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Located half-way between San Francisco and Los Angeles, not too far south of the Paso Robles appellation, this area has gained recognition as one of the premier Chardonnay and Pinot Noir regions in California. It is often compared to the Santa Maria Valley AVA closer to Santa Barbara.
With the Pacific Ocean a mere few miles away, the coastal fog and breezes create one of California longest growing seasons, extending the amount of time a grape hangs on the vine to develop its flavors. Combining this weather with the calcareous and volcanic soils, the result is fruit with exceptional flavor and intensity, balanced by good acidity.
While Chamisal was the first producing vineyard planted in this appellation, the origins date back to the 1880s, when Franciscan padres first planted grape vines alongside Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa. Even then it was easy to see that the regions unique geography has a near perfect combination of soil and climate for wine grapes.
