Five Fast Facts about the Anderson Valley AVA

Photo via the Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association

The Anderson Valley—located in California’s Mendocino County—was established as an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1983. This was back when there were only about 30 regions so designated in the United States, as compared to the 250-plus AVAs that exist now.

Here are five fast facts about this tiny but fascinating stretch of California wine country.

The valley and the vines: The Anderson Valley AVA stretches for just over 15 miles/24 km along a narrow valley formed by Anderson Creek and the Navarro River. From north-to-south, it measures about one mile/1.6 km wide. As such, it forms a neat rectangle (with a bit of fluff on the western edge) tucked between the Mendocino Ridge AVA to the south and the Yorkville Highlands AVA to the southeast. The Anderson Valley AVA is one of the sub-regions of the larger Mendocino AVA.

The Anderson Valley AVA covers a total of 57,600 acres/23,310 ha; of these, 2,457 acres/994 ha are under vine. There are currently just over 90 commercial vineyards and 30 bonded wineries within its boundaries. Many wineries located nearby in Napa and Sonoma Counties produce wine using Anderson Valley fruit.

Base map via USGS: https://apps.nationalmap.gov

Rivers, ridges, and rolling hills: In the Anderson Valley, the relatively flat (and fertile) valley floor occupies a fairly narrow path through the region. Beyond the valley, the area consists of rolling hills—interspersed with forests of Douglas Fir, California Laurel, and California Redwood Trees—and mountain ridges (topping out at about 2,500 feet/762 m above sea level) outlining the California Coast Range. The mountains and hills form a series of south-facing slopes, many of which are considered prime spots for viticulture.

No doubt about it, it’s a cool climate: The western edge of the Anderson Valley AVA—known to locals as the deep end—is located a mere 10 miles/16 km from the Pacific coast. From here, the low-lying, narrow valley is perfectly poised to capture the cool ocean breezes and funnel the early morning fog inland and upriver. Rain is often plentiful, although it can vary from year to year. The entire area can experience a diurnal temperature fluctuation of more than 50°F, and while daytime temperatures do sometimes reach as high as 100°F (38 °C) for a few days in the summertime, the average temperature for a given year is typically 53°F (12°C). As such, the Anderson Valley is one of the coolest of the cool-climate wine regions of California.

Map via the TTB AVA Explorer

Pinot Noir rules: According to a vineyards census published by the Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association (AVWA), as of 2018 nearly 69% of the vineyards in the region are planted to Pinot Noir. The second most widely planted grape—at 21%—is Chardonnay, much of which makes its way into the area’s sparkling wines. Other leading grapes include Gewürztraminer (4%), Merlot (3%, mostly grown in the eastern, warmer part of the region), Pinot Gris (2%), and Riesling (1%).

Pinot Noir arrived in the region in 1971, when Husch Vineyards planted 2.5 acres of the heartbreak grape in a small hilltop vineyard now known as “the Knoll.” Other estates—including Navarro Vineyards, Lazy Creek Vineyards, and Greenwood Ridge Vineyards soon followed suit. Plantings of Pinot Noir have increased more than five-fold since the mid-1990s as the undeniable affinity between the terroir of the Anderson Valley and Pinot Noir was affirmed.

Anderson Valley Pinot Noir is known for its vibrant acidity and elegance as well as aromas and flavors of red and black fruit (raspberry, black cherry, cranberry, plum) backed up by herbal, savory, earthy, and floral notes. Leading producers of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir located within the AVA include Navarro Vineyards, Baxter Winery, and Domaine Anderson. Wineries located outside of the valley—including Williams Selyem, Littorai, Cakebread, Siduri, and Goldeneye (the Pinot Noir- focused offshoot of the Duckhorn Portfolio)—are also producing outstanding Pinot Noir using Anderson Valley fruit.

Specialists in sparkling wine: The Anderson Valley’s first sparkling wine—produced by Scharffenberger Cellars—was released in 1981. Handley Cellars (1983) and Navarro Vineyards (1988) soon followed with sparklers of their own. However, with the 1982 arrival of Roederer Estate—the California outpost of the Champagne Louis Roederer—and the 1988 release of Roederer Estate MV Brut Cuvée, the region’s reputation as a world-class producer of traditional method sparkling wines was sealed.

References/for more information:

• Anderson Valley | Wineries, Vineyards, Restaurants, Lodging (avwines.com)
• Original Petition for the Anderson Valley AVA-1982
• Final Rule-Anderson Valley AVA-Federal Register August 18-1983
• https://avwines.squarespace.com/climate
• Image Gallery — Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association (squarespace.com)

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of Austin, Texas… missjane@prodigy.net