El Dorado AVA

El Dorado AVA ( recognized since 13 October 1983) is an American Viticultural Area in the U.S. state of California. The area is located in the administrative area of ​​El Dorado County, east of Sacramento. The vineyard is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Are grown mainly the vine Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The vineyards lie at an altitude of 360 m to 1,050 m above sea level. NN. The best vineyards are mostly over 650 m high. The acidic soil is mostly volcanic origin.

South of the El Dorado AVA located close to the wine regions Fiddletown AVA and California Shenandoah Valley AVA.

Climate

There is a Mediterranean climate with mild, wet winters and warm dry mostly summer. Since the area is 150 km from the coast of the Pacific, it is often very hot in midsummer. The low humidity and the wind, the cool air of the San Francisco Bay as well as from distant mountains, into the night, stay, however, make bearable and a viticulture possible at this altitude.