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San Luis Obispo County wine

San Luis Obispo County
Wine region
SLO County vineyard
TypeU.S. County Appellation[1]
Years of wine industry220[2]
CountryUnited States
Part ofCalifornia, Central Coast AVA
Other regions in California, Central Coast AVAMonterey county, Santa Barbara county
Sub-regionsPaso Robles AVA, Adelaida District AVA, Creston District, El Pomar District, Paso Robles Estrella District, Paso Robles Geneseo District, Paso Robles Highlands District, Paso Robles Willow Creek District, San Juan Creek AVA, Santa Margarita Ranch AVA, Templeton Gap District, York Mountain AVA, Edna Valley AVA, Arroyo Grande Valley AVA, San Luis Obispo (SLO) Coast AVA
Climate regionRegion I, II and III[3]
Soil conditionsVolcanic deposits mixed with sandy loam to clay rich[3]
Total area2,112,640 acres (3,301 sq mi)[4]
No. of vineyards78
Grapes producedCabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Grenache, Lagrein, Merlot, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Petit Verdot, Riesling, Syrah, Tempranillo, Zinfandel[1]
Varietals producedover 40
No. of wineries250[3]

San Luis Obispo (SLO) County wine is a appellation that designates wine made from grapes grown in San Luis Obispo (SLO) County, California which is sandwiched between Santa Barbara County to the south and Monterey County at the northern boundary on the Pacific coast. Its location sits halfway between the cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles on the north–south axis of U.S. Route 101 and Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). The county lies entirely within the Central Coast viticultural area. County names in the United States automatically qualify as legal appellations of origin for wine produced from grapes grown in that county and do not require registration with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) of the Treasury Department.[5] TTB was created in January 2003, when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, or ATF, was extensively reorganized under the provisions of the Homeland Security Act of 2002.[6]

The term "SLO" is a historical and commonly used reference for the county and its county seat, San Luis Obispo, initials as well as a description of the region's relaxed culture.[7] According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,301 square miles (2,113,000 acres) of which 3,299 square miles (2,111,000 acres) is land and 317 square miles (820 km2) (comprising 8.8%) is water.[4][8] San Luis Obispo county is home to some of California's coolest winemaking areas similar to climatic influences as its northern counterparts, Napa and Sonoma counties. The proximity of the Pacific coastline to the viticultural areas of San Luis Obispo Coast (SLO) Coast, and at the county's southern end, Arroyo Grande Valley, influences their vineyards to the cool marine air.

The county is home to sixteen distinctive viticultural areas (AVA) including the spacious Paso Robles with its eleven sub-region AVAs, the diminutive neighbor, York Mountain and the elongated newcomer, San Luis Obispo (SLO) Coast.

  1. ^ a b "San Luis Obispo County: Appellation Profile". Appellation America. 2007. Archived from the original on March 24, 2016.
  2. ^ Agran, Libbie (April 19, 2021). "Central Coast Timeline: Early Wine History" (Wine - 16th to 18th Century History). The Wine History Project of San Luis Obispo County.
  3. ^ a b c "San Luis Obispo County Wine". Wine Searcher. 2010. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "San Luis Obispo County, CA". NACo. National Association of Counties. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  5. ^ "§ 4.25 Appellations of Origin" (Title 27: Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; Part 4 — Labeling and Advertising of Wine; Subpart C — Standards of Identity for Wine). Code of Federal Regulations. Retrieved January 4, 2008.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  6. ^ "The TTB Story". TTB.gov. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, Treasury. 2002.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  7. ^ "Establishment of the San Luis Obispo Coast (SLO Coast) Viticultural Area" (27 CFR 9, 87 FR 13160 [Docket No. TTB-2020-0009 T.D. TTB-177 Ref: Notice No. 194] Final Rule). Federal Register. 87 (46). Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau: 13160–13165. March 9, 2022.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  8. ^ "San Luis Obispo County, California" (QuickFacts). United States Census Bureau.

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