Templeton Gap District - Wine Region of the Day
/Templeton Gap District by David Toomey for Qorkz.
The Templeton Gap District is nestled between the Paso Robles Willow Creek District and the El Pomar District near Templeton, California. The Templeton Gap consists of a series of mountain passes created by rivers and creeks in the Santa Lucia Range through which marine air flows into the region. This is referred to as a water gap in Geology. The name “Templeton Gap” was coined by Ken Volk of Wild Horse Winery to describe the area and has since been adopted by the fellow winemakers and the local real estate industry.
The Templeton Gap is the coolest climate of the Paso Robles sub-appellations and receives approximately 20 inches of precipitation per year. The water gap allows marine influences to enter the region which moderate the daily temperatures and increase the amount of time that it takes for grapes to ripen. The elevations in the area range from 700 to 1,800 feet above sea level with the majority of the wineries located between 800 and 940 feet.
The location of the vineyards is largely along the wide terraced banks of the Paso Robles Creek and Salinas River. The soils were created by alluvium of the Monterey Formation and are largely made up ofsilty and clay loans though there are some older soils produced from the Paso Robles Formation that are more cemented and shaly. Grapes produced include Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane, Charbono, Chardonnay, Grenache, Merlot, Petite Sirah, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Primitivo, Sangiovese, Syrah, Tempranillo, Viognier and Zinfandel.