455:. The climate, during the growing season, is influenced by the close proximity of the Arroyo Grande Valley to the Pacific Ocean. The valley experiences a long dry moderate summer season and a mild winter season. The marine air produces frequent morning and evening fog which distinguishes the area from inland areas of San Luis Obispo County which are not as open to the ocean and have much higher summer temperatures and colder winter temperatures. The climate during the months of March, April and May is dominated by a strong onshore air flow bringing cold winds which delay early season growing and fruit set of the grapevines. Because the Arroyo Grande Valley is shielded by the mountain range on the northwest side, the effects of the onshore air flow are moderated. The average rainfall is 20 inches (508 mm) with about 80 percent of the rain falling between December and March. During the summer growing season, the sun shines more than 90 percent of the day. Temperatures of 100 °F (38 °C) occur nearly every year. Average maximum readings for July are in the 90's and range from about 92 °F (33 °C) at higher elevations to 98 °F (37 °C) at lower elevations with occasional highs ranging from 110 to 115 °F (43â46 °C). Fog in the summer keeps the valley cool and would designate it as a Region I. The fog usually burns back in the late morning hours, which gives a gentle warming in the afternoon, ideal for good grape quality. The climate of the area is characterized by cool summer night temperatures, often dropping up to 30 °F (â1 °C) below daytime highs. The Arroyo Grande Valley, as a whole, is slightly warmer than the Santa Maria Valley viticultural area to the south, and somewhat cooler than the Edna Valley and Paso Robles viticultural areas to the north, as determined by the average total number of GDD during the growing season. Arroyo Grande Valley usually gets more precipitation each year than the Santa Maria Valley and Paso Robles areas. Edna Valley, to the immediate northwest, usually gets just slightly less precipitation than Arroyo Grande Valley.
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it Rancho âSaucelitoâ for its many bordering willow trees as âSaucelitoâ means "willow trees." The land was cleared and Henry planted
Zinfandel and Muscat grapevines imported from Europe and purchased locally according to the Ditmas family. This is the first documented planting of Zinfandel in the upper Arroyo Grande Valley. Commercial vineyards were first planted in 1880 in Saucelito Canyon. âSaucelitoâ meaning willow trees. The oldest winery in San Luis Obispo County, St. Remy, was also established in Saucelito Canyon in 1880 and produced wines until
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401:. The size of the Mission San Luis Obispo vineyard was estimated to be 40 acres (16 ha) and the Mission San Miguel vineyards were 18 acres (7.3 ha). The mission at San Luis Obispo farmed the bottom lands in the valley from 1780 until 1842 when the Mexican governor granted "Rancho Arroyo Grande" to Zefarino Carlon. Arroyo Grande translates to âwide riverbedâ in Spanish. Today, the names "Arroyo Grande" and "Arroyo Grande Valley" can be found on many maps of the area.
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Grande Creek are Tar Spring Creek, Los Berros Creek and Lopez Lake into which flow the (upper) Arroyo Grande Creek, Wittenberg Creek and the creek in Lopez Canyon. Tributaries to the (upper) Arroyo Grande Creek are
Phoenix Creek and Saucelito Creek. The valley floor ranges from sea level to a 400 feet (120 m) above sea level while the higher elevations from300 to 1,000 feet (91â305 m). Present grape plantings are on low hills near the valley floor.
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In 1870s, Henry Ditmas was originally a sheepherder settling in Arroyo Grande Valley. After a severe drought, he moved his herd to the Sierra
Nevadas where a spring snowstorm killed most of the flock. Ditmas eventually filed a government claim for 560 acres adjoining Ranchita Arroyo Grande; he named
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Arroyo Grande Valley extends 16 miles (26 km) lying on a northeast-southwest axis whereas both Edna Valley and Santa Maria Valley are oriented on a northwest-southeast axis. The northeast-southwest orientation of Arroyo Grande Valley promotes a prevailing southwesterly winds and some protection
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overlapping the boundaries of Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande Valley viticultural areas because they share common features. However, these two previously established areas still have unique characteristics to retain their viticultural area distinctions within SLO Coast. Edna Valley lies immediately to
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as the state's 60th AVA based on the petition filed in 1987 by Don Talley of Talley
Vineyards and William S. Greenough of Saucelito Canyon Vineyard for the establishment of the "Arroyo Grande Valley" viticultural area in San Luis Obispo County. The 16 miles (26 km) long, approximately 67 square
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The Arroyo Grande Valley terrain varies from shallow and moderately deep, moderately sloping to extremely steep and well drained. Soils on the valley floor are very deep, generally level to moderately sloping, somewhat poorly drained and well drained silty clay loam and sandy clay loam. The land is
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which meanders approximately 12 miles (19 km) in a southwesterly direction from the spillway of Lopez Lake to the
Pacific Ocean. The viticultural area includes substantially all the drainage of the Arroyo Grande Creek including the (upper) Arroyo Grande Creek. Feeding waters into the Arroyo
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Within the viticultural area are four vineyards where 1,250 acres (506 ha) are planted in wine grapes and eleven bonded wineries consider Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah as the top grapes. Don Talley of Talley
Vineyards and William S. Greenough of Saucelito Canyon Vineyard submitted the
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from northwest winds. This feature distinguishes the Arroyo Grande Valley from the other areas of the county, yet shares many climate characteristics similar to neighboring Edna Valley AVA to the northwest. The Arroyo Grande area is west of the
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The primary characteristic distinguishing Arroyo Grande Valley from neighboring areas is its climate. The climate ranges from high Region I to Region II as classified by
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range and experiences the moderating coastal influences. The western boundary of the viticultural area is about 3 miles (5 km) directly east of the
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petition to the ATF in 1987 for the establishment of the "Arroyo Grande Valley" viticultural area in San Luis Obispo County.
