The Santa Cruz Mountains AVA is an American Viticultural Area centered on the Santa Cruz Mountains. Its territory expands three

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

counties, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and San Mateo. Established in 1981 by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Santa Cruz Mountains AVA was among the first to be defined by its mountain topography. Based on elevation, it largely follows the fog line along the coast, extending down to on the eastern slope toward San Francisco Bay, on the western slope to the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contin ...

and extending toward the ridgecrests at 3000+ feet elevation. The mountainous terrain, the

, and the nearby San Francisco Bay have wide-ranging effects on the

appellation An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication primarily used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown, although other types of food often have appellations as well. Restrictions other than geographical boun ...

, creating myriad

microclimate A microclimate (or micro-climate) is a local set of atmospheric conditions that differ from those in the surrounding areas, often with a slight difference but sometimes with a substantial one. The term may refer to areas as small as a few squ ...

s in the region - depending on the elevation of the land, on which side of the mountains are the vineyards, the effects of fog, sun exposure, soil type, etc.

Geography

The region is bounded by the Santa Cruz Mountain range, from the northern boundary of

Half Moon Bay Half Moon Bay is a coastal city in San Mateo County, California, United States, approximately south of San Francisco. Its population was 11,795 as of the 2020 census. Immediately at the north of Half Moon Bay is Pillar Point Harbor and the un ...

and Woodside to its southern side of Mount Madonna and

Watsonville Watsonville is a city in Santa Cruz County, California, located in the Monterey Bay Area of the Central Coast of California. The population was 52,590 according to the 2020 census. Predominantly Latino and Democratic, Watsonville is a self- ...

. The appellation encompasses some extending through Santa Cruz, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.

Wine regions

Santa Cruz Mountains' subregions are Skyline, Saratoga/Los Gatos, Summit, the Coastal Foothills (above Santa Cruz), Ben Lomond Mountain, and Corralitos/Pleasant Valley.

Vineyards and grape varieties

There are over 200 small vineyards totaling only app. of wine

grape varieties This list of grape varieties includes cultivated grapes, whether used for wine, or eating as a table grape, fresh or dried (raisin, currant, sultana). For a complete list of all grape species including those unimportant to agriculture, see Viti ...

, divided about ¼ evenly among Pinot noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and other varieties (most notably Merlot and Zinfandel). The region's vineyards and wineries actively support sustainable practices, including

cover crops In agriculture, cover crops are plants that are planted to cover the soil rather than for the purpose of being harvested. Cover crops manage soil erosion, soil fertility, soil quality, water, weeds, pests, diseases, biodiversity and wildlife in ...

erosion Erosion is the action of surface processes (such as water flow or wind) that removes soil, rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust, and then transports it to another location where it is deposited. Erosion is dis ...

control,

canopy management In viticulture, the canopy of a grapevine includes the parts of the vine visible aboveground - the trunk, cordon, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruit. The canopy plays a key role in light energy capture via photosynthesis, water use as regulated ...

, solar,

biodiesel Biodiesel is a form of diesel fuel derived from plants or animals and consisting of long-chain fatty acid esters. It is typically made by chemically reacting lipids such as animal fat ( tallow), soybean oil, or some other vegetable oil ...

. Several vineyards grow organically; presently four are certified organic by the CCOF and more are in the process of certification.

Wines and wineries

Some of the oldest wineries in California are in this region. Two wineries from the Santa Cruz Mountain locale participated in the 1976

Judgment of Paris Judgement (or US spelling judgment) is also known as ''adjudication'', which means the evaluation of evidence to make a decision. Judgement is also the ability to make considered decisions. The term has at least five distinct uses. Aristotle ...

wine tasting Wine tasting is the sensory examination and evaluation of wine. While the practice of wine tasting is as ancient as its production, a more formalized methodology has slowly become established from the 14th century onward. Modern, professional w ...

with

David Bruce Winery David Bruce Winery is a California winery located at about elevation in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA above Silicon Valley in Northern California. It was established by dermatologist David Bruce, M.D., in 1964 about a mile away from the Martin Ray ...

's 1973 Chardonnay placing 10th in the white category and the

Ridge Vineyards Ridge Vineyards is a California winery specializing in Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Chardonnay wines. Ridge produces wine at two winery locations in northern California. The original winery facilities are located at an elevation of on Mon ...

' 1971 Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon placing 5th in the red wines. Other notable wineries in the appellation are Big Basin Vineyards, Sante Arcangeli, Silver Mountain Vineyards, Eden Estates, Alfaro Family Vineyards, Armitage Wines,Armitage Wines
/ref> Mount Eden vineyards, Hallcrest Vineyards, Byington Vineyard, Bargetto Winery
Thomas Fogarty Winery
Kathryn Kennedy Winery, Mountain Winery and Savannah-Chanelle Vineyards.

References

External links

A History of the Wineries of the Los Gatos-Santa Cruz MountainsA website about the wineries of the Santa Cruz Mountains

{{Authority control Wineries in Santa Cruz Mountains American Viticultural Areas of California American Viticultural Areas of the San Francisco Bay Area Geography of Santa Cruz County, California Geography of San Mateo County, California Geography of Santa Clara County, California Santa Cruz Mountains 1981 establishments in California American Viticultural Areas