North Coast

The North Coast AVA is a vast "super region" covering three million acres of prime land north of San Francisco. It encompasses the famous wine counties of Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino, as well as Lake, Marin and Solano. While most wines from these counties are made under one of the prestigious regional AVAs, winemakers can also blend grapes from different counties. In this way, they create wines that show off the quality of the entire region and are not limited to specific terroirs. Common varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel.