# Proposed Establishment of the Adelaida District, Creston District, El Pomar District, Paso Robles Estrella District, Paso Robles Geneseo District, Paso Robles Highlands District, Paso Robles Willow Creek District, San Juan Creek, San Miguel District, Santa Margarita Ranch, and Templeton Gap District Viticultural Areas

> Briefs, arguments, decisions, and more.

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A2013-22528

## Record

- **Collection:** Federal Register
- **Document type:** Proposed Rule
- **Published:** September 20, 2013
- **Citation:** 78 FR 58050

## Text

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
27 CFR Part 9
[Docket No. TTB-2013-0009; Notice No. 140]
RIN 1513-AB47
Proposed Establishment of the Adelaida District, Creston District, El Pomar District, Paso Robles Estrella District, Paso Robles Geneseo District, Paso Robles Highlands District, Paso Robles Willow Creek District, San Juan Creek, San Miguel District, Santa Margarita Ranch, and Templeton Gap District Viticultural Areas

AGENCY:

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, Treasury.

ACTION:

Notice of proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY:

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) proposes to establish the Adelaida District, Creston District, El Pomar District, Paso Robles Estrella District, Paso Robles Geneseo District, Paso Robles Highlands District, Paso Robles Willow Creek District, San Juan Creek, San Miguel District, Santa Margarita Ranch, and Templeton Gap District viticultural areas within the boundary of the existing Paso Robles viticultural area in northern San Luis Obispo County, California. The Paso Robles viticultural area, in turn, is located within the larger multicounty Central Coast viticultural area. TTB designates viticultural areas to allow vintners to better describe the origin of their wines and to allow consumers to better identify wines they may purchase. TTB invites comments on these proposed additions to its regulations.

DATES:

TTB must receive your comments on or before January 21, 2014.

ADDRESSES:

Please send your comments on this proposal to one of the following addresses:

•
http://www.regulations.gov
(via the online comment form for this proposal as posted within Docket No. TTB-2013-0009 at
“Regulations.gov,”
the Federal e-rulemaking portal);

•
U.S. Mail:
Director, Regulations and Rulings Division, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, 1310 G Street NW., Box 12, Washington, DC 20005; or

•
Hand delivery/courier in lieu of mail:
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, 1310 G Street NW., Suite 200E, Washington, DC 20005.

See the Public Participation section of this document for specific instructions and requirements for submitting comments, and for information on how to request a public hearing.

You may view copies of this document, selected supporting materials, and any comments TTB receives about this proposal at
http://www.regulations.gov
within Docket No. TTB-2013-0009. A link to that docket is posted on the TTB Web site at
http://www.ttb.gov/wine/wine-rulemaking.shtml
under Notice No. 140. You also may view copies of this document, all related petitions, maps or other supporting materials, and any comments TTB receives about this proposal by appointment at the TTB Information Resource Center, 1310 G Street NW., Washington, DC 20005. Please call 202-453-2270 to make an appointment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Karen A. Thornton, Regulations and Rulings Division, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, 1310 G Street NW., Room 200E, Washington, DC 20005; phone 202-453-1039, ext. 175.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background on Viticultural Areas

TTB Authority

Section 105(e) of the Federal Alcohol Administration Act (FAA Act), 27 U.S.C. 205(e), authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe regulations for the labeling of wine, distilled spirits, and malt beverages. The FAA Act provides that these regulations, among other things, should prohibit consumer deception and the use of misleading statements on labels, and ensure that labels provide the consumer with adequate information as to the identity and quality of the product. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) administers the FAA Act pursuant to section 1111(d) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, codified at 6 U.S.C. 531(d). The Secretary has delegated various authorities through Treasury Department Order 120-01 (Revised), dated January 21, 2003, to the TTB Administrator to perform the functions and duties in the administration and enforcement of this law.

Part 4 of the TTB regulations (27 CFR part 4) allows the establishment of definitive viticultural areas and the use of their names as appellations of origin on wine labels and in wine advertisements. Part 9 of the TTB regulations (27 CFR part 9) sets forth standards for the preparation and submission of petitions for the establishment or modification of American viticultural areas and lists the approved American viticultural areas.

Definition

Section 4.25(e)(1)(i) of the TTB regulations (27 CFR 4.25(e)(1)(i)) defines a viticultural area for American wine as a delimited grape-growing region having distinguishing features as described in part 9 of the regulations and a name and a delineated boundary as established in part 9 of the regulations. These designations allow vintners and consumers to attribute a given quality, reputation, or other characteristic of a wine made from grapes grown in an area to its geographic origin. The establishment of viticultural areas allows vintners to describe more accurately the origin of their wines to consumers and helps consumers to identify wines they may purchase. Establishment of a viticultural area is neither an approval nor an endorsement by TTB of the wine produced in that area.

Requirements

Section 4.25(e)(2) of the TTB regulations (27 CFR 4.25(e)(2)) outlines the procedure for proposing an American viticultural area and provides that any interested party may petition TTB to establish a grape-growing region as a viticultural area. Section 9.12 of the TTB regulations (27 CFR 9.12) prescribes standards for petitions for the establishment or modification of American viticultural areas. Such petitions must include the following:

• Evidence that the area within the proposed viticultural area boundary is nationally or locally known by the viticultural area name specified in the petition;

• An explanation of the basis for defining the boundary of the proposed viticultural area;

• A narrative description of the features of the proposed viticultural area that affect viticulture, such as climate, geology, soils, physical features, and elevation, that make the proposed viticultural area distinctive and distinguish it from adjacent areas outside the proposed viticultural area boundary;

• A copy of the appropriate United States Geological Survey (USGS) map(s) showing the location of the proposed viticultural area, with the boundary of the proposed viticultural area clearly drawn thereon; and

• A detailed narrative description of the proposed viticultural area boundary based on USGS map markings.

Adelaida District, Creston District, El Pomar District, Paso Robles Estrella District, Paso Robles Geneseo District, Paso Robles Highlands District, Paso Robles Willow Creek District, San Juan Creek, San Miguel District, Santa Margarita Ranch, and Templeton Gap District Viticultural Area Petitions

Paso Robles American Viticultural Area Committee Petitions

The Paso Robles American Viticultural Area Committee (PRAVAC) petitioned TTB to establish 11 new viticultural areas located entirely within the existing Paso Robles viticultural area (27 CFR 9.84) in San Luis Obispo County, California. The proposed viticultural areas are: Adelaida District, Creston District, El Pomar District, Paso Robles Estrella District, Paso Robles Geneseo District, Paso Robles Highlands District, Paso Robles Willow Creek District, San Juan Creek, San Miguel District, Santa Margarita Ranch, and Templeton Gap District.

The PRAVAC proposal to establish the 11 proposed viticultural areas would not alter the current boundary or size of the Paso Robles viticultural area. According to PRAVAC, some portions of the Paso Robles viticultural area are not included in any of the 11 proposed viticultural areas because they are urban areas, are government-owned lands unavailable for commercial viticulture, or they contain little or no viticultural activity due to environmental or topographical factors. The 59 wine industry members who constitute PRAVAC cumulatively own or manage over 10,000 acres of vineyards in the 11 proposed viticultural areas.

PRAVAC also simultaneously petitioned TTB to expand the southwestern portion of the boundary of the Paso Robles viticultural area to include the majority of the southern portion of the Santa Margarita Valley, which was bisected by the then-existing boundary of the Paso Robles viticultural area. The petitioned-for expansion was approved in T.D. TTB-72 (published in the
Federal Register
on January 21, 2009, at 74 FR 3425).

