Cascade Foothills AVAs

These AVAs are located in far northern California, east of Redding and also north east of Red Bluff. Between the two of them they only involve two counties: Shasta and Tehama.

This is volcanic country just west of Mt Lassen. The southern end of the Cascade Mountain Range meets the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range around here. This area is very different from the Sierra Foothills AVA much farther to the south.

The climate of the upper Sacramento Valley is warm and often hot, especially in the Redding - Red Bluff section.

Inwood Valley AVA

Inwood Valley AVA, as established on 12 September 2012, is a 28,441 acre viticultural area with 62.5 acres planted to wine grape vines or 0.2% of the AVA planted for viticulture. 

Located at an elevation ranging from 950 to 3,400 feet, it is neither too hot not too cold with a microclimate which leads to conducive grape growth.

The soil is claimed to possess certain qualities that can only be derived from the formation of quality soil due to the ground unification caused by two different volcanic eruptions thousands of years ago, Mt. Shasta and Mt. Lassen.

The original winery, Anselmo Vineyards and Winery, that submitted the original AVA application to the TTB no longer seems to be in business. There do not seem to be any active vineyards or winery businesses that are currently continuing the production of wine with Inwood Valley AVA on the label.

Manton Valley AVA

The Manton Valley AVA was established on 31st July 2014 as its own grape growing microclimate of elevations, terrain, volcanic soils and a unique minerality composition only found in this Northern California region.

Manton Valley AVA resides in the far northeastern regions of the upper Sacramento Valley of California.  It is located just a little southeast of Redding, in the historic town of Manton, in Tehama County, California.  Manton Valley AVA lies within an east-west valley and is bordered by the north and south forks of Battle Creek, a major tributary to the Sacramento River.

Not large at just 9,841 acres, yet at elevations between 2000 and 3500 feet. The elevation of Manton Valley AVA brings some daytime relief but 100+(F) days are common in the lower sections. Evening cool air from Mt Lassen flows down and drops morning temperatures into the mid to upper 50's(F) allowing for acid retention in ripening fruit.

The soil is shallow, nutrient poor, and volcanic in origin, giving a particular minerality that could set these wines apart from others in the state. This soil also offers good drainage and controls plant vigor and crop yield.  28 differing volcanic soils dominate the region. These soils are very different from those found on the Sacramento Valley floor to the west and work to keep vine yields low and concentrated. Underlying those soils are three major formations; Tuscan, Chico and Red Bluff. It is the Tuscan formation that serves to create an aquifer in the Battle Creek watershed providing dependable year round water to the AVA. The Chico formation is marine sedimentary from when this region of California was under water and is the aspect that creates the varied soils.

The large swings in temperature of this microclimate from the summer heat of over 100 degrees during the day, then to cool into the 70’s from the cool breezes from Mt. Lassen in the evenings give the grapes grown here flavors found nowhere else.

Vineyards are planted at altitudes of 2,000 to 3.500 feet, similar to those in the Sierra Foothills to the south. High altitude allows for a slower, more even-keeled ripening season. The combination of altitude and cool breezes delays the harvest until late September or early October, and it often continues well into December.

Roughly 200 acres were currently planted at the time of the approval of the AVA. Planted varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Petite Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay.