Ramona Valley is the South Coast’s third and San Diego County’s second American Viticultural Area (AVA) respectively. The approval of the appellation is another positive step forward towards re-establishing the South Coast’s once vibrant wine industry.

Much of the renewed enthusiasm in the region has come with improvements in viticultural techniques that have lead to an exciting new age of vineyard planting in the valley. The region now boasts more than a dozen bonded wineries, 20 vineyards and more than 60 acres under vine. Plantings have largely been to big red wine varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Mouvedre, as well as some Iberian varieties, amongst others. The chosen varieties also tend to be more disease resistant relative to the vines planted here in the past. Such varietal choices for the region should prove successful for this new appellation, both on a viticultural and on a marketing front.