That Ain’t No Termato...
...That’s My Wine

by Clark Smith
September 17, 2008

Overall, what impresses about Monterey as an omnibus wine growing region is its sheer ecological and viticultural diversity. As North American wines increasingly become defined by their regionality, overcoming the homogenizing effects of excessive focus on grape varieties, Monterey’s natural diversity can be expected to pay big dividends.

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Central Coast was the second mega coastal appellation in California to be approved by the BATF. The massive AVA encompasses vineyards from San Francisco to Santa Barbara and all that lay between. The appellation was granted based on the shared cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean, and includes numerous smaller AVAs within its boundaries. The Central Coast is home to a rich diversity of grape varieties, also to both the smallest of boutique wineries and some of California’s biggest players. Of the close to 100,000 acres under vine in the region, more than half are planted to white wine grapes. Chardonnay boasts the most territory under vine, but Rhone varietals are emerging as the new darlings of Central Coast viticulture. Ecological and climatic similarities within the region can be debated, but no one can deny the importance of this AVA as a marketing tool.