North Yuba AVA

North Yuba
Wine region
TypeAmerican Viticultural Area
Year established1985[1]
Years of wine industry174[1]
CountryUnited States
Part ofCalifornia, Sierra Foothills AVA
Other regions in California, Sierra Foothills AVACalifornia Shenandoah Valley AVA, El Dorado AVA, Fair Play AVA, Fiddletown AVA
Climate regionRegion II,III[1]
Precipitation (annual average)20 to 25 in (508–635 mm)[1]
Soil conditionsSierra-Auberry, Englebright-Rescue and Dobbins developed from granitic and igneous rocks[1]
Total area22,400 acres (35 sq mi)[1]
Size of planted vineyards365 acres (148 ha)[2]
No. of vineyards5[2]
Grapes producedCabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Pinot noir, Riesling, Sangiovese, Sauvignon blanc, Semillon, Syrah, Zinfandel[2]
Varietals produced13[2]
No. of wineries4[2]

North Yuba is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Yuba County, California, United States about 70 miles (113 km) north of Sacramento. It was established on August 30, 1985 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Treasury after approving the submitted petition by Karl Werner and James R. Bryant, officers of Renaissance Vineyard and Winery, Inc. in Oregon House. They petitioned ATF for the establishment of a viticultural area to be named "North Yuba.”

The name "North Yuba" is well documented. Yuba County is named after the Yuba River which took its name from the Indian tribe which populated the area. "North Yuba" is the name used locally to designate the area in north central Yuba County in which the towns of Dobbins and Oregon House are located.[1] The appellation consists of the middle and upper foothills in Yuba County immediately west of the Sierra Nevadas and north of the Yuba River. The 2,000 feet (610 m) contour line of the Sierra Nevada Mountains forms the eastern and northern portions of the boundary of the viticultural area and the 1,000 feet (305 m) contour line north of the Yuba River canyon forms the southern portion of the boundary. The soil is primarily volcanic, with dense plutonic rock. In 1985, the appellation encompassed 22,400 acres (35 sq mi) with 365 acres (148 ha) of cultivation and one commercial winery operating in the "North Yuba."[1][3] Renaissance Vineyard and Winery was the largest producer in the region, with 365 acres (148 ha) of terraced vineyards. Cabernet Sauvignon is the primary wine grape grown with Rhône varietals Syrah, Grenache, Semillon, Viognier and Roussanne also flourishing.[2]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "North Yuba Viticultural Area" (27 CFR Part 9 [T.D. ATF-211; Notice No. 560] Final Rule). Federal Register. 50 (146). Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury: 30818–30821. July 30, 1985.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "North Yuba (AVA): Appellation Profile". Appellation America. 2007. Archived from the original on September 23, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2008.
  3. ^ Mobley, Esther (September 22, 2018). "How a California cult created one of the country's great wineries — and then lost it" (The haunting story of a vineyard’s rise, collapse and refusal to die). San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on June 17, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2024.