en Cole Ranch AVA

Cole Ranch
Wine region
Type	American Viticultural Area
Year established	1983
Years of wine industry	52
Country	United States
Part of	California, North Coast AVA, Mendocino County, Mendocino AVA,
Climate region	Region II
Heat units	2868 GDD
Precipitation (annual average)	40–45 in (1,016–1,143 mm)
Soil conditions	deep, gravelly clay loam to shallow, gravelly silty clay
Total area	150 acres (0.23 sq mi)
Size of planted vineyards	60 acres (24 ha)
Grapes produced	Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot noir, Riesling

Cole Ranch is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Mendocino County, California. The small viticultural area was established on April 15, 1983 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by the proprietor of Cole Ranch in Ukiah, California. At less than a quarter of a square mile, it is the smallest appellation in the United States. The viticultural area is located in a small, narrow mountain valley west of Hwy 101 on the 500 acres (0.78 sq mi) ranch originally owned by the Cole family. The valley is approximately one mile in length and a half mile across at its widest point tucked into the high hills ranging from 1,400 to 1,600 ft (427–488 m) in elevation. The AVA is located between the Russian River and Anderson Valley. Several prominent wineries source grapes from Cole Ranch including Fetzer Vineyards and Chateau St. Jean. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot Pinot Noir and Riesling are the most popular planting. Cole Ranch viticultural area is sub-region of Mendocino AVA.^[4]^[3] As of 2024, the Sterling family, proprietors of the Esterlina Winery located at Philo, owns the vineyard acreage.^[5]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Cole Ranch Viticultural Area" (27 CFR Part 9 [T.D. ATF-130; Reference Notice No. 400] Final Rule). Federal Register. 48 (74). Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury: 16247–16248. April 15, 1983. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
^ ^a ^b "Cole Ranch Viticultural Area" (27 CFR Part 9 [Notice No. 400] Proposed). Federal Register. 46 (233). Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury: 59273–59274. December 4, 1981. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
^ ^a ^b Cole II, John D.; Cole, Barbara L. (April 1, 1981). "American Viticultural Area to be Designated "Cole Ranch" Petition". TTB.gov. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
^ ^a ^b "Cole Ranch (AVA): Appellation Profile". Appellation America. 2007. Archived from the original on June 13, 2008. Retrieved January 21, 2008.
^ "Cole Ranch". Mendocino Winegrowers. Retrieved December 19, 2024.