Alta Mesa - Wine Region of the Day
/Alta Mesa
Alta Mesa received its designation as an AVA in 2006. Alta Mesa is one of the seven sub-appellation of the Lodi AVA and is located in Sacramento County. Spanish for the term "high table" is found in the north central portion of Lodi and consists of 55,400 acres. The soil in Alta Mesa consists of clay, and gravel. The climate of Alta Mesa is warm with very little rainfall annually. The dense soil and low rainfall force the vines to grow smaller and focus all of their energy in producing their fruit, giving it a robust deep flavor. The most common grape varieties are Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.