| Lime Kiln Valley AVA | |
| Type: | American Viticultural Area |
| Year: | 1982, amended 1987[1] |
| Country: | United States |
| Part Of: | California, Central Coast AVA, Cienega Valley AVA, San Benito AVA |
| Soil: | Decomposed granite and limestone soils[2] |
| Total Size: | 2300acres |
| Grapes: | Mourvedre, Zinfandel[3] |
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The Lime Kiln Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the larger Cienega Valley AVA in San Benito County, California. This appellation spans 2300acres and was granted AVA status in 1982. The soil in the region is composed of foundations of limestone and dolomite with sandy, gravelly loam above. The area has a wide diurnal temperature variation of up to 50F-change, with daytime temperatures in 85°F to 95°F range during the summer growing seasons. The AVA is home to old vines' Mourvedre plantings.[3]
The only vineyards in the Lime Kiln Valley AVA are owned by the Enz Family. Currently there are 40 acres of vineyards, including a 15-acre parcel of head-trained Mourvedre that was originally planted in 1922.
In 2007, the Enz Vineyard first planted in 1895 and now growing grapes for Kenneth Volk Vineyards was discovered to be planted with the nearly extinct Bordeaux variety Gros Verdot instead of Cabernet Pfeffer as originally thought.[4]