Overview of the Paso Robles Viticultural Area

The Paso Robles viticultural area, originally established in 1983, is located in northern San Luis Obispo County, California, along its boundary with Monterey County (see T.D. ATF-148, published in the
Federal Register
on October 4, 1983, at 48 FR 45239). The Paso Robles viticultural area was expanded by approximately 52,600 acres in 1996 to include vineyards to the west of the viticultural area that had been planted since its establishment in 1983 (see T.D. ATF-377, published in the
Federal Register
on June 13, 1996, at 61 FR 29952); and, as noted above, another 2,635 acres were added to the viticultural area in 2009. In addition, the now 612,000-acre Paso Robles viticultural area is entirely within the larger, multicounty Central Coast viticultural area (27 CFR 9.75; see T.D. ATF-216, published in the
Federal Register
on October 24, 1985, at 50 FR 43130). The small York Mountain viticultural area (27 CFR 9.80) is located outside of the Paso Robles viticultural area along its southwestern boundary.

The Paso Robles viticultural area contains much of the San Luis Obispo County-portion of the Salinas River valley and the valley of its tributary, the Estrella River. Topographically, the Paso Robles viticultural area is a basin, with river terraces and low rolling hills, located between three ranges of California's South Coast Range mountains: the Temblor Range to the north and northeast, the La Panza Range to the south, and the Santa Lucia Range to the west and southwest.

The Paso Robles viticultural area may be described as a large polygon that spans approximately 42 miles from the Santa Lucia Range in the west to the Cholame Hills of the Temblor Range in the east, and 32 miles from the San Luis Obispo county line in the north to the La Panza Range and Los Padres National Forest in the south. The Paso Robles viticultural area includes the cities or towns of San Miguel, Paso Robles, Templeton, Atascadero, and Santa Margarita along U.S. Highway 101, and the small towns of Whitely Gardens along State Route 46, Shandon along State Route 41, and Creston along State Route 229.

As described in T.D. ATF-148, the Paso Robles viticultural area is largely protected from Pacific marine air and coastal fog intrusions by the Santa Lucia Range to its west and southwest. T.D. ATF-216, however, recognized some marine influence on the climate of the Paso Robles viticultural area from Pacific air moving up the Salinas River valley, thus justifying the Paso Robles viticultural area's inclusion within the marine-influenced Central Coast viticultural area. Overall, these topographic factors give the Paso Robles viticultural area a drier and warmer climate than the more marine-influenced regions to the west and south, but a wetter and cooler climate than regions with little or no marine influence further inland to the east.

The Paso Robles viticultural area's distinguishing climate is evidenced by its diurnal temperature change (from beginning to end of the day) of 40 to 50 degrees, its Winkler Region III climate of 3,001 to 3,500 growing degree days (GDDs) of heat accumulation,
1

and its average annual rainfall of 10 to 25 inches. Regions to the west and south are cooler and wetter, with diurnal temperature changes of 20 to 30 degrees, Winkler Region I climates, and average annual rainfall of up to 45 inches. Inland regions to the east of the Paso Robles viticultural area can have diurnal temperature changes of over 50 degrees, are warmer, with Region IV or V climates of over 3,500 GDDs of heat accumulation, and are semi-arid to arid in terms of precipitation. T.D. ATF-148 further states that the Paso Robles viticultural area is characterized by well-drained, alluvial soils in terrace deposits and elevations of 600 to 2,400 feet, with most vineyards planted at elevations between 800 and 1,000 feet. This contrasts with the more mountainous areas to the west and south and the flatter terrain of California's San Joaquin Valley to the east.

1
As a measurement of heat accumulation during the grape-growing season, one degree day accumulates for each degree Fahrenheit that a day's mean temperature is above 50 degrees, which is the minimum temperature required for grapevine growth. In the Winkler climate classification system, heat accumulation as measured in growing degree days (GDDs) per year defines climatic regions. Climatic region I has less than 2,500 GDDs per year; region II, 2,501 to 3,000; region III, 3,001 to 3,500; region IV, 3,501 to 4,000; and region V, 4,001 or more. See Albert J. Winkler,
General Viticulture
(Berkeley: University of California Press, 1974), pages 61-64.

Geographical and Viticultural Diversity of the Paso Robles Viticultural Area

Dr. Deborah Elliott-Fisk, a professor at the University of California, Davis, and expert on the geography and terroir of California, provided a report on the distinguishing features of the Paso Robles viticultural area, which was incorporated into the PRAVAC petitions. In the report, Dr. Elliot-Fisk explains that the Paso Robles viticultural area includes a diversity of localized growing conditions, including differences in local climates, surface soils, and subsurface water availability throughout the area. Despite some general features that are shared with the larger Paso Robles viticultural area, these local variations in the physical geography and environment throughout the Paso Robles region create site-specific conditions for winegrapes, influencing the performance of grape rootstocks, clones, and yields, and affecting fruit characteristics. According to Dr. Elliott-Fisk, these diverse growing conditions effectively subdivide the

Paso Robles viticultural area into more specifically distinctive grape growing regions.

The sections below provide a summary of the PRAVAC petitions' evidence concerning the varied geographical features throughout the Paso Robles viticultural area. Unless otherwise indicated, the information and data in the following sections regarding the Paso Robles viticultural area are from Dr. Elliot-Fisk's report.

Geology, Topography, and Soils

Elevations within the Paso Robles viticultural area range between 600 feet and 2,400 feet. Low mountain ranges bound the Paso Robles viticultural area on all sides. In the central part of the viticultural area, there is a tectonic basin that is deeply filled with both alluvial (deposited by water) and colluvial (deposited by landslides) sediments.

The San Andreas Fault Zone stretches southeast to northwest through the eastern portion of the Paso Robles viticultural area, according to the Geologic Map of California Series, San Luis Obispo Sheet (Charles W. Jennings, California Division of Mines and Geology, Sacramento, 1977). In the western portion of the viticultural area, a parallel zone of multiple fault lines runs through the South Coast Ranges at the base of the Santa Lucia Range. The Salinas River runs northward through the region, eventually emptying into Monterey Bay, outside the Paso Robles viticultural area. The movement of the faults, as well as the flowing and flooding of the Salinas River and its tributaries, has created a variety of landforms within the viticultural area, including alluvial fans, alluvial terraces, incised channels, old planation surfaces, landslide deposits, debris flows, and floodplains.

The United States Department of Agriculture's 1978 General Soil Map for the Paso Robles Area of San Luis Obispo County categorizes the 55 soil series in the Paso Robles region into floodplain, alluvial terrace, and hillside major mapping groups. The area's climate plays a role in the formation of these soils, as the balance of water determines whether minerals in the water are leached down through the soil profile or are deposited within the soil profile. Within these general groups, the soil series are diverse and vary widely in their formations and properties. The soil characteristics directly influence farming and agricultural production in the region. For example, the alkalinity and acidity levels of the soils throughout the Paso Robles region vary significantly, with some grassland soils (or Mollisols) having higher alkalinity levels and some woodland soils (or Alfisols) being more acidic.

Climate

A maritime influence characterizes the climate of the Paso Robles viticultural area, resulting in smaller monthly temperature ranges within the viticultural area than in regions further inland to the east. During summer and fall afternoons, sea breezes from Monterey Bay occasionally travel up the Salinas River valley into the Paso Robles region. The southwestern portion of the Paso Robles viticultural area lies along the crest and eastern slope of the Santa Lucia Range and marine air off the cool Pacific Ocean will spill west-to-east through a series of gaps in the crest of the Santa Lucia Range, creating sea breezes in the Paso Robles area. The frequency and duration of the sea breezes incrementally diminish inland, and the lessening of these marine influences affects the native vegetation and agricultural potential of the various areas of the Paso Robles region.

