to 980 m above sea level. NN on the Tepusquet Peak . The vineyards lie in the valley floor at an altitude of 90 m above sea level. NN or up to 240 m on the slopes. The soil consists of a mixture of sandy and clayey loam.
climate
The opening of the valley to the ocean allows the morning mists to flow into the valley unhindered and in this way ensures an unusually cool climate in this location. In particular, the vineyards in the valley floor are cooled in this way, while the vineyards on the slopes benefit better from the sunlight and are therefore suitable for late-ripening grape varieties. The slow ripening of the vines under the influence of the dry but fresh climate ensures the formation of very aromatic berries.
Grape varieties
The valley is known for the cultivation of the early maturing grape varieties Pinot Noir , Syrah , Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc , which thrive well in this rather cool climate.
See also
Individual evidence
- ^ Code of Federal Regulations. "Section 9.28 Santa Maria Valley." ( Memento of the original from September 28, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Title 27: Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; Part 9 - American Viticultural Areas; Subpart C - Approved American Viticultural Areas. Last page view on October 7, 2008.
- ↑ a b c Appellation America (2008). "Santa Maria Valley (AVA): Description of the Appellation" . Last page view on October 7, 2008.
- ↑ Archived copy ( Memento of the original from September 28, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. A History of Bien Nacido; Last page view on October 7, 2008
- ↑ http://www.wineinstitute.org/industry/ava/reference/fr/htm/santa_maria_final.htm Santa Maria Valley Viticultural Area Final Rule; Last page view on October 7, 2008
- ↑ http://www.wineinstitute.org/industry/ava/reference/fr/htm/santa_maria_final.htm ; Title: Santa Maria Valley Viticultural Area Final Rule; Last page view on October 7, 2008
- ↑ http://winegeeks.com/appellations/79/santa_maria_valley/ Title: Santa Maria Valley (AVA); Last page view on October 7, 2008
Web links
- The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce (in English)
- Santa Barbara County Vinters' Association (in English)
literature
- André Dominé : Wine . 1st edition. Tandem Verlag, 2007, ISBN 978-3-8331-4344-1 .