Paso Robles Estrella District AVA

Paso Robles Estrella District

Wine region
Type	American Viticultural Area
Year established	2014[1]
Years of wine industry	50[2]
Country	United States
Part of	California, Central Coast AVA, San Luis Obispo County, Paso Robles AVA
Other regions in California, Central Coast AVA, San Luis Obispo County, Paso Robles AVA	Adelaida District AVA, Creston District AVA, El Pomar District AVA, Paso Robles Geneseo District AVA, Paso Robles Highlands District AVA, Paso Robles Willow Creek District AVA, San Miguel District AVA, San Juan Creek AVA, Santa Margarita Ranch AVA, Templeton Gap District AVA
Growing season	214 days[3]
Climate region	Region III[1]
Heat units	3,300 GDDs[4]
Precipitation (annual average)	12.5 to 15.5 inches (317.5–393.7 mm)[1]
Soil conditions	Deep to moderate depth alluvial terrace soils, with sandy to coarse and clay loam textures; slightly acidic, but more alkaline at depth.[4]
Total area	66,900 acres (104.5 sq mi)[1]
Size of planted vineyards	8,500 acres (3,400 ha)[1]
No. of vineyards	35[2]
Grapes produced	Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Merlot, Mourvèdre, Syrah
No. of wineries	14[2]

Paso Robles Estrella District is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in San Luis Obispo County, California and within the multi-county Central Coast AVA. It was established on October 8, 2014 by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Treasury after reviewing the petitions submitted in 2007 by the Paso Robles American Viticultural Area Committee (PRAVAC) to establish 11 new viticultural areas located entirely within the existing 669,253 acres (1,046 sq mi) Paso Robles viticultural area adjacent to the northern boundary of San Luis Obispo County. The proposed viticultural areas are: Adelaida District, Creston District, El Pomar District, Paso Robles Estrella District, Paso Robles Geneseo District, Paso Robles Highlands District, Paso Robles Willow Creek District, San Juan Creek, San Miguel District, Santa Margarita Ranch, and Templeton Gap District.^[2][4]

The Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area is located in the north-central portion of the Paso Robles viticultural area, northeast of the city of Paso Robles centered around the town of Estrella. Generally, the Estrella District occupies the area east of U.S. 101 and north of SR 46 bisected by the Estrella River watershed. The AVA boundary is generally shaped like a triangle, with its apex pointed at the San Luis Obispo–Monterey County line. The location of the viticultural area is in the same general region as the 1844 La Estrella Land Grant, which was made by the Mexican governor to the Salinan Indians who resided in the Mission San Miguel locale. The northern portion of the Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area boundary follows a segment of the shared San Luis Obispo County and Monterey County boundary which is also outlines the northern portion of the Paso Robles AVA. Beyond the northern boundary are steep canyons, which contrast with the valleys and terraces of the area. The northeastern portion of the boundary extends diagonally southeast from the San Luis Obispo County line at Ranchito Canyon to Shedd Canyon on the Estrella River following straight lines between peaks in the Temblor Range that roughly separate the viticultural area from the steeper and more arid terrain to the east not included in any of the proposed viticultural areas named in the petitions. The southeastern portion of the boundary follows an intermittent stream in Shedd Canyon to a section line that is used to define part of the viticultural area’s southern boundary. The southeastern portion of the boundary of the Estrella District viticultural area is shared with the northwestern portion of the boundary of the San Juan Creek viticultural area.^[4]