What is California's Next Big Region?

[Mel_Knox]

I am not sure how much more plantable land there is in the Anderson Valley. There are also water issues. This is true for many parts of California and Eastern Washington as well.

Larry, it is certainly true that most folks think of Santa Barbara as adjacent to Huntington beach. When I sold ABC and Qupe in the UK and France, people were astounded by the wines because they thought of it in Hollywood terms. They were accustomed to thinking, Well, if it s too hot for Pinot Noir in Calistoga, then what about lake County. South to North, not closer to the maritime influence. But they learned.

I am not sure if people on the East Coast have any idea of what Walla walla is like, or Lodi for that matter. Growing up I thought of Walla Walla for the state prison and Whitman college. Lodi’s reputation, derived from the CCR song, is changing.

I really think the land of opportunity is Eastern Washington. You can get water, land and farming costs are reasonable. Lots of Californians are investing there.

[larry_schaffer]

In all honesty, a region that has so much upside potential on a national and international scale is Paso - as long as they can find more water

Cheers!

[Frank_Murray_III]

@J Scott

@Peter Tryba

Anderson Valley is my pick

I’m with Peter, Anderson Valley.

As am I. I love the wines coming out of AV.

[Joe_Webb]

@Mel Knox

I am not sure how much more plantable land there is in the Anderson Valley. There are also water issues. This is true for many parts of California and Eastern Washington as well.

We have had a couple of seminars evaluating whats possible here. From a soil type, slope aspect/angle at that time they were concluding you could double the acreage. We were about 2,000-2,100 acres at that time, now about 2,200 acres. So up to 4,000 or so is possible.

The water issues you mention are generally on the tops of the ridges. Building ponds to catch surface water is definitely not easy or cheap but possible. Wells are sufficient for establishing/irrigating reasonable crop loads, but not for frost.

@Frank Murray III

@J Scott

@Peter Tryba

Anderson Valley is my pick

I’m with Peter, Anderson Valley.

As am I. I love the wines coming out of AV.

Thanks for the support FMIII!

Most up here think AV has already “made it”, our own rating for vintage charts for PN, and the cover of the spectator a couple years ago. I think most also admit if we were CA’s next big region we it would be easier to “make it” here, operating in the black not red.

I wold also say any location 2-3 hours from a big city(the market as Mel called it), SF, Sacramento, LA, etc. That would rule out much farther north than us.

[lleichtman]

@Chris Seiber

I’d like the answer to be Humboldt, which could deliver quality, value, and a fresher style.

My guess is that Humboldt is likely to become the next big region in cultivating a different intoxicant, or maybe it already is one.

Already there. Doubt there is much land available for vineyards in Humboldt.

[Andrew_Morris]

@lleichtman

@Chris Seiber

I’d like the answer to be Humboldt, which could deliver quality, value, and a fresher style.

My guess is that Humboldt is likely to become the next big region in cultivating a different intoxicant, or maybe it already is one.

Already there. Doubt there is much land available for vineyards in Humboldt.

Sorry. Have you been here to Humboldt?

According to Wikipedia, there are nearly 1,500,000 acres of land in the county.

It is hard to estimate how much land is occupied by cannabis, for obvious reasons. I am going to go out on a limb and say that the acres for this crop are in the 1,000’s of acres but not 10’s of thousands. There are HUGE swaths of Humboldt that are wide open to grape farming.

What is not here is labor infrastructure. Some might argue that the will to farm crops that are measured in tons versus grams is an issue too. Also, land values, now less so than previously, are still inflated due to the potential of legal cannabis farming.

Here in Humboldt, the times they are a change’n with regulation/legalization.

In case you want more on Humboldt, here is our Regional Thread: Humboldt County - WINE TALK - WineBerserkers

[John_Cabot]

@lleichtman

@Chris Seiber

I’d like the answer to be Humboldt, which could deliver quality, value, and a fresher style.

My guess is that Humboldt is likely to become the next big region in cultivating a different intoxicant, or maybe it already is one.

Already there. Doubt there is much land available for vineyards in Humboldt.

Actually, IMO, there is going to be a lot of land for sale in rural Humboldt very soon as statewide overproduction and regulation of cannabis are squeezing small growers from both sides. The result will likely be many properties up for sale for relatively cheap in the coming years as growers face the inevitable and are forced to move out of the hills.

[M_Dildine]

@Mel Knox

Lodi.

Under appreciated for sure. A warm climate, getting warmer though. Still, some great old vine Zins are sourced there.

[Todd_Hamina]

Based on local sales to Cali folk up here, I’d say Oregon.

[Andrew_Morris]

@Todd Hamina

Based on local sales to Cali folk up here, I’d say Oregon.

Question, Todd: You want CA winemakers and farmers promoting themselves in the Oregon threads?

Lots of Oregon and WA buyers picking up CA wine from what I see.

[Todd_Hamina]

If you want to take as self promotion go ahead. Just stating facts.

[larry_schaffer]

@Todd Hamina

If you want to take as self promotion go ahead. Just stating facts.

Dude, stay off my wave!!!

In all honesty, Todd, OR certainly IS becoming CA North with the number of CA wineries purchasing land/wineries at an alarming rate . . .

Cheers!

[Joe_Webb]

@larry schaffer

In all honesty, Joe, Mendo/AV certainly IS becoming SoNapa North with the number of SoNapa wineries purchasing land/wineries at an alarming rate . . .

Cheers!

Fixed it for ya Larry. It has been happening with vineyard land and wineries over the last few years. Now residential residential real estate is undergoing a very similar thing at an exelerated pace due to the fires. Next to no inventory in Willits/Ukiah/Hopland, multiple offers on whats on the market for over asking.

[larry_schaffer]

Wowsa . . . but that’s not for WINE is it?!?!? Isn’t the other crop driving that?

Cheers.

[Dave_McCloskey]

I’ve got my eye on the awesome Pinots a new wave of winemakers are creating in the greater Death Valley area! I think that region has a ton of potential.

[Joe_Webb]

@larry schaffer

Wowsa . . . but that’s not for WINE is it?!?!? Isn’t the other crop driving that?

Cheers.

Don’t think so, the other crop has been here for basically the same amount of time as wine grapes. Both were started here during the back to the land movement from the mid 60’s thru the 90’s. Taxes and regulations, are leading to more “early retirements” to stay away from CABC than newcomers into the biz. Prices have crashed from $4,000/lb 10 years ago to not even $500 now for the best of the best. People were giving it away for free around the holidays celebrating never growing again.

I know of a few folks who do wine and weed and its amazing to me how unwilling so many are to follow all the similar regs we do for growing, manufacturing, selling, taxes, insurance, sales tax, etc.

Good friends of the family run most of the titles in the county. South facing with access to water has been huge here for decades. Residential has not really been that strong at all. Now residential is stronger than anything real estate related and is projected to be thru the next 2-5 years.

[John_Cabot]

Well it’s as if your wines value went from $40 a bottle to $5, and on top of that you were getting taxed(equivalent) a $1.50 a bottle by the state and paying $1/ sq ft. for your vineyard. Theres no way anyone but the largest concerns can survive in a model like that. Hence so many people opting out and retiring.