| North Coast AVA | |
| Type: | American Viticultural Area |
| Year: | 1983[1] |
| Country: | United States |
| Part Of: | California |
| Similar: | Central Coast AVA, Central Valley AVA, South Coast AVA |
| Sub Regions: | List of North Coast AVAs |
| Climate Region: | Mediterranean/maritime |
| Total Size: | 3000000acres |
| Grapes: | Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane, Chardonnay, Dolcetto, Gamay noir, Gewurztraminer, Lagrein, Malbec, Merlot, Muscat Canelli, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, Pinot Meunier, Pinot noir, Sangiovese, Sauvignon blanc, Semillon, Syrah, Valdiguie, Verdelho, Viognier, Zinfandel[2] |
The North Coast AVA is an American Viticultural Area in the state of California that encompasses grape-growing regions in six counties located north of San Francisco: Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Sonoma, and Solano. This large appellation covers over 3000000acres and includes a number of smaller sub-appellations that all share the common ecology trait of weather affected by the fog and breezes off the Pacific Ocean.[2]
The boundary of the North Coast AVA encompasses many smaller wine appellations, which generally have higher consumer appeal and therefore higher commercial value. Wine produced primarily from grapes grown in any one of these appellations will likely carry that appellation on its bottle label rather than the North Coast AVA designation. The North Coast AVA designation is primarily used on bottles of wine created by blending wines from several counties or American Viticultural Areas.
Because U.S. county names automatically qualify as legal appellations of origin for wine, the following appellations do not require registration with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau:[3]
The following American Viticultural Areas are all entirely contained within the boundary of the North Coast AVA: