Monterey Coast

The Monterey County Viticultural region, the Salinas Valley, is probably the most versatile grape growing region in California. The Salinas Valley can be best described as a huge funnel: the city of Salinas is at the mouth of the funnel which opens directly to the Pacific Ocean, and the Santa Lucia Mountain Range is to the west of the funnel, and the Diablo Range is to the east of it creating the sides which stretch some 120 miles south inland to the small farming town of San Miguel.

The unique geographical situation in the Salinas Valley is truly a winemaker's paradise. Monterey’s coolest region vineyards thrive in the Chualar and Greenfield areas where the temperatures are barely enough to ripen Chardonnay. These vineyards can be compared to those in the Burgundy and Chablis regions of Northern France where world renowned Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are grown, and to the celebrated Carneros region which borders the San Pablo Bay, the entrance to the Napa and Sonoma Valleys.

Moving south, the warm King City temperatures ripen Cabernet Sauvignon, one of the latest ripening varieties, and other red varieties. The King City area can be compared to the Bordeaux Region of France or the Rutherfold/Oakville area of Napa Valley. These areas are the most ideal in the world for Bordeaux varieties and Rhone style varieties such as Cabernet, Merlot, and Syrah.

Central Valley

In 1991 when Baywood Cellars, formerly known as Las Viñas, won an international Gold in the super-premium category for their Cabernet Sauvignon, the standards for winemaking in Central Valley's Lodi region were forever changed—this region could not only produce quality wines, it could produce award-winning wines. At that time, Las Vinas was only one of 4 wineries in the Lodi region. Though it was little known, Lodi's niche in the northern San Joaquin Valley contains a climate only slightly warmer than some of the inland coastal regions. Lodi's flat terrain differs from much of the Coastal regions, but vineyards around Lodi can use coastal growing techniques to enhance their quality. The Delta breeze that moves through the area provides dynamic day-night temperatures that differ from other parts of the Central Valley.