US Wine Regions: Central Coast

The massive Central Coast appellation of California stretches from Santa Barbara to San Francisco, and is defined by the vineyards’ shared cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean. Close to 100,000 acres are planted to vine in this region, and more than half are white wine grapes. Rhone varietals, such as Syrah and Grenache, also thrive in the sub appellations of Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Edna Valley, Monterey, Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara.

The physical beauty and unmatched climate of this expansive appellation draws millions of people every year to its romantic, coastal hamlets for hiking, cycling and camping in addition to wine tasting. The Central Coast is ideal for road trips and bed and breakfast stops. It is home to many boutique wineries specializing in hand-crafted, terroir-driven Pinot Noir, such as Sea Smoke and Sanford, both in the Santa Rita Hills of Santa Barbara.

Farther north, in Paso Robles, the team at Turley Wine Cellars crafts brawny, award-winning old vine Zinfandels. The Santa Cruz Mountains boast 70 family-owned wineries, where microclimates, marine influence, mountain terrain, and low crop levels have won the sub region a reputation for intensely concentrated fruit. The area is also home to key leaders in viticulture, from Bonny Doon Vineyards, which specializes in biodynamic farming, to Ridge Vineyards, makers of the Monte Bello, a cult Cabernet Sauvignon.