Napa Valley is often recognized for producing quality wines more than any other grape growing location in California by wine clubs and consumers. The words "Napa Valley" on the label can result in a price twice as much as similar quality wines produced elsewhere. Some consumers even look specifically for the words "Napa Valley" on a label because they feel it guarantees purchasing a superior variety.

While Napa’s reputation for fine varieties is well deserved, is a $100 bottle of Napa Cabernet really any better than a $30 Cabernet from down the way in Sonoma, California? This question is why winemakers and wine of the month club selection committees are highly aware of how famous locations within the industry can spur sales and send prices higher while lesser-known regions that produce excellent varieties often go undiscovered simply because their location is not recognizable to consumers.

This article looks at the restrictions on including place names on labels and the producing areas of California. While Napa Valley wines are definitely high quality, wine clubs often feature these other areas because they also produce first class beverages.

American Viticultural Areas

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, a department of the U.S. Treasury defined American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) within the country with many of them being in California. While there are many producing areas of California, most consumers probably couldn’t rattle off more than a few unless they are knowledgeable because of study or membership in a wine of the month club. The system of AVAs attempts to certify what’s on the label is true as consumers often use location as a way to predict value.

The San Francisco Wine Institute defines producing American Viticultural Areas as "delineated grape growing areas distinguishable by geographic, climatic, and historic features." The law governs what percentage of the grapes must originate in the place named on the label and mandates that the drink be made in that location.

While some AVA regions are huge, critics feel the system is only marginally helpful to consumers and wine clubs. For example, the Ohio River Valley AVA includes 26,000 square miles, spanning Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Knowing a food came from that huge area is helpful only in that we know it was from somewhere in the U.S.

The grape growing regions of California are separated into four AVA’s that include the North Coast AVA, the Central Coast AVA, the Southern California AVA, and the Central Valley AVA.

The North Coast AVA

The North Coast AVA covers over three million acres located in Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, and Lake counties along with parts of Marin and Solano counties. Roughly half of the production in California comes from the North Coast AVA. If it is more specific, stating Napa Valley instead of North Coast on the label, it is assumed to be a better variety by a wine of the month club because North Coast designates a larger area than Napa Valley.

The more mountainous, higher altitude locations in the North Coast AVA produce more intense, tannic wines while the warmer valleys produce riper fruit. This area is probably the most well known producing region in the state and is a favorite of many wine clubs.

The Central Coast AVA

The Central Coast AVA covers the San Francisco, Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Santa Cruz areas.

The San Francisco Bay, Monterey Bay, and the Pacific Ocean cool the Central Coast AVA area, providing warm days and cool nights, classic grape growing conditions. Much of this land is flat with rolling hills that accommodate large vineyards like the largest contiguous vineyard in the world, San Bernabe, on the recommended list of most every wine of the month club. With less rainfall than the northern areas, the Central Coast AVA is generally without clouds, fog, or severe winds, but the nighttime temperatures can drop 40 degrees because of the area’s proximity to the ocean.

The Southern California AVA

This region extends from north of the City of Los Angeles to the southern border below the City of San Diego. Although this area is influenced by the Pacific Ocean, temperatures are generally quite warm.

The Central Valley AVA

The vast interior valleys of the state comprise the Central Valley AVA, including the Sacramento Valley, the San Joaquin Valley, the Delta area, and the Sierra Foothills.

With no ocean breezes or cooling influences, the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys are home to mass produced wines that often end up in jugs or boxes instead of on wine of the month club recommendation lists. Temperatures rise in the vast interior valley and are cooled by maritime breezes pulled from the San Francisco Bay, cooling the Delta area and allowing the grapes to hang longer on the vines for premium flavors. Higher altitudes and descending streams from the Sierra Nevada mountain range cool the Sierra Foothills.

By knowing the AVA region where a wine is produced, consumers and wine clubs can better understand what they’ll find in that bottle on the shelf. Understanding the location and geography leads to a thorough appreciation of varieties from every region.

Kent Campbell is a co-author for Celebrations Wine Club in collaboration with Anna Maria Knapp. Celebrations Wine Club is a reputed wine of the month club, and one of the few wine clubs offering the best wines for over 18 years.

Article Source: A Wine Of The Month Club Location Guide — The Wine Producing Areas Of California