In addition to the cooling influence of the marine breezes, cold air drains off the mountain slopes of the Santa Lucia Range at night and into the Paso Robles viticultural area. This cold air drainage creates mountain breezes that lower early evening temperatures across the region, resulting in lower degree-day totals. This factor also varies throughout the Paso Robles viticultural area depending on the topography of specific regions within the viticultural area.

Overview of the 11 Proposed Viticultural Areas

The elevation, marine influence, and topography of the Paso Robles viticultural area create smaller-scale local climates, which form the basis for the proposed establishment of the 11 viticultural areas described in the PRAVAC petitions. These regional variations in temperature, precipitation, wind, cloud and fog cover, growing degree-days, and other climate variables distinguish each of the 11 proposed viticultural areas and are important factors for grape-growing in the region.

TTB notes that not all of the information provided in the PRAVAC petitions is discussed in this document. Only information directly relevant to determining the distinctiveness of the 11 proposed viticultural areas is discussed in the sections below. Each of the 11 petitions is available for viewing in its entirety as a supporting document within Docket No. TTB-2013-0009.

The following table provides a brief description of the most distinguishing features of each of the 11 proposed viticultural areas. The proposed viticultural areas are discussed in greater detail in the following sections. Unless otherwise noted, the information and data contained in the following sections are from the PRAVAC petition submitted for the respective proposed viticultural area.

Proposed viticultural area
Description

Adelaida District
High, rolling slopes; elevations from 900 to 2,200 feet; modest marine influence; average annual precipitation of 25 inches; transitional Winkler Region II-III climate.

Creston District
Old river terraces and mountain foothills; elevations from 1,000 to 2,000 feet; modest marine influence; average annual precipitation of 11.5 inches; Winkler Region II climate.

El Pomar District
High terraces, alluvial fans, and hills; elevations from 740 to 1,600 feet; primarily alkaline soils, pronounced marine influence; average annual precipitation of 15 inches; Winkler Region II climate.

Paso Robles Estrella District
Rolling hills; elevations from 745 to 1,819 feet; mild marine influence; average annual precipitation of 12.5 to 15.5 inches; moderate Winkler Region III climate.

Paso Robles Geneseo District
High hills and terraces; elevations between 740 and 1,300 feet; mostly acidic soils; modest marine influence; average annual rainfall of 13 to 14 inches; transitional Winkler Region III to IV climate.

Paso Robles Highlands District
Valley floor transitioning to mountain slopes; elevations between 1,160 to 2,086 feet; continental climate; average annual precipitation of 12 inches; low Winkler Region IV climate.

Paso Robles Willow Creek District
Mountainous terrain; strong marine influence; average annual rainfall of 24 to 30 inches; Winkler Region II climate; elevations from 960 to 1,900 feet.

San Juan Creek
Alluvial plains and terraces; elevations between 980 and 1,600 feet; strong continental influence; average annual rainfall of 10.4 inches; transitional Winkler Region III to IV climate.

San Miguel District
Alluvial fans and terraces; elevations from 580 to 1,600 feet; very mild marine influence; average annual rainfall of 11.4 inches; Winkler III climate.

Santa Margarita Ranch
Valley floor and hillsides; elevations from 900 to 1,400 feet; moderate marine influence; average annual rainfall of 29 inches; Winkler Region II climate.

Templeton Gap District
Broad terraces; elevations from 700 to 1,800 feet; very strong marine influence; average annual rainfall of 20 inches; Winkler Region II climate.

The following map shows the location of each of the 11 proposed viticultural areas within the larger Paso Robles viticultural area, as well as the location of the adjacent York Mountain viticultural area.

BILLING CODE 4810-31-P

EP20SE13.007

BILLING CODE 4810-31-C
Adelaida District

The proposed 53,000-acre Adelaida District viticultural area is located in the westernmost portion of the Paso Robles viticultural area and contains approximately 1,300 acres of vineyards.

Name Evidence

The proposed “Adelaida District” name is based on both historical and modern connections of the name “Adelaida” to the region in which the proposed viticultural area is located. The “District” modifier in the proposed name is a reference to the surrounding, larger Paso Robles viticultural area.

The “Adelaida” or “Adelaida District” name historically has been used to geographically identify the area within the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area, and the “Adelaida” name was given to a local post office in 1877.
2

In addition, the Adelaida Mining District, established in the late 1800s, is located in the southwest corner of the proposed viticultural area; the Adelaida School was located in the area and remained open until 1964; and the Adelaida Cemetery District, formed in 1940, serves the local rural population. (Although some early references use the spelling “Adelaide,” “Adelaida” is the currently accepted spelling.)

2
J. Fraser MacGillivray,
History of Adelaida, California
(1993), pages 33-35.

The small town of Adelaida and the Adelaida Cemetery, both founded in 1891, are located within the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area, as shown on the USGS Adelaida quadrangle map. According to a 2001 San Luis Obispo County map produced by the Automobile Club of Southern California, Adelaida Road extends westward from the city of Paso Robles into the proposed viticultural area. The “Adelaida” name is also used in connection with the Adelaida Planning Area, established by San Luis Obispo County as part of the county's land use plan. TTB notes that the boundary of the Adelaida Planning Area encompasses a larger area that includes the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area within it, as shown on the “Adelaida Rural Land Use Category Map.”

Boundary Evidence

The northern portion of the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area boundary follows intermittent streams, straight lines between elevation points, and roads. The proposed boundary meanders west to east through mountainous terrain and then descends alongside San Marcos Creek toward the Salinas River. A portion of the northeastern boundary of the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area is shared with the southern boundary of the proposed San Miguel District viticultural area.

The eastern portion of the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area boundary is based on the Salinas River and the western boundary of the city of Paso Robles. The proposed boundary separates the foothills and mountains of the proposed viticultural area from the near-flat, urbanized region to the east.

The southern portion of the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area boundary follows roads, an intermittent stream, a range line, and a straight line between map points from the western boundary of the city of Paso Robles to a rugged portion of the Santa Lucia Range. The southern boundary of the proposed viticultural area boundary is shared with a portion of the northern boundary of the established York Mountain viticultural area (27 CFR 9.80) and with the northern boundary of the proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area.

The western portion of the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area boundary follows a range line, which runs through the Santa Lucia Range in the area of the Las Tablas Creek watershed. The western portion of the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area boundary is shared with a segment of the Paso Robles viticultural area's western boundary.

Distinguishing Features

The distinguishing features of the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area include a modest marine influence, average annual precipitation of 25 inches, a transitional Winkler Region II-III climate, and high rolling slopes.

Climate

The marine influence on the climate in the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area is more modest than in areas to the west outside the proposed viticultural area because the crest of the Santa Lucia Range largely shields the proposed viticultural area from the Pacific Ocean. This high-elevation range, located to the west and southwest of the proposed viticultural area, rarely allows marine air, heavy fog, or strong sea breezes into the proposed viticultural area. The range also inhibits the inland path of the prevailing wet, winter storms off the Pacific Ocean. Although the range blocks most of these storms, the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area still receives about 25 inches of rain annually. The marine air that moves southward through the Salinas Valley from Monterey Bay typically is limited to altitudes below 1,000 feet and cannot reach the high elevations of the proposed viticultural area. The result is clear, fog-free days and cool nights in the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area, which result in a longer growing season and later harvest date than regions with more marine influence.

Although strong sea breezes usually do not reach the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area, light mountain and valley breezes result from warm air rising from lower elevations during the day and cool air sinking from the mountain peaks at night. These breezes help to moderate the daily temperature ranges within the proposed viticultural area and make high temperatures extremely rare. The annual heat summation of the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area averages about 3,000 growing degree day (GDD) units, which is a high Region II or a low Region III in the Winkler climate classification system.

