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Willow Creek is an AVA in Humboldt County at the northern extreme of California's wine country. It covers a section of the Trinity River valley around the town of Willow Creek on the edge of Humboldt County, with a small part of the AVA protruding into Trinity County. The zone is small and sparsely planted, but it nevertheless produces a diverse range of wines from Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

The town of Willow Creek can be found about two-thirds of the way up the eastern border of Humboldt County, and is in fact far closer to the southern border of Oregon than to California's most famous wine-producing region, Napa Valley. The AVA covers the valley floor within a few miles either side of the town, and the surrounding slopes up to an elevation of 1000ft (300m).

Willow Creek AVA is distinguished from the larger Humboldt County AVA by its climate. While the larger county appellation is classified as cool and rainy, Willow Creek has a more Mediterranean climate, and summers here are hotter than in the surrounding area. However, cool ocean air still reaches the AVA through the valleys that connect the rivers to the coast. This contributes to the significant diurnal temperature variation that Willow Creek experiences. The combination of warm days followed by much cooler nights leads to an extended ripening period, and grapes have time to develop rich flavors and aromas while still retaining acidity.

Willow Creek is situated in the heavily forested Klamath Mountains, which cover most of Humboldt County and of Trinity County and extend up to Rogue Valley in southern Oregon. Soils in the mountains are typically made up of rocky shale and limestone. They drain freely, so the vines have to develop deep root systems to reach the water in the ground. This results in strong, healthy vines that produce high-quality grapes. Aspect is important in Willow Creek as well, and viticulturists choose their vineyard sites carefully, with the needs of individual grape varieties in mind.

The AVA was delimited in 1983, and today has only a handful of vineyards within its boundaries.

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