San Antonio Valley AVA
Encyclopedia
The San Antonio Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area
centered around San Antonio Valley
in Monterey County
, California
. The AVA was approved by the United States Department of the Treasury
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
in July 2006. The area has one of the longest grape growing traditions in the United States
when the mission of San Antonio de Padua
was first established in 1771 with a small vineyard. The AVA is bordered to the west by the Santa Lucia Mountains
with its typical warm climate benefiting from the cooling effects of nearby Lake San Antonio
and the Pacific Ocean
. Overall, the AVA is similar in climate to the Paso Robles AVA
and is likewise known for its Bordeaux
and Rhône varietals.
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....
centered around San Antonio Valley
San Antonio Valley, California
The community of San Antonio Valley, also called San Antonio or San Antone, is located along the Diablo Range in eastern Santa Clara County, California. The locale is on the border of Alameda County and Stanislaus County. The sparsely-populated area is located at the junction of San Antonio Valley...
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...
. The AVA was approved by the United States Department of the Treasury
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, statutorily named the Tax and Trade Bureau and frequently shortened to TTB, is a bureau of the United States Department of the Treasury....
in July 2006. The area has one of the longest grape growing traditions in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
when the mission of San Antonio de Padua
San Antonio de Padua
San Antonio de Padua, or plainly Padua, is a city in the Greater Buenos Aires, in Argentina. It is located in Merlo . The city has an area of and a population of around 38,000....
was first established in 1771 with a small vineyard. The AVA is bordered to the west by the Santa Lucia Mountains
Santa Lucia Mountains
The Santa Lucia Mountains or Santa Lucia Range is a mountain range in coastal California, running from Monterey southeast for 105 miles to San Luis Obispo. The highest summit is Junipero Serra Peak, in Monterey County...
with its typical warm climate benefiting from the cooling effects of nearby Lake San Antonio
Lake San Antonio
Lake San Antonio is a lake in southern Monterey County, California. The lake is formed by an earthfill dam on the San Antonio River. The dam is 202 feet tall and was completed in 1965 under Monterey County District Engineer Loran Bunte Jr . The lake and dam are owned by the Monterey County Water...
and 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...
. Overall, the AVA is similar in climate to the Paso Robles AVA
Paso Robles AVA
Paso Robles Wine Country is an American Viticultural Area located in the San Luis Obispo County, California. It has approximately 26,000 vineyard acres planted with wine grapes, and is well known for its hertiage varietal Zinfandel, Rhône-style wines, and "Crazy Blends," blends and styles that are...
and is likewise known for its Bordeaux
Bordeaux wine
A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. Average vintages produce over 700 million bottles of Bordeaux wine, ranging from large quantities of everyday table wine, to some of the most expensive and prestigious wines in the world...
and Rhône varietals.