Merritt Island (California)
| Wine region | |
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1983 |
| Years of wine industry | 57 |
| Country | United States |
| Part of | California, Yolo County, Clarksburg AVA |
| Other regions in California, Yolo County, Clarksburg AVA | Merritt Island, Florida |
| Growing season | 281 days |
| Climate region | Region IV |
| Heat units | 3,525 GDD units |
| Precipitation (annual average) | 18 in (460 mm) |
| Soil conditions | Columbian sandy loam |
| Total area | 5,000 acres (8 sq mi) |
| Size of planted vineyards | 425 acres (172 ha) |
| No. of vineyards | 5 |
| Grapes produced | Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc, Merlot, Petite Sirah, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillion |
| No. of wineries | 2 |
Merritt Island is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Yolo County, California It is an island landform in the Sacramento River Delta lying only six miles (9.7 km) south of the state capital of Sacramento,. The 5,000-acre (8 sq mi) wine appellation was established as the nation's 27th, the state's 23rd and the county's initial AVA on May 17, 1983, by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Mr. Chris Bogle of Bogle Vineyards, Incorporated, on behalf of himself, proposing the viticultural area within Yolo County to be known as "Merritt Island."
The island, approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) long from north to south and only 1.6 miles (2.6 km) at its widest point, is surrounded by Elk Slough, Sutter Slough, and the Sacramento River with a maritime climate of cool breezes and fog arriving from the nearby San Francisco Bay. Its soil is a very fertile and rich loam yielding grapes used in blends with fruit from other parts of the state. Merritt Island was administered under Reclamation District 150.
The plant hardiness zone is 9b.
In January 1984, Merritt Island viticultural area became a sub-appellation within the 16-mile-long (26 km) by 8-mile-wide (13 km), 64,640 acres (101 sq mi) Clarksburg AVA that spanned across portions of Sacramento, Solano and Yolo Counties.