Wind and fog are the key to this Northern California AVA, where vineyards are tucked into valleys and scattered on hillsides in perfect harmony with the area’s rural open space and rich agricultural history.
A wind gap in the coastal mountain range funnels cooling breezes and fog east from the Pacific Ocean through the city of Petaluma and south to San Pablo Bay. The persistent afternoon breeze causes lower grape yields and longer hang-time, enabling flavors and fruit characteristics to fully develop. It’s the perfect recipe for elegant, well-balanced wines of character and distinction.
- Location
- Climate
- Varieties
- Petaluma Area
- History
- Farming
Location
The Petaluma Gap AVA spans an area of more than 200,000 acres stretching in the northwest from the Pacific coast at Bodega Bay and running southwest to Highway 37 at Sear’s Point on San Pablo Bay; it straddles northern Marin and southern Sonoma counties.
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Climate
Located in northern Marin and southern Sonoma counties, the Petaluma Gap AVA enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters.
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Varieties
There are over 4,000 acres of grapevines in the Petaluma Gap AVA. Seventy-five percent of the grapes grown here are Pinot Noir, with the remaining almost evenly split between Chardonnay and Syrah.
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Petaluma Area
Centrally located 32 miles north of San Francisco, the City of Petaluma is one of the oldest in California and an ideal base for exploring Wine Country, the redwoods, and the Sonoma Coast.
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History
Petaluma Gap’s agricultural history harkens back nearly 200 years, with a myriad of interesting elements, including its first grapevine plantings by General Vallejo...
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Farming
The Petaluma Gap is a grower-focused region with a rich legacy of agricultural families dating back several generations...
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