The 37,000 acres (58 sq mi) area was recognized on September 18, 1983 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Beaulieu Vineyards proposing to establish a viticultural area named "Los Carneros.”[4][5] The proximity to the cool fog and breezes from San Pablo Bay to the south makes the climate in Los Carneros cooler and more moderate than wine regions farther north in Napa and Sonoma Valleys.

[6] Receiving its AVA status in 1983, the Carneros area was the first wine region in California to be defined by its climate characteristics rather than political boundaries.

In addition to taking advantage of better phylloxera-resistant rootstock, many Carneros producers also took the opportunity to plant some of the new French clones of Pinot noir and Chardonnay.

[10] The Carneros region covers 90 square miles (58,000 acres) located along the low-lying hills of the Mayacamas range as it descends underneath San Francisco Bay.

The region is moderately cool and windy with marked influences from nearby San Pablo Bay, making it the coolest and windiest AVA in both Napa & Sonoma.

[8] The soils of the Carneros region are predominantly clay and very thin and shallow (approximately 3 feet/1 meter deep), providing poor drainage and fertility.

While in the past, chardonnay was usually put through malolactic fermentation and was given significant oak treatment to soften some of the acidity, the current winemaking style in California emphasizes the fruit.

The style now favors stainless steel and neutral French Oak, while rarely using more than a portion of the wine undergoing malolactic fermentation.