lay of the land
Carneros AVA in Sonoma, CA
Carneros, or Los Carneros (meaning “the rams” in Spanish), is an idyllically wild stretch of land in Northern California that is nestled between the two valleys of Sonoma and Napa and is divided between the county lines. Approximately 70% of Carneros resides with Sonoma County, and 30% is situated in Napa. Historically, the area was part of a Spanish land grant and has been used for various farming and ranching endeavors through the years. Sheep grazing, prune cultivation, dairy operations and hay production were just some of the agricultural activities that transpired in the area prior to the emergence of vineyards in more modern times. Explore the area and many visual reminders still exist of a farming legacy and livelihood that has since passed. It is because of these variables — the current conditions and the past lives the land has witnessed — that make Carneros remarkable and stand apart from the other wine regions of California.
Carneros Realizes its True Potential
Although the first vines were planted in this region in the early 1800s, it wasn’t until much later that the area began to realize its grape-growing proficiency. In the late 1960s and early 1970s the wine industry began to notice that Carneros was an ideal locale for growing grapes used specifically for sparkling wine production. Notated for its proximity to San Pablo Bay to the south, the conditions in Carneros are considerably cooler than that of the immediate Sonoma Valley to the west or Napa Valley located due east. During the growing season Carneros is notorious for thick, damp fog in the mornings as well as chilling winds from the Pacific Ocean that whip through in the afternoons. These combined factors create a climate that lends itself admirably to growing varietals that thrive with cooler conditions and can be fickle in warmer regions — namely Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Currently there are approximately 10,000+ acres planted in Carneros and the fruit sourced from the land is used not just for still wines, but a lot of sparkling wine as well. In fact, many world-renowned sparkling wine producers have an established presence in the area and are primarily responsible for getting Carneros its initial recognition within the wine world. Due to the ever-present microclimate, terroir, and uniqueness of the land it was determined that Carneros was distinct and distinguishable over other grape-producing regions in the United States. Thus, Carneros received AVA designation in 1983 — making it one of the oldest AVAs in the country.
