Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVE Is Here
The latest designated AVA (American Viticulture Area) is named Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak. This new AVA designated in Sonoma County, CA became effective November 28, 2100 per the Tax and Trade Bureau in Washington DC. It was just last year when Calistoga received their AVA designation in Napa County.
Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak is the 14th AVA designation in Sonoma. Napa has 15 AVA’s and now Sonoma has 14 although Sonoma is twice the area of Napa and has half the wineries. These two area’s represent the finest wine producers in the U.S. If you doubt that think back to 1976 and the Paris Tasting.
The Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA encompasses 4,750 acres with 230 acres in vines. The Feds control how the name of the AVA can be used on wine labels. So, to invoke the AVA name on a wine label, 85% of the wine in the bottle must come from within that AVA. For this reason, wineries like to be very specific, when they can, in labeling a wine that comes from grapes grow in a specific AVA. This
is especially true if a vineyard in an AVA has superior grapes that are or can be branded. Think about wines that are branded using their AVA’s such as: Atlas Peak, Dry Creek, Alexander River or
Howell Mountain. Consumers are very savvy in their varietal favorites and even pickier about the terroir/AVA of their favorite varietal.
Talked to Benziger/Imagery Wines about the impact of the new AVA on them and they said they are planning to introduce some varietals from their vineyards in the Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA. They will probably have a “Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA Malbec from next year’s harvest. So, say by 2013 or 2014 you can get a Pine Mountain Malbec from Imagery Winery.
The defining characteristics about any AVA are the elevation, climate and soil. The filing to the TTB highlighted the unique topography of the boundaries of the AVA, climate, and soil. But it is the climate that makes this AVA unique. Nights are cool, set above the fog line of 1,600 feet elevation, and there is always a sea breeze. Yes, it does snow in the AVA in the winter. Because of the temperatures most fruit is picked later in the season. Due to thin soil conditions and weather the grapes have more flavor intensity, smaller size clusters which accounts for an average yield of 3.5 to 4.0 tons per acre. By comparison, on the valley floor you would see at least 6 tons and more per acre.
After five years in the making Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA vineyards and wineries should start turning out Pine Mountain AVA wines very soon. Look for and try varietals from different AVA’s and see what you think of them.