Santa Cruz Mountains Climate (Back to overview)
It is a bit of a misnomer to speak of “the” climate of the Santa Cruz Mountains. This is an AVA of many microclimates. Simply put, vineyards grown on slopes facing the Pacific Ocean are cooler than those facing inland.
The Different Microclimates of the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA
Western facing vineyards are cooled by wind and fog from the coast. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Riesling thrive in these conditions. One of my favorite wines from this part of the AVA is the Clos La Chance Chardonnay.
Very few vines are planted below 1,000 feet on the ocean side because there simply is not enough sun exposure. However, there is some Pinot Noir planted at about 800 feet above sea level. David Bruce has an excellent Pinot Noir vineyard in the western part of the AVA.
Eastern facing slopes are much sunnier and are exposed to less wind and fog. Precipitation is also lower in these vineyards. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Zinfandel do very well here. Paul Draper, of Ridge Vineyards, is a master with the Zinfandel grape. Additionally, he grows Cabernet Sauvignon in Ridge’s Montebello Vineyard. Fogarty Winery also makes a great Cabernet Sauvignon with grapes from the AVA.
Santa Cruz Mountains Wineries
ryan said:
Thanks Farley, we'll get them up asap.
Posted 625 days ago.
farley said:
Hey, guys. You should look into adding Testarossa. It's in Los Gatos and makes some damn good Pinot Noirs.
Posted 631 days ago.