Influenced by the cooling effect of the Pacific Ocean and a combination of summer fog, warm days, and a long growing season, the Carneros wine region is an independent American Viticultural Area (AVA). Carneros became an official AVA in 1983, its unique characteristics based on climate and on its geographic features – the Pacific Ocean, the Coast Mountain Ranges and the San Francisco Bay – that affect the region’s terroir and put a distinctive stamp on its grapes.