Topography

The proposed Adelaida District viticultural area is generally a mountainous area with steep ridges, frequently oriented in a northwest-to-southeast direction. The mountainous topography is primarily a result of the faulting and uplift of the South Coast Ranges, particularly the Santa Lucia Range. Elevations range from approximately 900 feet to approximately 2,200 feet, although most area vineyards are planted at elevations of 1,000 to 1,800 feet. At night, cool air drains off these high, steep ridges into the lower, flatter regions outside the proposed viticultural area. Because of the cool air drainage, frost is not a common occurrence within the proposed viticultural area.

Soils

The soils of the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area are hillside residual soils, which generally have shallow rooting depths and a relatively high water-holding capacity, but are also well-drained by the subsurface weathered bedrock. The primary parent material of the soils of the proposed viticultural area is the Monterey Formation, which is comprised of sedimentary shales, mudstones, and sandstones.

Soil textures within the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area are predominantly silty clay loam and clay loam, with some gravelly units. The soils are generally moderately developed Mollisols where surface humus is abundant, Alfisols where more leaching to depth has occurred, and

Vertisols where pedogenic clay dominates the texture. The soils are slightly alkaline, with a surface horizon pH of between 7.4 and 8.4 and have low-to-moderate nutrient levels. The modest rooting depths, nutrient levels, and water-holding capacity of the soils promote a moderate amount of stress on grapevines, and low vineyard yields are common within the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area.

Comparison to Adjacent Regions

The following chart summarizes the distinguishing features of the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area and compares those features to those of the adjacent proposed viticultural areas. In addition, the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area is immediately adjacent to, and would share its southern-most boundary with a portion of, the York Mountain viticultural area's northern boundary. The York Mountain viticultural area is distinguishable from the proposed viticultural area because it contains lower elevations on the slopes of the Santa Lucia Range, has a cooler maritime Winkler Region I climate, and receives an average of 45 inches of annual rainfall.

TTB notes that the region to the north of the proposed viticultural area is within the Paso Robles viticultural area, but it is not included in any of the viticultural areas proposed in this document. This area is distinguishable from the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area based on its generally lower elevations and flatter terrain. In addition, a large portion of this region is unavailable for commercial viticulture because it is part of the Camp Roberts Military Reservation. The area immediately to the west that is not within either the Paso Robles viticultural area or the York Mountain viticultural area contains the rugged, mountainous terrain of the Santa Lucia Range.

Comparison of Proposed Adelaida District Viticultural Area to Adjacent Proposed Viticultural Areas

Distinguishing
features

Adelaida district

To the north: San
Miguel District

To the east: Paso Robles Estrella District
To the south: Paso Robles Willow Creek District

Winkler Region
Transitional Region II-III
Warm Region III
Moderate Region III
Region II

Maritime Climate *
6
7
5
1

Precipitation
25 inches/year
11.4 inches/year
12.5-15.5 inches/year
24-30 inches/year

Topography
Santa Lucia Range high mountain slopes grading to base of foothills; elevation approximately 900-2,200 feet (most vineyards at 1,100-1,800 feet)
Santa Lucia Range footslope into Salinas and Estrella River valleys; alluvial fans and well-defined river terraces; elevation 580-1,600 feet (most vineyards at 640-800 feet)
Rolling plains of Estrella River valley and terraces; elevation approximately 745-1,819 feet (most vineyards at 750-1,000 feet)
Mountain slopes of Santa Lucia Range to the west of the Salinas River, centered on the Willow Creek tributary to Paso Robles Creek; elevation 960-1,900 (most vineyards at 1,000-1,300 feet).

Soils
Shallow, well-drained, residual soils with silty and clay loam textures; moderately alkaline
Deep alluvial soils, with clay, sandy, and gravelly loam textures
Deep to moderate depth alluvial terrace soils, with sandy to coarse and clay loam textures; slightly acidic, but more alkaline at depth
Mostly shallow calcareous soils of residual (bedrock) origin with shaly clays, clay loams, and rocky loams, with some units gravelly and with patches of alluvial soil along streams; alkaline at depth

* Maritime climate indicated on scale from 1 (most maritime) to 8 (more continental).

Creston District

The proposed 47,000-acre Creston District viticultural area is located in the south-central portion of the Paso Robles viticultural area and contains approximately 1,400 acres of vineyards.

Name Evidence

The “Creston District” name is based on its historical and modern association with the region. The “District” modifier indicates that the proposed Creston District viticultural area is a sub-region of the larger Paso Robles viticultural area. “Creston” and “Creston District” have been used historically to identify the small rural community, school district, community services district, electoral precinct, and groundwater planning area of San Luis Obispo County contained within the proposed Creston District viticultural area.

The town of Creston, originally named “Huerhuero” after a land grant in the area, was founded in 1884. The town name eventually was changed to “Creston” in honor of a founding father of the area, C.J. Cressey.
3

3
Linnea Waltz, “And just where is Huer Huero?” San Luis Obispo County Telegram-Tribune, October 5, 1974, page 8.

According to an 1890 San Luis Obispo county map based on government and county surveys, the “Creston” name also identifies the larger region within the proposed Creston District viticultural area. A 1913 San Luis Obispo County Surveyor map shows Creston voting precinct. In addition, historical references to the “Creston District” are contained in the “History of San Luis Obispo County” by Morrison and Haydon, which was published in 1917 and reprinted in 2002 as the “Pioneers of San Luis Obispo County and Environs,” and which includes, for example, the biography of John D. Biggs, who “* * * engaged in farming in the Creston district.” The first school district named “Creston District” was formed in 1885, and, in 1923, several rural school districts merged to form the Creston Elementary School District, according to the “History of Creston Elementary School” (see
http://www.atas.k12.ca.us/AUSD/creston/schoolhistory.html
).

Today, Creston continues to be a well-known community and region of San Luis Obispo County. The USGS Creston Quadrangle map identifies the small town of Creston within the historical Huerhuero Land Grant, and a 2001 map published by the Automobile Club of Southern California (California Regional Series, San Luis Obispo County map) identifies the small town of Creston to the southeast of the city of Paso Robles. Multiple local businesses located in the proposed Creston District viticultural area use “Creston” in their names,

including Creston Valley Meats, Creston Valley Quilt Ranch, Creston Farms, and the Creston Volunteer Firefighters (which are no longer active, but which served an area that closely approximates the boundaries of the proposed Creston District viticultural area).

Boundary Evidence

According to the proposed boundary description and USGS maps, the northern portion of the proposed Creston District viticultural area boundary uses a road and straight lines to connect map points across a series of foothills and rugged mountain terrain. The proposed boundary in this area separates the rugged terrain of the proposed Creston District viticultural area from the rolling hills and lower elevations in the region to the north, which is within the larger Paso Robles viticultural area but not within any of the other viticultural areas proposed in this document.

The eastern portion of the proposed Creston District viticultural area boundary includes portions of Indian Creek, roads, and a straight line. TTB notes that the proposed Creston District viticultural area shares the eastern portion of its boundary with most of the western portion of the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area boundary.

The southern portion of the proposed boundary shares part of the southern portion of the Paso Robles viticultural area boundary, which is also concurrent with part of the northern Los Padres National Forest boundary. The land to the south of the proposed Creston District viticultural area is increasingly steep and rugged, especially in the Los Padres National Forest, as the terrain ascends into the La Panza Range.

