NEW NAME, REBRAND
Comes amid exceptional quality harvest
SALINAS >> The 31-mile-long wine trail along River, Foothill, and Los Coches roads in the Salinas Valley is undergoing a name change and rebrand just as wineries along the route are reaping the fruits of their labors as an exceptional wine-growing season comes to a close.
Going back centuries, Salinas Valley's wine-producing roots can be traced to the arrival of the first Spanish Franciscan Missionaries in the late 1700s who planted vineyards so there would be wine for communion. That legacy can be found today along the wine trail — from Odonata Winery on the north end to Scheid Vineyards to the south.
Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association Executive Director Kim Stemler explained that the formerly known River Road Wine Trail is now referred to as the Monterey Wine Trail for greater brand recognition outside of the region. The organization is working toward having corresponding signs posted soon.
“This initiative has been on our minds since before the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Stemler. “It's been a carefully thought-out process, considering the evolving needs and interests of our community, wineries and visitors.”
Stemler said the main challenge is that the name River Road lacks distinct recognition outside the area. Additionally, only a few wineries are actually on River Road.
“We believe that rebranding it as the Monterey Wine Trail and occasionally as the Monterey Wine Trail of the Salinas Valley in publications, will resonate more broadly,” she said. “For signage, we're opting for the simpler Monterey Wine Trail.”
The decision by the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association is based on research conducted by See Monterey — Monterey County's Convention and Visitors Bureau which recently went through a rebranding and name change of its own.
“It showed that the name `Monterey' is more recognizable than `Monterey County' and `Salinas' to those outside the region,” said Stemler. “When people think about traveling to the county, they think of the whole region as `Monterey.' Plus, `Monterey' has a higher search value, which is crucial for digital marketing and online visibility.”
Monterey Wine Trail of the Salinas Valley includes Odonata Wines, Rustique Wines, Pessagno Winery, Manzoni Vineyards, Puma Road Winery, Wrath Wines, CRU Winery, Joyce Wine Company, and Scheid Vineyards.
Each is within the Central Coast American Viticultural Area — a large area ranging from southern San Francisco to southern Santa Barbara counties. Within this larger area are microclimates that generate their own viticultural areas.
The Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, the Arroyo Seco (“dry riverbed” in Spanish) AVA and part of the Monterey AVA, make up the Monterey Wine Trail of the Salinas Valley.
According to the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association website, the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA contains more than 4,700 cultivated acres planted high up on southeast-facing terraces of the Santa Lucia Mountain range overlooking the Salinas River Valley. This area has a
climate comparable to Burgundy, France. The elevated position exposes vines to morning sunshine and afternoon maritime breezes. Ultimately, this climate results in a long growing season, enabling grapes to achieve maximum potential in chardonnay, pinot noir and syrah varietals.
The Arroyo Seco appellation starts in a steep, narrow gorge at the foot of the Santa Lucia Range and extends east into a widening topography that eventually opens up to the warm, fertile soil of the Salinas Valley. Because of the diverse topography, this area contains several microclimates, soil types, and unique features like large river stones — also known as “Greenfield potatoes”— that facilitate drainage. These properties nurture the vineyards and their root systems while protecting them from the elements. Because of this diverse terrain, this area yields several varietals, including chardonnay, riesling, zinfandel and Bordeaux and Rhone varietals.
The Monterey American Viticultural Area is the largest in the area, with over 40,000 acres, and extends the entire length of the county. Because it covers so much terrain, it has a diverse climate, which translates to grape diversity. Still, chardonnay reigns supreme throughout the region, accounting for over 50% of vines in production. Cooler weather, ocean breezes, and fog characterize the northern section, which produces cool-climate grapes like riesling and pinot noir. In the south, it opens up to Salinas Valley, which can reach up to 100 degrees during the day. This warmer weather produces Bourdeaux varietals of cabernet sauvignon and merlot, as well as Rhone varietals of syrah and petite sirah, and some zinfandel.
Rebranding and renaming the Monterey Wine Trail of the Salinas Valley will require an investment of around $250,000 for adequate signage and is partially funded by a portion of American Rescue Plan Act money set aside for tourism promotion which will help with the start of smaller signs since a final logo has not yet been agreed upon.
