Situated in an area within the Santa Monica Mountains in Southern California, the Malibu Coast AVA was established in 2014, although grapes growing here dates back to the early 1800s.

As you might imagine, part of the appellation skirts the city of Malibu near the Pacific Ocean, at the southern border; the town of Calabasas, made famous by a Mark Twain short story, is also part of the AVA, toward it northern border.

With the mountains and the sea breezes and incoming fog, this is a maritime climate, where there is an ideal difference between warm daytime and cool nighttime temperatures. This helps assure ideal acidity and structure.

Principal varieties are Chardonnay (85%) with the remaining plantings devoted to Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, and small amounts of Grenache, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Soils are volcanic, with some sandy deposits. There are currently about 50 wineries in the Malibu Coast appellation; while the area of the AVA covers 45,000 acres, only a few hundred are planted, as much of the land is either too difficult to plant or is too cool.

Pair the Chardonnay with seafood with fruit-based sauces, while the reds work well with grilled meats. (Wine/Appellations)