The western portion of the proposed boundary follows the Huerhuero Land Grant line, other lines that closely follow the land grant, and the Middle Branch of the Huerhuero Creek. The terrain is more mountainous to the southwest of the proposed Creston District viticultural area; to the northwest, the terrain tends to be more gentle and flat. The proposed El Pomar District and Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural areas share sections of the northwest portion of the proposed Creston District viticultural area boundary.

Distinguishing Features

The distinguishing features of the proposed Creston District viticultural area include a modest marine influence, an annual average of 11.5 inches of precipitation, and a Winkler Region III climate. Old river terraces and mountain foothills dominate the landscape, and elevations vary between approximately 1,000 to 2,000 feet, increasing from north to south.

Climate

The climate of the proposed Creston District viticultural area is influenced by its location east of the Templeton Gap and Santa Lucia Coast Range and south of the La Panza Range. Sea breezes that blow inland off the Pacific Ocean and through the Templeton Gap passes in the Santa Lucia Range reach the proposed Creston District viticultural area during the day, and cold air draining off the La Panza Range travels down Huerhuero Creek and into the proposed viticultural area in the evenings. In addition, cooling marine air from Morro Bay to the south occasionally penetrates into the proposed Creston District viticultural area. The moderating effect of the cold air drainage and the sea breezes places the temperature of the proposed Creston District viticultural area into the low-to-moderate Region III category under the Winkler GDD system.

The proposed Creston District viticultural area also is located in the rain shadows of the La Panza Range and the Santa Lucia Range. As a result, precipitation is low within the proposed viticultural area, averaging 11.5 inches annually. Although the annual precipitation amounts are low, there is abundant groundwater and near-surface water along Huerhuero Creek for irrigating vineyards.

Topography

The landscape of the proposed Creston District viticultural area is an intermediate-to-high elevation area of old river terraces and mountain foothills at the base of the La Panza Range. Huerhuero Creek bisects the proposed viticultural area as it travels northwestward from the proposed viticultural area through other parts of the Paso Robles viticultural area until it eventually joins the Salinas River. The East Branch and Middle Branch of the Huerhuero Creek flow through foothills and terraces, forming narrow valleys with loamy soils and near-surface water and springs. These creeks also serve as a conduit for cold air draining at night from the higher slopes of the La Panza Range into the proposed viticultural area.

Elevations of the proposed Creston District viticultural area range from approximately 1,000 feet along Huerhuero Creek to approximately 2,000 feet along the southern portion of the proposed boundary. To the south of the proposed Creston District viticultural area, the rugged mountain terrain increases to 3,622 feet in elevation at the pinnacle of Black Mountain, according to USGS maps. Vineyards in the proposed Creston District viticultural area are mostly planted at elevations of 1,000 feet to 1,300 feet, with a few vineyards located on higher bedrock hills up to 1,800 feet. Many vineyards are located on west and southwest facing slopes to take advantage of the summer marine breezes that travel through the Templeton Gap area and into the proposed Creston District viticultural area.

Soils

The parent materials of the soils of the proposed Creston District viticultural area are granitic rocks, non-marine sandstones, marine Monterey shales and sandstones, and the Paso Robles Formation. Over time, Huerhuero Creek has transported mixed sediments of granitic boulders, cobbles, finer gravels and sands, shales, sandstone fragments, and silts from the La Panza Range into the proposed viticultural area. The granitics are high in silica, and the Monterey Formation shales and fine sandstones are high in calcium carbonate in some places. As the rock fragments weather and are dissolved in water, the resulting materials cause cementation of the sediments and soils, decreasing the soil's water-holding capacity and rooting depths for plants, including grapevines. The true loams to sandy loams in the area have a higher percentage of granitic coarse sands and gravels, allowing for deeper rooting depths and better drainage. Most of the soils are slightly acidic at the surface and more alkaline at depths below the surface.

Soil textures in the proposed Creston District viticultural area are predominantly fine sandy loams to sandy loams along the creeks, to gravelly sandy loams to clay loams on the terraces. The most common soil order in the area is the moderately developed grassland Mollisols, followed by younger, poorly developed Inceptisols and Entisols along the creeks, the occasional older Alfisols on higher hillsides, and heavy clay Vertisols in some low-lying spots. Area soils are considered moderately fertile.

Comparison to Adjacent Regions

The following chart summarizes the distinguishing features of the proposed Creston District viticultural area and compares those features to those of the adjacent proposed viticultural areas. The regions to the north and southwest of the proposed Creston District viticultural area are within the Paso

Robles viticultural area but are not included in any of the viticultural areas proposed in this document. The area to the north is distinguishable from the proposed Creston District viticultural area due to its highly eroded terrain, shallow soils, and steep slopes, which contribute to slope instability and a high erosion hazard. The region to the southwest is more mountainous and rugged; further west is the city of Atascadero. The area to the south is located outside of the Paso Robles viticultural area and contains rugged terrain with higher elevations than those of the proposed Creston District viticultural area.

Comparison of Proposed Creston District Viticultural Area to Adjacent Proposed Viticultural Areas

Distinguishing features
Creston district
To the east: Paso Robles Highlands District
To the northwest: El Pomar District
To the Northwest: Paso Robles Geneseo District

Winkler Region
Low-Moderate Region III
Low Region IV
Moderate Region II
Transitional Regions III-IV

Maritime Climate *
4
8
3
7

Precipitation
11.5 inches/year
12 inches/year
15 inches/year
13-14 inches/year

Topography
Old erosional plateau at base of La Panza Range; alluvial terraces and fans of Huerhuero Creek; elevation approximately 1,000-2,000 feet (most vineyards at 1,030-1,300 feet)
Transitional area from valley floor to mountain slope; elevation 1,160-2,086 feet (most vineyards at 1,200-1,600 feet)
High, older terraces, fans, and hills; elevation 740-1,600 feet (most vineyards at 840-960 feet)
Upfaulted hills through old river terraces; terraces; elevation 740-1,300 feet (most vineyards at 880-1,200 feet).

Soils
Terrace alluvial and some residual soils, with fine sandy to gravelly and clay loam textures; slightly acidic at surface, more alkaline at depth
Deep alluvial soils, with sandy to coarse and clay loam textures, mostly alkaline at depth
Terrace alluvial soils, with sandy, clay, and gravelly loam textures; primarily alkaline
Well-developed moderate depth residual and alluvial soils, with silty clays and silty clay loam textures; pH varied, but mostly acidic.

* Maritime climate indicated on scale from 1 (most maritime) to 8 (more continental).

El Pomar District

The proposed 21,300-acre El Pomar District viticultural area is located in the central portion of the Paso Robles viticultural area and includes 2,000 acres of vineyards.

Name Evidence

The “El Pomar District” name is based on its historical and modern connection with the region. The name originally dates back to the early 1900s, and it continues to be widely used by local residents, realtors, wineries, grape growers, and others.

The names “El Pomar” and “El Pomar District,” derived from the Spanish word for “orchard,” refer to an unincorporated agricultural area within the larger Paso Robles viticultural area. The El Pomar District is generally defined as “[a]n area between Templeton and Creston noted for its fruit and almond growing . . .”
4

TTB notes that the proposed El Pomar District viticultural area is located between the towns of Templeton and Creston.

4
Mark P. Hall-Patton,
Memories of the Land, Placenames of San Luis Obispo County
(San Luis Obispo: EZ Nature Books, 1994), page 52.

An undated local history book,
The End of the Line, Recollections and a History of Templeton,
compiled by Al Willhoit, dedicates a full chapter to El Pomar and explains that the area gained its name recognition as “El Pomar” in 1917. The Willhoit book includes family histories by former and current residents of the area, many of whom refer to it as the “El Pomar District” or the “El Pomar area.” According to a 1926 newspaper article, the El Pomar District was first subdivided into separate lots in 1886, and early settlers planted orchards in the area shortly thereafter.
5

5
“El Pomar: Where Contented Ranchers Have Built Happy Homes—Almonds Lead Grain, Cattle, And Vineyards,” Paso Robles Press, May 30, 1926, page 7.