“We're still in search of the perfect design,” said Stemler. “We've gone through several designs and designers, aiming to get it just right. Additionally, we need to raise more funds to ensure comprehensive and effective signage throughout the trail.”
The Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association envisions a design that encapsulates the ocean, the two mountain ranges, and wine, yet remains simple and recognizable enough for someone driving by at 65 miles per hour.
“It's a delicate balance between complexity and clarity that we're striving to achieve,” she said. “We welcome any ideas.”
The changes come just as the harvest season wraps up. Cooler weather conditions contributed to delayed ripening, resulting in the harvest starting about three weeks later than a typical year.
When the harvest began in the region, first with sparkling wine berries in late August then still wine grapes in late September, Jason Smith, president and CEO of Valley Farm Management said the delay in ripening allows for extended “hang time,” a crucial factor in developing exceptional grape quality. This year, he said to expect lower sugar and alcohol levels due to a compressed harvesting window of 30 days, compared to the typical 60 days, and a crop size that remains average.
Smith said Monterey County was ideally positioned to deliver high-quality fruit this vintage, even as other regions struggled with grape ripening issues.
Matt Shea of Bernardus Winery in Carmel Valley had said in early October that the pH (acidity), and the Brix (sugar) levels were aligned and as long as the region did not get significant rain and the warm weather continued, an exceptional harvest was expected.
Greg Freeman, winemaker at Foley Family Wines' Chalone Vineyard, said that though optimal ripeness was achieved just over three weeks later than in 2022, the quality seemed to be poised to surpass any vintage in the last decade.
“This year's wine harvest season was extremely challenging for many,” said Stemler. “Yet as intense pressure turns carbon into diamonds, so the challenges of this year will result in some of the best wines in decades.”
But there are still many challenges facing the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association as it attempts to capitalize and promote the Monterey Wine Trail of the Salinas Valley.
Catering to wine tourists, the area will have to overcome obstacles such as limited hospitality options in the form of quality hotel accommodations, as well as a lack of diverse dining options along the trail.
Stemler said that while some wineries offer prepackaged charcuterie and snacks, there is room for improvement in culinary offerings for wine tourists.
South Salinas Valley cities could tap into the tourist draw by converting storefronts to invite and appeal to guests with businesses that might cater to them. Roads in the rural areas where the wineries exist are often marred by potholes and could also benefit from ongoing maintenance for locals and visitors alike.
“Getting Lyft or Uber drivers can be challenging in the Salinas Valley,” said Stemler. “However, there are alternative options like winery tour operators that provide transportation services, as listed on MontereyWines.org.”
Stemler said that it is worth noting that the the distance between the northernmost winery offering a tasting experience, Odonata Winery, with the southernmost, Scheid Vineyards, is 31 miles.
“This distance is similar in size to Napa Valley, which at 30 miles long and 5 miles wide boasts over 400 wineries and 90 urban tasting rooms,” said Stemler. “The (Monterey Wine Trail of the Salinas Valley) has only nine wineries offering tasting experiences in 31 miles, highlighting the need for growth and development in the region's wine tourism sector.”
In total, the Monterey County wine region comprises more than 43,000 acres of wine grapes. Thanks to the region's unique microclimates, more than 50 different varietals of wine grapes are cultivated in the ten federally-designated grapegrowing areas with specific geographic or climate features that influence grape growth and wine characteristics. The American Viticultural Areas throughout Monterey County include Arroyo Seco, Carmel Valley, Chalone, Gabilan Mountains, Hames Valley, Monterey, San Antonio Valley, San Bernabe, San Lucas and Santa Lucia Highlands.
In a report commissioned by the Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers, the wine industry in Monterey County contributed $1.4 billion in annual economic activity in 2022.
The Economic Impact of California Wine and Grapes on Monterey County measured the full economic impact of the wine and winegrape industries in terms of employment, wages, output, taxes, tourism spending and visits, as well as charitable giving.
It reported the Monterey County wine industry, directly and indirectly, generates 10,491 jobs and $598.5 million in annual wages and benefits.