Santa Lucia Highlands AVA

Santa Lucia Highlands AVA ( recognized since 15 May 1992) is an American Viticultural Area in the U.S. state of California. The area lies in the eastern part of the administrative area of ​​Monterey County and is part of the larger Central Coast AVA and the Monterey AVA, southeast of Salinas. The vineyard is located at the foot of the Santa Lucia Range along the Salinas Valley and is just near the town of Soledad. In the south of the appellation, the wine region Arroyo Seco AVA joins. The vineyards are located not more than 350 m above sea level. NN and therefore are still cooled by the morning coastal fogs of the Pacific. The higher elevations are therefore warmer than the valleys. More than half of the vineyards are planted with Chardonnay grapes.