El Pomar Drive and South El Pomar Road run through the approximate middle of the proposed El Pomar District viticultural area, and a San Luis Obispo County Web site contains a map (included with the petition) that identifies El Pomar Drive and South El Pomar Road in the proposed El Pomar District viticultural area. The “El Pomar Area” is also a recognized region on the 1986 voting precinct map for San Luis Obispo County and is located in the same general area as the proposed El Pomar District viticultural area. The petition also notes that two of the vineyards within the proposed viticultural area are named El Pomar Vineyards and Pomar Junction Vineyards.

Boundary Evidence

The proposed boundary of the viticultural area corresponds with the historical references to the El Pomar area. According to the Willhoit book, the Santa Ysabel Land Grant and the subdivision of Eureka Rancho, both of which are generally located within the proposed viticultural area, have historically been associated with the proposed El Pomar District viticultural area. As noted in the Willhoit book, “[t]he area to become the El Pomar District lies within the Santa Ysabel, part of the tract known as the Eureka Rancho, being a portion of the subdivisions of Rancho La Asuncion.” An undated San Luis Obispo County map submitted with the petition shows that the Santa Ysabel Land Grant boundary generally corresponds with the proposed El Pomar District viticultural area boundary. In addition, in 1999, Milene Radford, a longtime San Luis Obispo County resident, drew a map of the El Pomar District that includes the entire proposed El Pomar District viticultural area for the Pioneer Pages, an annual publication produced by the El Paso de Robles Area Pioneer Museum.

The eastern portion of the proposed boundary follows a series of roads and hills and separates the proposed El Pomar District viticultural area from the higher elevations to the east. A portion of the eastern boundary is shared with a portion of the western boundary of the proposed Creston District viticultural area.

The southern portion of the proposed El Pomar District viticultural area boundary uses a series of roads in the foothills of the La Panza Range that follow approximately the exposed granitic rocks and growths of dense chaparral and forest vegetation in the area. The region to the south of the proposed viticultural area is within the Paso Robles viticultural area but not within any of the other viticultural areas proposed in this document.

The western portion of the proposed El Pomar District viticultural area boundary follows a series of peaks and roads that approximate the Rinconada Fault and define the western geological and topographical boundary of the area. In addition, a line of hills that rise 400 to 500 feet above the fault line visually defines the western portion of the proposed El Pomar District boundary. A portion of the western boundary is shared with the eastern boundary of the proposed Templeton Gap District viticultural area.

At TTB's request, the proposed El Pomar District viticultural area's northwestern corner was adjusted westward in order to follow a road and other more easily located features rather than the now hard-to-locate former city limit line of Paso Robles. The northern portion of the proposed El Pomar District viticultural area boundary then extends to the ridgeline of the Huerhuero Hills area, an uplifted area along the La Panza-Huerhuero Fault. This ridgeline, which is located along the northeastern portion of the proposed boundary, serves as a partial barrier to marine air flowing eastward from the Pacific Ocean. To the north of the proposed boundary is the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area, and the urbanized area of the city of Paso Robles is to the northwest.

Distinguishing Features

The distinguishing features of the proposed El Pomar District viticultural area include a pronounced marine influence, an annual average of 15 inches of precipitation, and a moderate Winkler Region II climate. High, older terraces, alluvial fans, and hills dominate the landscape, and elevations vary between 740 and 1,600 feet.

Climate

The proposed El Pomar District viticultural area is located several miles to the east and on the lee, or rain shadow, side of the Santa Lucia Range crest, which blocks much of the moisture and storms that move in from the Pacific Ocean, and precipitation in the proposed area averages 15 inches annually. However, the proposed viticultural area does receive significant marine air incursion, fog, and sea breezes through the Templeton Gap, which is located in the Santa Lucia Range to the proposed area's west. The hillsides and hilltop vineyards within the proposed El Pomar District viticultural area are exposed to the cooling marine air during the growing season. Due to the cooling sea breezes and fog, the proposed El Pomar District viticultural area has a relatively cool Winkler Region II growing season climate, averaging 2,950 GDD units annually.

Topography

The proposed El Pomar District viticultural area sits at the base of the La Panza Range's foothills, and old river terraces and alluvial fans on intermediate elevations dominate the landscape. The terraces and hills are underlain by granitic rocks, sandstones of the Simmler Formation, and shales of the Monterey Formation, with the Paso Robles Formation at or near the surface where the overlying sediments have been eroded. Elevations rise gradually to the south, beginning at approximately 740 feet on nearly flat land around the Salinas River, southeast of the city of Paso Robles, and increasing to a peak of 1,600 feet in the southern portion of the proposed viticultural area. Vineyard elevations in the proposed viticultural area generally vary from 840 feet to 960 feet, with a few vineyards located at 1,440 feet on the higher hills. Although cold air drains northward off the higher slopes of the La Panza Range and into the proposed viticultural area at night, its general topography of rolling hills and terraces makes frost and cold air ponding rare.

Soils

The parent materials of soils within the proposed El Pomar District viticultural area are granitic rock, sandstones of the Simmler Formation, shales of the Monterey Formation, and the Paso Robles Formation. Many of these soils have calcareous shale fragments, with secondary lime deposited within the soil profiles. The most common soil series within the proposed viticultural area are from the Linne-Calodo series and are mostly alkaline. Soil textures in the proposed El Pomar District viticultural area include clay loams and sandy loams, with many gravelly units. The most common soil order is the moderately developed grassland Mollisols, followed by younger, poorly developed Inceptisols and Entisols along the creeks. The soils have shallow to moderate rooting depths, modest nutrient levels, and low to moderate water holding capacity, which create low to moderate vigor vineyard sites.

Comparison to Adjacent Regions

The following chart summarizes the distinguishing features of the proposed El Pomar District viticultural area and compares those features to those of the adjacent proposed viticultural areas. TTB notes that there are no proposed viticultural areas located directly to the south of the proposed El Pomar District. The region to the south contrasts to the proposed El Pomar District viticultural area due to the urban area of Atascadero to the southwest and the more rugged, mountainous terrain to the southeast. In addition, there is no proposed viticultural area to the northwest of the proposed viticultural area since this region is within the urbanized area of the city of Paso Robles.

Comparison of Proposed El Pomar District Viticultural Area to Adjacent Proposed Viticultural Areas

Distinguishing
features

El Pomar District
To the west: Templeton Gap District

To the east: Creston
District

To the north: Paso Robles Geneseo District

Winkler Region
Moderate Region II
Region II
Low-to-Moderate Region III
Transitional Regions III-IV.

Maritime Climate *
3
1
4
7.

Precipitation
15 inches/year
20 inches/year
11.5 inches/year
13-14 inches/year.

Topography
High, older terraces, fans, and hills; elevation 740-1,600 feet (most vineyards at 840-960 feet)
Broad terraces in moderate to low elevation area of the Santa Lucia Range with elevations ranging from 700 feet to 1,800 feet (most vineyards at 800-940 feet)
Old erosional plateau at base of La Panza Range; alluvial terraces and fans of Huerhuero Creek; elevation approximately 1,000-2,000 feet (most vineyards at 1,030-1,300 feet)
Upfaulted hills through old river terraces; elevation 740-1,300 feet (most vineyards at 880-1,200 feet).

