Arroyo Seco
Monterey County
Its name literally means ‘dry riverbed’ and is synonymous with top grade Chardonnays that have excelled from the area for the past four or five decades. Arroyo Seco’s AVA begins in a steep and narrow gorge at the foot of the storied Santa Lucia Mountain Range and the AVA, and its topography, widen as it moves east and eventually becomes the warm and fertile soil of the incredibly productive Salinas Valley.
Arroyo Seco’s AVA has numerous microclimates and soil types due to the aforementioned topography. Vineyards located deep in the canyon are shielded from the ever present afternoon winds and encounter warmer temperatures. On the valley floor, those same breezes off the Pacific Ocean cool the grapes, curbing their growth and intensifying the fruit flavors.
Given its AVA status in 1983, there are more than 7,000 acres under vine in Arroyo Seco that continues to be rated as one of California’s premier growing areas.
We've featured wines from the Arroyo Seco wine growing region in a number of our Wine of the Month Clubs, including our Gold Wine Club.
