Monterey County is the one of the largest wine growing and producing regions in California, and produces 30 different grape varieties. Wine grapes were first introduced in Monterey County well over 200 years ago by the Franciscan Friars near the Soledad Mission in southern Monterey County. They discovered early that the county's climate—midday heat tempered by morning and late afternoon fog—was perfect for developing the intense fruit character winemakers revere.
Commercial wineries flourished in Monterey beginning in the 1960s. One Monterey County winery, Chalone, participated in the famed 1976 "Judgment of Paris," at which American wines defeated French wines in a blind tasting. Chalone's chardonnay bested every French white, and all but one of the American wines. The vineyard still produces wine today, in the American Vinicultural Area (AVA) named after it.
Over time, certain areas of Monterey County have been found to have their own distinct characteristics. Within Monterey County, there are now eight smaller AVAs, each one with its own unique identity, giving visitors a chance to compare and contrast the types of wine each produces.
Today, approximately 85 vintners and growers are established throughout Monterey County, between them growing over 40,000 acres of wine grapes. Tour the wineries and tasting rooms with the Wine Map provided by the Monterey County Vintners & Growers Association.
In such an active wine-growing region, wine events of course abound. Fall events include the Monterey Wine Festival in October and the Great Wine Escape weekend in November. See our overview of Monterey County's most established annual wine events for more information.
Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau P.O. Box 1770, Monterey, CA 93942 1-877-MONTEREY [email protected]
In partnership with Monterey County and the cities of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Del Rey Oaks, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Salinas,
Sand City, Seaside, Soledad, Pebble Beach, Moss Landing, Carmel Valley, Big Sur, and Salinas Valley.
© Copyright 2008 Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau
