Appellation

Monterey

11 winesOn the map

About Monterey

Monterey is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in eastern Monterey County, California. It was recognized on July 16, 1984, by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by the Monterey Winegrowers Council to establish the "Monterey" viticultural area. The designated area within the multi-county Central Coast AVA expands almost the entire length of the county from the Monterey Bay southern shoreline to the Salinas river valley framed by the Santa Lucia, Sierra de Salinas and Gabilan Ranges stretching north–south for about 100 miles (160 km) from Watsonville to its southern point, abutting the town of Paso Robles in San Luis Obispo County. Monterey AVA expands approximately 360,000 acres (560 sq mi) with about 40,000 acres (16,000 ha) of cultivated vineyards. The AVA includes parts of the Carmel and the Salinas valleys containing five smaller American viticultural areas: Arroyo Seco, Hames Valley, San Bernabe, San Lucas and Santa Lucia Highlands. The northern portion is a cool growing region with a very long growing season. Daytime temperatures rarely exceed 75 °F (24 °C) in most parts of the region, although the southern segments of the AVA can measure 100 °F (38 °C) at times. The soil is sandy loam and most regions require irrigation from the Salinas River.

From the Wikipedia article Monterey AVA, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Monterey is an appellation in California, United States. We track 11 of its wines in stock at 6 shops, from 2 wine houses, from € 16.95; mostly red, white.

At a glance
Country
United States
Region
California
In our wines
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Grenache, Merlot, Mourvèdre
Styles
Red 7 · White 4
Prices
from € 16.95 · median € 21.27 / 75 cl

Vintages

per year: wines in stock, prices, and the critics' scores the shops quote
VintageWinesFromMedian / 75 clCritics' scoreGrowing season
2026––––warmso far +0.9 °C · 1,788 GDD · 112 % rain
2025––––warmwet harvest +0.5 °C · 1,936 GDD · 74 % rain
2024––––hotdry +1.6 °C · 2,168 GDD · 67 % rain
20231€ 28.50€ 28.50–averagedry −0.2 °C · 1,793 GDD · 35 % rain
20222€ 17.50€ 17.50–hotdrywet harvest +1.4 °C · 2,120 GDD · 42 % rain
20211€ 20.07€ 20.07–warm +0.8 °C · 1,998 GDD · 80 % rain
20202€ 20.07€ 23.75–hotdrydry harvest +1.8 °C · 2,206 GDD · 68 % rain
20193€ 16.95€ 28.95–warm +0.5 °C · 1,931 GDD · 75 % rain
2018––––warmdrydry harvest +0.8 °C · 2,003 GDD · 39 % rain
2017––––hotdry +1.3 °C · 2,096 GDD · 65 % rain
20161€ 27.43€ 27.43–warmdry harvest +0.6 °C · 1,946 GDD · 107 % rain
2015––––warmwet harvest +0.9 °C · 2,022 GDD · 78 % rain
2014––––hotwet harvest +1.4 °C · 2,131 GDD · 79 % rain
2013––––averagedry +0.3 °C · 1,879 GDD · 28 % rain
2012––––averagedry harvest +0.1 °C · 1,833 GDD · 101 % rain
2011––––coldwetdry harvest −1.3 °C · 1,538 GDD · 146 % rain
2010––––coldwetdry harvest −1.5 °C · 1,517 GDD · 193 % rain
2009––––averagewetwet harvest +0.1 °C · 1,834 GDD · 164 % rain
2008––––warmdrydry harvest +0.5 °C · 1,939 GDD · 26 % rain
2007––––averagewet harvest −0.4 °C · 1,741 GDD · 85 % rain
2006––––averagewetdry harvest ±0.0 °C · 1,832 GDD · 178 % rain
2005––––cool −0.5 °C · 1,710 GDD · 101 % rain
2004––––averagedry harvest −0.2 °C · 1,785 GDD · 124 % rain
2003––––averagewet +0.2 °C · 1,886 GDD · 139 % rain
2002––––averagedry −0.2 °C · 1,769 GDD · 39 % rain
2001––––average +0.3 °C · 1,898 GDD · 72 % rain
2000––––coolwetwet harvest −0.5 °C · 1,720 GDD · 180 % rain
1999––––cold −1.1 °C · 1,580 GDD · 81 % rain
1998––––coldwet −1.6 °C · 1,489 GDD · 202 % rain
1997––––averagedrydry harvest +0.3 °C · 1,879 GDD · 34 % rain
1996––––averagewetdry harvest +0.3 °C · 1,896 GDD · 164 % rain
1995––––coolwetdry harvest −0.8 °C · 1,649 GDD · 132 % rain
1994––––cool −0.5 °C · 1,715 GDD · 107 % rain
1993––––averagedrydry harvest −0.3 °C · 1,758 GDD · 62 % rain
1992––––hotdrydry harvest +1.0 °C · 2,031 GDD · 56 % rain
1991––––cooldrydry harvest −0.5 °C · 1,721 GDD · 69 % rain
1990––––averagewet harvest +0.2 °C · 1,875 GDD · 84 % rain
1989––––coolwet harvest −0.5 °C · 1,707 GDD · 112 % rain
1988––––warmdry harvest +0.7 °C · 1,975 GDD · 86 % rain
1987––––warmdrydry harvest +0.8 °C · 1,990 GDD · 59 % rain
1986––––cooldrywet harvest −0.7 °C · 1,678 GDD · 60 % rain
1985––––averagedrywet harvest +0.1 °C · 1,841 GDD · 55 % rain
1984––––average +0.3 °C · 1,890 GDD · 73 % rain
1983––––coldwetwet harvest −1.3 °C · 1,577 GDD · 218 % rain
1982––––coldwetwet harvest −1.4 °C · 1,514 GDD · 214 % rain

Growing season (April–October; October–April south of the equator): mean temperature against Monterey's 1991–2020 normal (hot: 1 °C or more above, warm: 0.5 °C, cool/cold below), growing degree days (warmth for the vines, base 10 °C) and rain against normal, with the harvest month (September/March) flagged when very wet or dry. Monthly data from NASA POWER (MERRA-2) at one point in the appellation. The current year is compared with the same months of a normal year (“so far”); its latest months are preliminary and revised by NASA later.

Critics' score: the average of the best 100-point score quoted for each wine of that vintage, as the shops quote them. A few quoted wines make a thin average; the number of wines is in brackets.

Wine houses

Hahn Winery 5 · Longford Estate 2

Monterey · Wineseekr