Soils
Terrace alluvial soils, with sandy, clay, and gravelly loam textures; primarily alkaline
Moderate depth, partially cemented alluvial soils on river terraces and sections of older alluvial fans with silt loams, silty clays, clay loams, and sandy loams (with some units gravelly); some with slightly acidic topsoils and others neutral to slightly alkaline at surface (all alkaline at depth)
Terrace alluvial and some residual soils, with fine sandy to gravelly and clay loam textures; slightly acidic at surface, more alkaline at depth
Well-developed moderate depth residual and alluvial soils, with silty clays and silty clay loam textures; pH varied, but mostly acidic.

* Maritime climate indicated on scale from 1 (most maritime) to 8 (more continental).

Paso Robles Estrella District

The proposed 66,900-acre Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area is located in the north-central portion of the Paso Robles viticultural area, northeast of the city of Paso Robles, and it contains approximately 8,500 acres of vineyards.

Name Evidence

In the history of San Luis Obispo County, the word “Estrella” has been used for the names of the La Estrella Mexican land grant, a small rural community, school district, cemetery district, electoral district, and county planning area, all of which are in the same region as the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area.

The name “Estrella” is the Spanish word for “star” and was used in the 1800s to describe a location in the proposed viticultural area along the Estrella River where four valleys come together, topographically resembling the rays of a star. The first recorded use of the term “Estrella” in connection with the larger Paso Robles region appears on a drawing of the Diseño of Mission San Miguel (circa 1846), which shows the Estrella area to the east and northeast of the current city of Paso Robles, roughly in the same location as the proposed viticultural area.

Maps of early San Luis Obispo County also use the name “Estrella” to identify a school district and voting precinct within the same region as the proposed viticultural area. For example, an 1874 San Luis Obispo County map shows the “Estrella School District,” and the 1913 San Luis Obispo County map shows the “Estrella Precinct.” Letters from four residents of the Paso Robles area that accompanied the petition state that the full name “Paso Robles Estrella District” was used to refer to the historical school district that served the old town of Estrella and the surrounding rural area on either side of the Estrella River. In addition, the Estrella Army Air Force Base was located in the region during World War II until it was decommissioned in late October 1944.

The “Estrella” name currently applies to numerous geographic and cultural features within the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area. The most prominent geographical feature in the region is the Estrella River (indicated on the Estrella, Paso Robles, and Shandon USGS quadrangle maps), and Estrella Road generally follows the path of the river. According to the petition, “Estrella” also is used to refer to the rural area on both sides of the Estrella River. In addition, the name “Estrella” refers to a small unincorporated township within the Estrella electoral precinct of San Luis Obispo County, which is shown on the Estrella USGS quadrangle map. There is also a 1,481-foot peak named “Estrella,” shown on the Shandon USGS quadrangle map, along the eastern portion of the proposed viticultural area boundary.

In addition, the “Estrella” name has been used in conjunction with viticulture within the proposed viticultural area. Some Paso Robles wineries with vineyards in the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area have described their vineyards as located on the “Estrella bench” or “Estrella hills” in marketing materials, and two vineyards and a winery located within the proposed viticultural area include the word “Estrella” in their names.

Boundary Evidence

The proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area is located in the north-central portion of the Paso Robles viticultural area, northeast of the city of Paso Robles. The proposed boundary is shaped roughly like a triangle, with its top pointed at the San Luis Obispo-Monterey County line. The location of the proposed viticultural area is in the same general region as the 1844 La Estrella Land Grant, which was made by the Mexican governor to the Native Americans of Mission San Miguel.

The northern portion of the boundary of the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area follows a segment of the shared San Luis Obispo County and Monterey County boundary, which is also part of the northern portion of the Paso Robles viticultural area boundary. Beyond the northern boundary are steep canyons, which contrast with the valleys and terraces of the proposed viticultural area.

The northeastern portion of the proposed boundary extends diagonally southeast from the San Luis Obispo County line at Ranchito Canyon to Shedd Canyon on the Estrella River,

following straight lines between peaks in the Temblor Range that roughly separate the proposed viticultural area from the steeper and more arid terrain to the east, which is not included in any of the proposed viticultural areas described in this document. The southeastern portion of the proposed boundary follows an intermittent stream in Shedd Canyon to a section line that is used to define part of the proposed viticultural area's southern boundary. The southeastern portion of the boundary of the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area is shared with the northwestern portion of the boundary of the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area.

The southern portion of the proposed boundary follows a series of section lines, roads, and straight lines connecting marked map points. A portion of the southern boundary of the proposed viticultural area is shared with the northern boundary of the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area. The proposed boundary in this area follows changes in topography, separating the lower, newer terraces of the Estrella River to the north from the higher, older terraces to the south in the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area. In the areas where the southern portion of the boundary of the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area is not shared with the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area boundary, the boundary separates the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area from the more arid, steeper terrain to the southeast and the urban area of the city of Paso Robles to the southwest.

Most of the southwestern portion of the proposed boundary is shared with the eastern portion of the boundary of the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area. The Salinas River divides the generally flatter and lower landscape of the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area from the northern part of the city of Paso Robles and a large region of rugged terrain with increasing elevations in the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area.

The northwestern portion of the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area boundary is shared with the eastern portion of the proposed San Miguel District viticultural area boundary. This portion of the proposed boundary includes a straight east-west line between the Salinas River and the Estrella River, which eventually joins with the San Jacinto Creek, and then follows San Jacinto Creek northeasterly through the escalating Lowes Canyon to the San Luis Obispo County line. San Jacinto Creek separates the rolling plains, river terraces, benches, and hills of the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District from the alluvial fans and well-defined terraces of the landscape of the proposed San Miguel District viticultural area.

Distinguishing Features

The Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area is distinguished from the surrounding areas based on its mild marine influence, its average of 12.5 to 15.5 inches of annual precipitation (depending on elevation), a moderate Winkler Region III climate, and its rolling terrain with elevations ranging from 745 to 1,819 feet.

Climate

Growing season temperatures in the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area are generally warmer than those of the more western grape-growing regions within the Paso Robles viticultural area, but are generally cooler than those of the eastern and southern regions of the Paso Robles viticultural area. The proposed viticultural area has a moderate Winkler Region III climate, with approximately 3,300 GDD units. The petition notes that moderate Region III climates are well suited for growing a number of Bordeaux varieties of winegrapes, including cabernet sauvignon, as well as Rhone varieties like syrah.

During the growing season, sea breezes occur when the land surface is warmer than the waters of the Pacific Ocean, creating a vacuum to draw the cooling breezes through the gaps in the crest of the Santa Lucia Range and into the proposed viticultural area. In addition, sea breezes occasionally travel south from Monterey Bay via the Salinas River valley to the proposed viticultural area. The proposed viticultural area's temperatures are also influenced by night-time cold air drainage from the higher slopes of the surrounding Santa Lucia Range, Temblor Range, and Huerhuero Hills; this cold air drainage occasionally results in early morning fog within the proposed viticultural area during the summer.

The Santa Lucia Range, located between the Pacific Ocean and the Paso Robles area, creates a rain shadow effect for the proposed viticultural area, with lesser shadow effects occurring from the La Panza Range to the south and the Temblor Range to the northeast. Precipitation in the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area varies between 12.5 and 15.5 inches annually, with the majority of precipitation occurring during the winter.

