Redwood Valley

The Redwood Valley AVA is located in Mendocino County, California. The earliest vineyards in the Redwood Valley were planted by Greek and Italian immigrants in the 1880s. The vines in the Redwood Valley sit on benches above the waters of the Russian River where the soils were well-drained, the climate permitted the grapes to mature, but was still cool enough to allow the grapes to ripen slowly to enhance the deep, rich flavors of the grapes. Given the cooler climate, the fruit must sit on the vines longer to ripen, requiring a later harvest than other AVAs in the area.