USA · RegionA Sommo region

Monterey County

Monterey County wine guide: the wine region in USA, its Pinot Noir, the red wine and white wine it makes, and what to pour it with.

Country
USA
Climate
Maritime/oceanic
Signature grape
Pinot Noir
Styles
red · white · rosé
3
Signature grapes
4
Sub-regions
8
Bottles to find

Wine from Monterey County comes out of California, USA, where it sits as a wine region.

The signature grape is Pinot Noir, backed by Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Vines root into decomposed granite, free-draining and granite.

The climate is maritime/oceanic, running fog-prone and temperate.

The vineyards themselves read as coastal, mountains and valley floor.

Red wine, white wine and rosé wine, plus one more is what the region is known for, and in the glass it shows fruit-forward with refreshing acidity.

The named areas within are Salinas Valley, Santa Lucia Highlands, Carmel Valley and Arroyo Seco.

Pour them alongside grilled salmon, pasta with cream sauce, herbed chicken and roasted vegetables.

decant before pouring.

Keeps for 3 to 10 years.

Soil
Decomposed graniteFree-drainingGraniteGravelLoam
Climate
Maritime/oceanicFog-proneTemperate
Terrain
CoastalMountainsValley floor
Styles
redwhiterosésparkling

In the glass.

Rosé: Fruit-forward with refreshing acidity.

Grapes planted here.

Bottles to look for.

  • Belle Glos 'Las Alturas Vineyard' Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands, USA
  • Bernardus 'Marinus Vineyard' Marinus Red, Carmel Valley, USA
  • Bernardus Chardonnay, Monterey County, USA
  • Carmel Road Monterey Chardonnay, Arroyo Seco, USA
  • Carmel Road Monterey Pinot Noir, Monterey County, USA
  • Chalone Vineyard Estate Grown Chardonnay, Chalone, USA
  • Francis Ford Coppola 'Sofia' Blanc de Blancs, Monterey County, USA
  • Francis Ford Coppola 'Sofia' Rose, Monterey County, USA

At the table.

  • grilled salmon
  • pasta with cream sauce
  • herbed chicken
  • roasted vegetables

Serving and cellaring.

  • decant before pouring.
  • Keeps for 3 to 10 years.

Inside the region.

Nearby regions.

Monterey County: common questions

01.
What grapes is Monterey County known for?
+
Pinot Noir is the signature grape of Monterey County. Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are also planted here.
02.
What kind of wine does Monterey County make?
+
Monterey County produces red wine, white wine, rosé wine and sparkling wine.
03.
Where is Monterey County?
+
Monterey County is a wine region in USA.
04.
What food goes with Monterey County wine?
+
Try grilled salmon, pasta with cream sauce, herbed chicken and roasted vegetables.
05.
How long does Monterey County wine age?
+
Keeps for 3 to 10 years, though it varies by producer and vintage.

More from here: every wine region in USA, or the wider California guide.

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