The Central Coast is a geographic area and wine region in the US state of California. Stretching south from San Francisco to Santa Barbara, this large sub-zone encompasses the six counties of Ventura, San Benito, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara. Immortalised in the movie ‘Sideways’, the Central Coast area is a magnet for tourists and wine lovers from around the world.
As well as its wine, the Central Coast sub-zone of California is famous also for its association with both the literary giant, John Steinbeck, and the infamous San Andreas fault. Traces of Steinbeck are everywhere - most notably on Cannery Row in Monterey where a bronze bust of the great novelist is joined by a life size statue sitting on top of the Cannery Row monument, commemorating the author in the town where some of his most notable books were set. And the San Andreas fault practically dissects the area whose long history of tectonic shift has forged the mountainous landscape for which it is famed. The area is also of course renowned for the rugged coastline of the Big Sur, the perfect white beach, charming quirks and famous former mayor of Carmel, the surf / skate culture of cities such as Santa Cruz, and also for its thirty-six thousand hectares of vineyard. The climate of the Central Coast is classified as Mediterranean - with warm, dry summers and cool winters. However, a number of specific microclimates exist within the area, with weather patterns which deviate considerably from the expected trend. Generally speaking, coastal areas benefit from the moderating influence of the Pacific, giving more consistent temperatures all year round, whilst vineyards based inland are likely to experience a greater variation in temperature between seasons, and between day and night. Various factors, such as the cooler breeze blown down the Salinas Valley from Monterey Bay, do nonetheless curb the hot temperatures of inland sites, making viticultural activity possible. Traditional Burgundy varieties Pinot Noir and Chardonnay perform well in the counties of the Central Coast region. Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are also well represented alongside Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and a diverse range of lesser known grapes. The variety of fruits and wines produced here owes not only to the climate and topography of the region but also to the various soils of the area. From sandy, gravel to limestone-rich calcareous soils, from thin and rocky to fertile and deep, the wide ranging terroir of the Central Coast is reflected in the subtle nuances of the wines it produces. High quality, low yielding plots, large bulk wine operations, small, boutique wineries and internationally renowned producers all exist within the bounds of the Central Coast, and whilst it lacks a big name AVA such as Napa Valley, it evidently produces some of the most intriguing wines of the state.
