Cosumnes River AVA
| Wine region | |
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
|---|---|
| Year established | 2006 |
| Country | United States |
| Part of | California, Central Valley, Sacramento County, Lodi AVA |
| Other regions in California, Central Valley, Sacramento County, Lodi AVA | Alta Mesa AVA, Borden Ranch AVA, Sloughhouse AVA |
| Growing season | 318 days |
| Climate region | Region II-V |
| Heat units | 2,784–4,444.5 GDD units |
| Precipitation (annual average) | 17.4 inches (442 mm) |
| Soil conditions | San Joaquin series, gravelly clay loam with silty, alluvial soils in lower areas |
| Total area | 54,700 acres (85 sq mi) |
| Size of planted vineyards | 3,500 acres (1,400 ha) |
| Grapes produced | Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Vermentino |
| No. of wineries | 2 |
Cosumnes River is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Sacramento County, California within the northwestern portion of the vast Lodi appellation encompassing the lower Cosumnes River. It lies approximately 20 miles (32 km) south of Sacramento and 14 miles (23 km) north of the city of Lodi while bordering the west side of the town of Galt. It was established on July 17, 2006, as the nation's 160th, the state's 101st and the county's fifth 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 "Cosumnes River."
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.
Cosumnes River AVA encompasses 54,700 acres (85 sq mi) where 3,500 acres (1,416 ha) are under vine. Its elevations range from about 5 to 48 feet (2–15 m) above sea level which allows frequent fog keep the Cosumnes River area cooler than other Lodi sub-appellations. The cooler Delta influences are beneficial to white wine varieties, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Vermentino, as well as reds, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. The plant hardiness zone is 9b.