Ben Lomond is a small AVA on the western flank of the Santa Cruz Mountains facing the Pacific Ocean. The four by 16-mile region reaches elevations up to 2,600 feet, and sits above the fog, soaking in summer sunshine. The elevation and ocean proximity ensure a cool climate, and grapes ripen over an extended growing season.

Ben Lomond had a highly developed wine industry during the mid 19th century. William Coope’s Ben Lomond Wine Company was one of the best wineries in the region for many years, but Prohibition put an end to all of this for several decades, until local vineyards and wineries began to be revived during the 1960s and 1970s. Unfortunately, Pierces Disease then struck in the late 1980s, and Ben Lomond Wine Country basically had to start from scratch again. Despite the region’s history of setbacks, Ben Lomond’s wineries and vineyards are doing remarkably well.

There are only a few Ben Lomond wineries, but they make up for lack of quantity with very high quality. Producers in Ben Lomond include Beauregard Vineyards, McHenry Vineyard and Hallcrest Vineyards.

Located very close to the Pacific Ocean, the climate of Ben Lomond is quite moderate. Whereas many regions on the North Coast have large temperature fluctuations between day and night that can be as great as 60 degrees, Ben Lomond’s range is more like 35 to 40 degrees. This is particularly beneficial for the wine region’s Pinot Noir vineyards. (Wine/Appellations)