Alta Mesa AVA

Alta Mesa is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located solely in Sacramento County, California and the north-central portion of the established Lodi viticultural area. Alta Mesa, from its center point, is 21 miles (34 km) south of downtown Sacramento and 13 miles (21 km) north from downtown Lodi. It was established on July 17, 2006, as the nation's 157^th, the state's 98^th and the county's third appellation by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Lodi American Viticultural Areas (LAVA) Steering Committee proposing a viticultural area in Sacramento County known as "Alta Mesa".

The LAVA Steering Committee actually petitioned TTB in 2003 for seven new viticultural areas within the boundaries of the existing Lodi viticultural area in southern Sacramento and northern San Joaquin Counties. The seven LAVA Steering Committee petitions proposed the creation of the Alta Mesa, Borden Ranch, Clements Hills, Cosumnes River, Jahant, Mokelumne River and Sloughhouse viticultural areas. The sixteen wine industry members that comprise the committee stated that their proposal subdivides the existing Lodi area into "seven smaller viticultural areas of distinction." The establishment of the seven viticultural areas did not in any way affect the 551,500-acre (861.7 sq mi) Lodi AVA which continues as a single American viticultural area within its current boundary. However, the TTB ruled that the seven proposed areas fall entirely within the 1986 original 458,000-acre (716 sq mi) boundaries and thus, as proposed, would not include any of the 93,500 acres (146.1 sq mi) added to Lodi AVA when it was expanded along its western and southern borders in 2002.

Alta Mesa encompasses 55,400 acres (87 sq mi) with approximately 5,000 acres (2,000 ha) under vine according to the petition. The irregularly shaped, five-sided area is 13.3-mile-long (21.4 km) north to south, and 8.3-mile-wide (13.4 km) at its widest point east to west. The Alta Mesa "tabletop" landform and the extent of the Joaquin soil series generally outline the boundary of the viticultural area. Initial plantings were standard red wine varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Zinfandel, then later diversified to include alternative varieties as Verdelho, Vermentino, Albariño/Alvarinho, Grenache blanc, Moscato Giallo, Torrontés, Tannat, and black skinned Port grapes such as Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz/Tempranillo, Tinta Cão, Souzão, Alvarelhão and Tinta Amarela. The plant hardiness zone is 9b.