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lies to the southeast of Arroyo Grande Valley, and the
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which is uplifted oceanic and continental crust formed over 100 million years ago.
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785:. Wine History Project of San Luis Obispo County and Wine and the Vines LLC.
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699:"Petition for Establishment of Viticultural Area - "Arroyo Grande Valley""
571:"Establishment of the San Luis Obispo Coast (SLO Coast) Viticultural Area"
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Viticulture history in the San Luis Obispo region dates back to 1804 when
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benefits from its east-northeast orientation allowing the breeze from the
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409:. This winery identifies itself as being from Arroyo Grande Valley.
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American
Viticultural Areas of San Luis Obispo County, California
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This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
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This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
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This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
308:. Arroyo Grande Valley was recognized on February 5, 1990 by the
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to moderate the climate of the area. The valley is divided by a
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Appelation that designates wine in San Luis Obispo County, CA
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vineyards were planted at the countyâs historic landmarks,
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Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
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on Lopez Drive in the heart of the Arroyo Grande Valley.
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approximately 12 miles (19 km) southeast of the
533:"Arroyo Grande Valley Viticultural Area (87F-147P)"
764:The Wine History Project of San Luis Obispo County
742:The Wine History Project of San Luis Obispo County
702:(Saucelito Canyon Vineyard & Talley Vineyards)
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344:and the cooler mid-valley vineyards being home to
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669:"Arroyo Grande Valley (AVA): Appellation Profile"
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328:line produced by the cool maritime layer where
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582:Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)
546:, Treasury. January 4, 1990. pp. 285â288.
354:Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)
942:Valleys of San Luis Obispo County, California
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544:Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF)
735:"Central Coast Timeline: Early Wine History"
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340:are grown on the higher elevations near
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584:. October 1, 2020. pp. 13160â13165
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810:from the original on January 16, 2010.
642:"Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande Valley"
614:"American Viticultural Areas by State"
365:straddles the north leg boundary, the
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757:"Wine History By Decade: Early 1800s"
738:(Wine - 16th to 18th Century History)
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652:from the original on June 10, 2023.
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952:1990 establishments in California
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395:Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
144:42,880 acres (67 sq mi)
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733:Agran, Libbie (April 19, 2021).
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450:University of California, Davisâ
291:American Viticultural Area (AVA)
779:"Wine History By Decade: 1870s"
755:Agran, Libbie (June 27, 2019).
358:San Luis Obispo (SLO) Coast AVA
104:San Luis Obispo (SLO) Coast AVA
85:San Luis Obispo (SLO) Coast AVA
777:Agran, Libbie (July 9, 2019).
381:abut its southwestern border.
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136:Silty clay and sandy clay loam
125:Precipitation (annual average)
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890:. You can help Knowledge by
760:(Wine - Early 1800s History)
536:(Final Rule, 27 CFR Part 9 )
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399:Mission San Miguel ArcĂĄngel
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363:Los Padres National Forest
40:American Viticultural Area
947:Arroyo Grande, California
836:35.179553°N 120.5240826°W
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152:1,230 acres (498 ha)
149:Size of planted vineyards
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352:. On April 8, 2022, the
22:Arroyo Grande Valley AVA
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128:20 inches (510 mm)
800:"Arroyo Grande Valley"
675:. 2007. Archived from
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367:Santa Maria Valley AVA
295:San Luis Obispo County
101:San Luis Obispo County
82:San Luis Obispo County
54:Years of wine industry
857:San Luis Obispo Guide
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313:miles (42,880 acres)
783:Wine History Project
624:on January 27, 2008.
425:Santa Lucia mountain
287:Arroyo Grande Valley
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673:Appellation America
437:Arroyo Grande Creek
361:the northwest, the
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466:Franciscan Complex
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957:Wine region stubs
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338:RhĂ´ne varietals
306:San Luis Obispo
208:Sauvignon blanc
168:Grapes produced
133:Soil conditions
120:Region I and II
109:Edna Valley AVA
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334:Petite Sirah
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188:Petite Sirah
160:of vineyards
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884:wine region
862:TTB AVA Map
839: /
827:120°31â˛27âłW
683:January 24,
574:(27 CFR 9 )
433:Grover City
407:Prohibition
375:Grover City
318:appellation
303:county seat
293:located in
277:of wineries
216:Tempranillo
192:Pinot blanc
29:Wine region
931:Categories
824:35°10â˛46âłN
492:References
418:Topography
350:Pinot noir
346:Chardonnay
342:Lopez Lake
299:California
200:Pinot noir
196:Pinot gris
172:Chardonnay
141:Total area
93:California
74:California
330:Zinfandel
240:Carmenere
224:Zinfandel
184:Mourvedre
808:Archived
806:. 2007.
710:Treasury
650:Archived
483:Industry
248:Nebbiolo
228:Picardan
220:Viognier
204:Riesling
180:Grenache
176:Counoise
708:(TTB),
444:Climate
413:Terroir
385:History
244:Barbera
70:Part of
62:Country
588:May 9,
371:Oceano
315:valley
289:is an
260:Merlot
232:Malbec
882:This
268:Fiano
212:Syrah
888:stub
685:2008
590:2021
459:Soil
397:and
377:and
348:and
336:and
49:1990
36:Type
431:at
326:fog
275:No.
158:No.
57:145
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