San Lucas AVA
Encyclopedia
The San Lucas AVA is an American Viticultural Area
located in Monterey County
, California
. It is located at the southern end of Salinas Valley
, shares an eastern border with the Chalone AVA, and is bordered on the west by the Santa Lucia Range foothills. The appellation
has the largest diurnal temperature variation
of any of California's AVAs. There is a current petition to designate the San Bernabe vineyard, located at the region's northern end, as its own AVA. The vineyard is currently the world's largest continuous vineyard.
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....
located 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...
. It is located at the southern end of Salinas Valley
Salinas Valley
The Salinas Valley lies south of San Francisco, California.The word "salina" is spanish for salt marsh, salt lake or salt pan.-Geography:The Salinas Valley runs approximately south-east from Salinas towards King City. The valley lends its name to the geologic province in which it's located, the...
, shares an eastern border with the Chalone AVA, and is bordered on the west by the Santa Lucia Range foothills. 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...
has the largest diurnal temperature variation
Diurnal temperature variation
Diurnal temperature variation is a meteorological term that relates to the variation in temperature that occurs from the highs of the day to the cool of nights.-Temperature lag:Temperature lag is an important factor in diurnal temperature variation...
of any of California's AVAs. There is a current petition to designate the San Bernabe vineyard, located at the region's northern end, as its own AVA. The vineyard is currently the world's largest continuous vineyard.