2019 Fossil Canyon San Bernabe, California Chenin Blanc

But have you heard of San Bernabe? It’s the most centrally located wine region within that county. Although it received its American Viticultural Area designation in 2004, its history dates back to 1776 when Father Pedro Font named it after Saint Barnabas. In 1842 Petronillo Rios, a cattle rancher, was the first to produce a bottled wine from locally grown grapes.

Since then, of San Bernabe’s 25,000 acres, more than 5,000 have been planted to grapevines, producing wines reflective of their terroir. The average annual temperature closely resembles that of vineyards in Napa Valley, but the cool evenings can extend the growing season by as much as four weeks.

The San Bernabe appellation grows more than 20 varietals, including Chenin Blanc, which most commonly is associated with France’s Loire Valley. Fossil Canyon’s 2019 vintage is fresh and balanced — a delicious wine from an under-the-radar AVA.