San Benito County; San Benito AVA
[san beh-NEE-toh]
California’s San Benito County lies just east of MONTEREY COUNTY and is known for the vineyards planted by Almaden Vineyards during the 1970s. The county has five AVAS but less than 2,000 acres of vines. Most of the potential vineyard area is covered by the 45,000-acre San Benito AVA, which encompasses two smaller AVAs—CIENEGA VALLEY and Paicines. The other two AVAs are the 2,300-acre Lime Kiln Valley AVA and the 7,500-acre Mount Harlan AVA. Because it’s positioned in one of the openings that draws air off the Pacific through the mountain ranges into the CENTRAL VALLEY, some areas of San Benito County are fairly cool and is classified as a Region II (see CLIMATE REGIONS OF CALIFORNIA). Mount Harlan is the highest and therefore the coolest; it hosts CALERA WINE COMPANY, the best-known winery in the area.
Related Links:
Cienega Valley AVA,
Climate Regions of California,
Central Valley
© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc.
1995 based on THE WINE LOVER'S COMPANION,
by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst.
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