San Luis Rey AVA: A New Chapter for Monserate Winery
If you love wine and local history, you’ll be excited to hear that our home region earned its own AVA. On September 30, 2024 the TTB officially established the 97,733-acre San Luis Rey American Viticultural Area. In other words, San Diego’s San Luis Rey Valley (stretching from Oceanside inland through Fallbrook) is now a federally recognized wine region. This designation means winemakers can finally label their bottles with “San Luis Rey AVA,” highlighting the unique origin of our grapes. The new AVA can be seen on our 2024 white wine vintages and 2023 red wine vintages.
Heritage of the Land
San Luis Rey Valley takes its name from our historic mission and river. The AVA honors the Mission San Luis Rey de Francia (founded in 1798) near the riverbanks. For centuries this fertile valley has supported ranches, citrus groves, and vineyards. Local vintners led by Fallbrook’s Rebecca Wood petitioned the TTB that San Luis Rey’s soil, terroir, and heritage make it distinct from surrounding areas. We at Monserate are proud to be part of this legacy. The land’s story – from mission-era olive and grape vines to today’s estate winery – runs deep in every bottle.
Cool Coastal Climate
Our vineyards enjoy a remarkably cool, maritime climate for Southern California. The valley sits at low elevation (about 563 feet on average) and is open to Pacific breezes. Ocean air routinely moderates summer heat, so our vines see mild days and cool nights. As a result, San Luis Rey’s mean and peak ripening temperatures are noticeably lower than those inland. This long, even growing season lets grapes develop complex flavors without overripening. In fact, even TTB reviewers noted that San Luis Rey’s coastal influence on temperature and acidity “invites the planting of grape varieties not otherwise found in the South Coast AVA” – which explains why regional growers (like us) choose some unique varieties.
Varieties We Grow
Monserate specializes in Italian and Mediterranean grapes that thrive here. Our estate grows Montepulciano, Falanghina, Negroamaro, Vermentino, and Petite Sirah (among 15 total varieties). These grapes love San Luis Rey’s balance of warm days and ocean-cooled nights. We believe the sandy loam soils (rich in nutrients and well-draining) further help these vines express purity of fruit. Now that San Luis Rey is an AVA, every bottle we label can proudly reflect this origin.
Celebrating Our New AVA
We at Monserate Winery couldn’t be prouder that our vineyards lie fully within the new San Luis Rey AVA. This designation isn’t just a label – it’s recognition of the special terroir we work every day. As our winemaker put it:
“This designation recognizes the incredible potential of our terroir and deepens our commitment to crafting distinctive wines that reflect the soul of San Luis Rey.”
Justin Mund | Winemaker
Being part of a federally recognized AVA underscores our mission of commitment, conservation, and community. We look forward to pouring the first Official San Luis Rey AVA vintages from our estate. Please join us in raising a glass – to our valley’s history, its bright future, and the many great wines yet to come in the San Luis Rey AVA!