Ramona Valley
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The Ramona Valley is a wine-producing region located 28 miles (45 km) northeast of San Diego in San Diego County, California, in the United States. It was designated the country's 162nd American Viticultural Area (AVA) in January 2006 by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, which recognized the area for its distinctive microclimate, elevation, and soil attributes. Approximately 89,000 acres (360 km²) in area and centered around Ramona, California, it is 14.5 miles (23.3 km) long and 9.5 miles (15.2 km) wide. Geographically, the Ramona Valley is described as being a broad, flat valley ringed by hills and mountains that isolate it from the surrounding areas. The valley has an average vineyard elevation of 1400 ft (426 m) and an annual average rainfall of 16.5 in (420 mm).
Located within the large multi-county South Coast viticultural area, Ramona Valley is only the third AVA to be designated in Southern California, after San Pasqual Valley in 1981 and Temecula Valley in 1986. In an interview on National Public Radio, Bill Schweitzer of the Ramona Valley Vineyard Association described the area's exceptional viticultural characteristics as being partially derived from its unique location of being 25 miles (40 km) east of the ocean and 25 miles (40 km) west of the desert.
Currently the Ramona Valley viticultural area is home to 20 vineyards with 62 acres of a variety of white and red grapes in cultivation. There are nine wineries in the valley, with two tasting rooms open to the public (Schwaesdall Winery and Ramona Vintners Cellars).
