Paso Robles Wine Region: Quick Facts

4 Paso Robles is California’s fastest growing 4 European immigrant farmers began to arrive 4 Paso Robles has the largest diurnal tem- wine region and largest geographic appel- in the 1860s, following California’s indepen- perature change in California. By midaft- lation, the 24 square mile territory encom- dence. They revived the old mission vine- ernoon cooling marine air begins to flow passes more than 26,000 vineyard acres yards and began new vineyard plantings of east through the Templeton Gap and south and nearly 170 wineries. their own. along the Salinas River. 4 Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely 4 The Paso Robles American Viticultural Area 4 The summer growing season is character- planted varietal, but the AVA is also an (AVA) was established in 1983, and expand- ized by warm, clear days, generally without important area for Rhone varietal grapes. ed in 1997. clouds, fog or severe winds. The Central Coast chapter of the Rhone 4 The Paso Robles AVA’s western boundary 4 Summer growing season daytime high tem- Rangers is located in Paso Robles. is just six miles from the Pacific Ocean. The peratures fall between 85 and 105 degrees 4 The Paso Robles wine region is in the cen- major geographical features are the Santa Fahrenheit. Nighttime low temperatures ter of California’s Central Coast, halfway Lucia Range, the Salinas River Valley and drop by 40 to 50 degrees. The fall grape between San Francisco and Los Angeles the Templeton Gap. harvest season is typically rain-free and on U.S.Highway 101. warm. The first rainfall in November is about 4 The City of Paso Robles is 740 feet above two weeks later than Napa or Sonoma, and 4 Paso Robles was named for its local oak sea level. Vineyards east of the Salinas Rive a month later than Mendocino. trees, El Paso de Robles: The Pass of the range from 700 to 1,000 feet in elevation Oaks. The name was shortened to Paso while those to the west range from 850 to 4 Annual rainfall ranges from 8 to 45 inches, Robles when California gained its indepen- 2,000 feet. driest in the eastern extremes of the ap- dence from Mexico in 1850. pellation, and wettest on the far western 4 More than 45 soil series are found in the ridges. The heaviest rainfall months are 4 Wine grapes were introduced in 1797 by Paso Robles AVA. These are primarily bed- January through March. the Franciscan missionaries at the Mission rock derived soils. Soil diversity is the norm San Miguel Arcangel. They produced sac- and a vineyard block commonly contains 4 Winter temperatures tend to dip into the ramental wine and made brandy for export. several soil types. low twenties in the cooler regions, with most vineyards becoming fully dormant by 4 The Paso Robles AVA has a predominance mid-December. Frost is also a potential of calcareous soils. The high pH values of threat through mid-May. 7.4 to 8.6 associated with those soils are not typical of California’s other viticultural areas.

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Paso Robles AVA Map: Produced by Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, www.pasowine.com. Map by Mike Bobbitt & Associates, www.mikebobbitt.com. Artwork by Kraftwerk Design Inc., www. kraftwerkdesign.com