Lime Kiln Valley AVA
Lime Kiln Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located within the southern end of the larger Cienega Valley viticultural area in San Benito County, California. It was established as the nation's fourteenth, the state's ninth and the county’s initial appellation on June 4, 1982 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) after reviewing the petition submitted by Susan Enz of Enz Vineyards proposing a viticultural area known as "Lime Kiln Valley." The valley is located about 19 miles (31 km) from the San Joaquin Valley landform and approximately 18 miles (29 km) from the Pacific Ocean.