Cucamonga Valley AVA

{{Infobox wine region

| name = Cucamonga Valley

| image = View of Cucamonga Valley AVA from Cucamonga Peak.jpg

| caption = View of the Cucamonga Valley AVA from Cucamonga Peak

| official name =

| other name =

| year = 1985{{cite journal |url=https://www.ttb.gov/media/68716/download?inline | journal=Federal Register |title=Cucamonga Valley Viticultural Area (94F-011P) | publisher=Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury |format=27 CFR Part 9 [TD ATF-362; Re: Notice No. 802] RIN 1512-AA07 Final Rule | volume=60 |issue=62 |pages=16576-16579|date=1995-03-31}}{{PD-notice}}

| wine years = {{years ago|1838}}

| country = United States

| part of = California, Riverside County, San Bernardino County

| similar = Yucaipa Valley AVA

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| climate region = Region IV

| heat units = 3501-4000 GDD units

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| soil = alluvial valley floors, fans and terraces derived

from granitic rock

| total size = {{cvt|109400|acre}}

| planted = {{convert|2000|acre}}

| vineyards =

| grapes = Aleatico, Alicante Bouschet, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chasselas, Grenache, Merlot, Mission, Mourvedre, Palomino, Pedro Ximenes, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Zinfandel{{cite web |website=Appellation America | date=2007 | url=http://wine.appellationamerica.com/wine-region/cucamonga-Valley.html |title=Cucamonga Valley (AVA): Appellation Profile| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303183852/http://wine.appellationamerica.com/wine-region/cucamonga-Valley.html |archive-date=2016-03-03 |access-date=2008-01-23}}

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}}

Cucamonga Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) straddling the border of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, California in the Cucamonga Valley region of the Pomona Valley, about {{convert|15|mi}} west of San Bernardino. It was established on March 30, 1985 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted from Gino L. Filippi of J. Filippi Vintage Co. on behalf of himself, local grape growers and vintners to propose a viticultural area known as "Cucamonga Valley."{{cite web |title=Petition for the Establishment of American Viticultural Area "Cucamonga Valley"| url=https://www.ttb.gov/media/68717/download?inline| website=TTB.gov| author1=Filippi, Gino L.| publisher=J. Filippi Vintage Co. | date=1994-05-28}}{{PD-notice}}{{cite news |author1=Berger, Dan |title=California’s Lost Wine Country : Cotes de Cucamonga |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-05-19-fo-59395-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |date=May 19, 1994 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250112031317/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-05-19-fo-59395-story.html |archive-date=2025-01-12|url-status=live}}

The AVA designation enables wineries to use the name "Cucamonga Valley" on their wine labels when utilizing at least 85% Cucamonga Valley grapes.{{cite web |url=http://www.insidetheie.com/the-wineries-of-rancho-cucamonga |website=Inside The Inland Empire| title=The Wineries of Rancho Cucamonga are back | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130707171135/http://www.insidetheie.com/the-wineries-of-rancho-cucamonga |archive-date=2013-07-07 |access-date=2007-05-09}}

Cucamonga Valley has a warm climate for viniculture, with summer temperatures often exceeding {{convert|100|°F|°C|0}}. The valley floor is sandy, alluvial soils. Pierce's disease has affected vines in the valley.

History

Grape cultivation began in the Cucamonga Valley in 1838 by Tiburcio Tapia on the Rancho Cucamonga, a Mexican land grant in Alta California. In 1859 rancher John Rains began large vine plantings in Cucamonga, introducing agriculture on a large scale to replace traditional cattle and sheep raising in the region. By 1917 the Cucamonga-Guasti vineyards spanned over 20,000 acres, and Secondo Guasti was advertising his vineyard as "The Largest in the World."

When Prohibition began in 1920, the Cucamonga Valley produced more wine grapes than Napa County and Sonoma County combined. In 1910, the former Mission Vineyard winery, later known as the Virginia Dare Winery, was established in the town of Rancho Cucamonga followed by others including the Thomas Brothers Winery, G. Filippi and Son Winery, and Ellena Bros./Regina Winery.

Following Prohibition and its Repeal in 1933, the wine industry and other agricultural businesses in the Cucamonga Valley faced increasing pressure from the urban expansion of Los Angeles and Orange Counties. During the 1970s, agricultural land in Cucamonga Valley underwent massive conversion and loss to suburbanization, for families from those counties seeking affordable housing.

The Joseph Filippi Winery & Vineyards and other vintners and growers in the area worked to attain the AVA designation, and have been bringing back winemaking to the Cucamonga Valley.

Wineries

class="wikitable sortable"

!Name

!City

!Year of Creation

Biane Brothers Winery

|Rancho Cucamonga, CA

|1832 {{cite web|url=https://www.bianewine.com/Our-History |title= About Paul Biane &The Biane Family|website=Biane Wine|language=en-US|access-date=2024-10-05}}

Scythian Wine Co.{{Cite web|url= https://www.instagram.com/scythianwineco?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== |title= Scythian Wine Co.|website= Instagram|language=en-US|access-date=2024-10-05}}

|Fontana, CA

|2021

Galleano Winery

|Mira Loma, CA

|1927

Joseph Filippi Winery & Vineyards

|Rancho Cucamonga, CA

|1922

Rancho De Philo Winery

|Rancho Cucamonga, CA

|1974{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailybulletin.com/lifestyle/20141103/rancho-de-philos-award-winning-sherry-a-family-tradition|title=Rancho de Philo's award-winning Sherry a family tradition|date=2014-11-03|website=Daily Bulletin|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-31}}