Hames Valley AVA
| Wine region | |
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1994 |
| Years of wine industry | 54 |
| Country | United States |
| Part of | California, Central Coast AVA, Monterey County, Monterey AVA |
| Other regions in California, Central Coast AVA, Monterey County, Monterey AVA | Arroyo Seco AVA, San Bernabe AVA, San Lucas AVA, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA |
| Climate region | Region III-IV |
| Heat units | 3200-3500 GDD |
| Precipitation (annual average) | 10 to 12 in (254–305 mm) |
| Soil conditions | Lockwood series gravelly sandy loam |
| Total area | 10,240 acres (16 sq mi) |
| Size of planted vineyards | 1994: 630 acres (255 ha) 2024: 2,200 acres (890 ha) |
| No. of vineyards | 8 |
| Grapes produced | Alvarelhão, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Mourvèdre, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Souzao, Tannat, Tempranillo, Tinta Cão, Touriga Nacional |
| No. of wineries | 20 |
Hames Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Monterey County, California a few miles from its southern border with San Luis Obispo (SLO) County. The state's 67th appellation was established on April 15, 1994 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Mr. Barry C. Jackson of the Harmony Wine Company on behalf of Valley Farm Management, Soledad, California, and Mr. Bob Denney & Associates, Visalia, California to establish a viticultural area within Monterey County known as "Hames Valley."
The viticultural area is a small east-west oriented valley, west of the generally north-south orientation of the meandering Salinas River. It is located between the southeast foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains and the west of the confluence of the Salinas, San Antonio, and Nacimiento Rivers. The watershed of Hames Creek is the defining feature of the appellation. Hames Valley is 3 miles (5 km) west of the town of Bradley and about 20 miles (32 km) north of the city of Paso Robles and AVA in San Luis Obispo county. It encompasses about 16 square miles (10,240 acres) with 630 acres (255 ha) of cultivation and wholly lies within the vast Monterey viticultural area. There were several existing vineyards, but no wineries when the appellation was recognized. The shale loam soil found in Hames Valley, combined with its warmer weather is the ideal setting for growing signature Rhone varietals.