South Coast AVA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Wine region | |
 | |
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1985[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Part of | California |
| Other regions in California | North Coast AVA, Central Coast AVA |
| Sub-regions | Ramona Valley AVA, San Luis Rey AVA, San Pasqual Valley AVA, Temecula Valley AVA, Rancho Guejito AVA (proposed) |
| Growing season | 302 days[2] |
| Climate region | Region I-V[1] |
| Total area | 1.2 million acres (1,800 sq mi)[1] |
| Size of planted vineyards | 3,000 acres (1,200 ha)[3] |
| Grapes produced | Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Lenoir, Merlot, Montepulciano, Muscat Canelli, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, Pinot gris, Riesling, Sangiovese, Sauvignon blanc, Symphony, Syrah, Tempranillo, Trebbiano, Viognier, Zinfandel[3] |
| No. of wineries | 108 |
South Coast is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Southern California that encompasses five counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego. It was established as the nation's 82nd and the state's 46th appellation[4] on November 21, 1985 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by the South Coast Vintners Association on behalf of grape growers and wineries in the region proposing a viticultural area to be known as "South Coast." [5]
The area encompasses about 1.2 million acres (1,800 sq mi) and expands along the Pacific coastline between Los Angeles (L.A.) and the Mexican border with about 3,000 acres (1,200 ha) under vine and 15 wineries at the outset. As of 2025, at least 108 wineries were operating within the area. South Coast encompasses a number of smaller sub-appellations that all share the common ecology trait of having warm weather moderated by cooling coastal influences from the Pacific Ocean.[1][3] In 2024, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) proposed to establish the 32,360-acre (51 sq mi) "Rancho Guejito" viticultural area in San Diego County. The proposed AVA is located entirely within South Coast AVA and would partially overlap the existing San Pasqual Valley AVA.[6]
