Arroyo Seco (Monterey)
Encyclopedia
The Arroyo Seco AVA is an American Viticultural Area
in Monterey County
, California
, southeast of Monterey Bay
. The appellation
encompasses 42880 acres (17,353 ha) in the valley adjacent to the Arroyo Seco Creek. Because of its proximity to the Pacific Ocean
, the area has a cool climate, and is best suited for those grape varieties that benefit from the cool afternoon breeze. The area is known for its gravel
ly soil that absorbs heat during the day and radiates that heat in the evening. This helps keep the grapes from freezing at night.
American Viticultural Area
An American Viticultural Area is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau , United States Department of the Treasury....
in Monterey County
Monterey County, California
Monterey County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, its northwestern section forming the southern half of Monterey Bay. The northern half of the bay is in Santa Cruz County. As of 2010, the population was 415,057. The county seat and largest city is Salinas...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, southeast of Monterey Bay
Monterey Bay
Monterey Bay is a bay of the Pacific Ocean, along the central coast of California. The bay is south of San Francisco and San Jose, between the cities of Santa Cruz and Monterey....
. The appellation
Appellation
An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown; other types of food often have appellations as well...
encompasses 42880 acres (17,353 ha) in the valley adjacent to the Arroyo Seco Creek. Because of its proximity to the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, the area has a cool climate, and is best suited for those grape varieties that benefit from the cool afternoon breeze. The area is known for its gravel
Gravel
Gravel is composed of unconsolidated rock fragments that have a general particle size range and include size classes from granule- to boulder-sized fragments. Gravel can be sub-categorized into granule and cobble...
ly soil that absorbs heat during the day and radiates that heat in the evening. This helps keep the grapes from freezing at night.