Pacheco Pass is an AVA located in Santa Clara County, California, although its southernmost part lies within San Benito County. The few vineyards within the AVA produce easy-going wines made of Chardonnay, Merlot and Gewurztraminer, usually for local consumption.
The Pacheco mountain pass is an important (and supposedly haunted) 15-mile (24-km) route through the Diablo Range connecting the San Francisco Bay area to the Central Valley. The vineyards can be found at the southernmost end of the Santa Clara Valley, just a few miles from the equally obscure San Ysidro District AVA.
The topography in the Pacheco Pass is characterised by gently rolling hills. Wind is sucked into the area through the Pajaro River Gap, which opens up to the cold waters of Monterey Bay in the west. Pacheco Pass also feels warming influences from the hot Central Valley that lies across the Diablo Hills in the east. It is this moderate, transitional climate that makes Pacheco Pass suitable for grape growing – vines that experience warm sunshine and cooling winds have a longer growing season, leading to a greater balance of ripeness and acidity in the grapes.
The only winery in the region is the third-generation Zanger Vineyards, established in 1908. Pacheco Pass was granted AVA status in 1984 after a petition by the Zanger family, and now produces good-quality, everyday wines.