Topography

Elevations within the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area vary from 745 to 1,819 feet. A series of northeast-to-southwest canyons with intermittent streams and long, narrow valley floors dominate much of the northern and eastern terrain, with elevations ranging from 1,100 to 1,600 feet. Elevations within the proposed viticultural area gradually decrease to the west and south as the terrain transitions to floodplains, terraces, benches, and gently rolling hills preserved from old river deposits at elevations generally between 700 and 1,000 feet. Vineyard elevations generally vary from 750 to 1,000 feet, with some higher vineyards located north of the Estrella River at elevations of up to 1,400 feet in the Temblor Range. The valley fill of the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area is deep and supports the Paso Robles groundwater basin, fed by runoff from the surrounding mountain slopes and the Estrella River. The deep groundwater basin provides abundant water for irrigation within the proposed viticultural area.

The geographical location of the Estrella River valley and the surrounding topography combine to create a distinctive climate within the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area. Maritime sea breezes enter the region through the Templeton Gap and other low spots in the crest of the Santa Lucia Range to the west; occasional sea breezes flowing from Monterey Bay southward along the Salinas River valley also provide marine influences. As a result, the Estrella River watershed incurs year-round winds, predominantly from the west, that blow through its connecting valleys and canyons. In addition, the topography within the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area causes cold air to drain from higher elevations downward to the Estrella River, and this cold air drainage can cause early morning fog in the summer.

Soils

The soil textures of the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area are predominantly sandy loams along the creeks and gravelly sandy loams and clay loams above on the poorly consolidated Paso Robles Formation of the river terraces and hillsides. The most common soil orders of the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area are the well developed and older Alfisols on higher terraces and the moderately developed grassland Mollisols, followed by younger, poorly

developed Inceptisols and Entisols along the creeks and on some hillsides, and heavy clay Vertisols on some old terraces.

The soils of the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area have low to modest values of major plant nutrients, moderate soil rooting depths, moderate water stress, and have low to moderate fertility. The combination of the region's climate with its deep alluvial, mostly terrace soils (some of which are partially cemented by clays, iron, silicates and carbonates) creates moderate vigor vineyards. Soils are generally well-drained near the surface, but with varying water-holding capacity as texture and structure changes to depth in the profile, and from the younger to older geomorphic surfaces. Most of the soils are slightly acidic at the surface (with pH values of 6.0 to 7.1) and more alkaline at depth (with pH values of 7.2 to 8.3).

Comparison to Adjacent Regions

The following chart summarizes the distinguishing features of the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area and compares those features to those of the adjacent proposed viticultural areas. TTB notes that there are no proposed viticultural areas located immediately to the east and in certain areas to the south of the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area. The region to the east of the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area contains steep, arid terrain that contrasts with the more moderate terrain and ample precipitation of the proposed viticultural area. The region to the southeast of the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area that is not included in another proposed viticultural area contains highly eroded terrain, shallow soils, and steep slopes, which contribute to slope instability and a high erosion hazard. The region to the southwest that is not included in another proposed viticultural area contains the urban area of the city of Paso Robles.

In addition, there are no established or proposed viticultural areas directly to the north of the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area, which is outside of the existing Paso Robles viticultural area in Monterey County. That region contains steep canyons, which contrast to the valleys and terraces of the proposed viticultural area, and is part of the Cholame Hills and Temblor Range.

Comparison of Proposed Paso Robles Estrella District Viticultural Area to Adjacent Proposed Viticultural Areas

Distinguishing features
Paso Robles Estrella District
To the northwest: San Miguel District
To the southwest: Adelaida District

To the south: Paso Robles Geneseo
District

To the southeast: San Juan Creek

Winkler Region
Moderate Region III
Warm Region III
Transitional Regions II-III
Transitional Regions III-IV
Transitional Regions III to Low IV.

Maritime Climate*
5
7
6
7
8.

Precipitation
12.5-15.5 inches/year
11.4 inches/year
25 inches/year
13-14 inches/year
10.4 inches/year.

Topography
Rolling plains of Estrella River valley and terraces; elevation 745-1,819 feet (most vineyards at 750-1,000 feet)
Santa Lucia Range footslope into Salinas and Estrella River valleys; alluvial fans and well-defined river terraces; elevation 580-1,600 feet (most vineyards at 640-800 feet)
Santa Lucia Range high mountain slopes grading to base of foothills; elevation approximately 900-2,200 feet (most vineyards at 1,100-1,800 feet)
Upfaulted hills through old river terraces; elevation 740-1,300 feet (most vineyards at 880-1,200 feet)
River valleys with alluvial plains and terraces; elevation approximately 980-1,600 (most vineyards at 1,000-1,280 feet).

Soils
Deep to moderate depth alluvial terrace soils, with sandy to coarse and clay loam textures; slightly acidic, but more alkaline at depth
Deep alluvial soils, with clay, sandy, and gravelly loam textures
Shallow, well-drained, residual soils with silty and clay loam textures; moderately alkaline
Well-developed moderate depth residual and alluvial soils, with silty clays and silty clay loam textures; pH varied, but mostly acidic
Well to moderately drained, deep alluvial soils, with great variety of loamy sands to gravelly and sandy clay loam textures; alkaline at depth (and occasionally at the surface).

* Maritime climate indicated on scale from 1 (most maritime) to 8 (more continental).

Paso Robles Geneseo District

The proposed 17,300-acre Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area has approximately 3,000 acres of vineyards and is located roughly in the center of the larger Paso Robles viticultural area.

Name Evidence

The “Paso Robles Geneseo District” name is based on the extensive historical and current use of the “Geneseo District” name in San Luis Obispo County. In the early 1880s, German settlers emigrating from Geneseo, Illinois, settled to the east of the city of Paso Robles and first used the “Geneseo” name to identify the geographical area within the proposed viticultural area.
6

These early settlers founded the Geneseo School, and the Geneseo School District served the region, as seen on an 1890 San Luis Obispo County map included with the petition.

6
Wallace V. Ohles,
The Lands of Mission San Miguel
(Clovis, CA: Word Dancer Press, 1977), page 118.

The current precinct map for San Luis Obispo County, dated 1986, identifies “Geneseo” as an electoral precinct with a boundary that generally corresponds with the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area boundary. The unincorporated community of Geneseo also appears on modern San Luis Obispo County maps submitted with the petition. On the 2004 “Cuesta Title” map, Geneseo is located to the southeast of the city of Paso Robles at the intersection of Geneseo and Creston Roads, and on the “AG Adventures of

the Central Coast” map, Geneseo is located to the east of U.S. Route 101, between the city of Paso Robles and the community of Creston. Realtors also refer to the “Geneseo area of Paso Robles” when advertising real estate in the region of the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area, and the petition includes seven examples of such “Geneseo” real estate advertisements.

Boundary Evidence

The northern and northeastern portions of the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area boundary are shared with the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area. These portions of the proposed boundary include section lines, roads, and straight lines connecting marked map points. The boundary roughly follows changes in topography, separating the high, older terraces of the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area from the Estrella River region's lower and newer terraces, floodplain deposits, and small alluvial fans with sandier and better drained soils.

The southeastern portion of the proposed boundary uses roads and straight lines that connect with marked map points to follow general changes in topography, dividing the flat, gently terraced terrain of Huerhuero Creek within the proposed viticultural area from the more rugged and steeper region to the east. A very small portion of the southeastern boundary of the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area is also shared with the northwestern portion of the boundary of the proposed Creston District viticultural area, at a juncture with the Huerhuero Creek.

The southern portion of the proposed boundary is an irregular southeast-to-northwest diagonal line that is shared with the proposed El Pomar District viticultural area and generally follows Huerhuero Creek. The boundary eventually turns westward from Huerhuero Creek and continues to a point in the eastern outskirts of the city of Paso Robles. The proposed boundary in this area roughly separates the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area from the cooler climate and more calcareous soils of the proposed El Pomar District viticultural area to the south. The western portion of the proposed boundary crosses over rolling hills, separating the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area from the Salinas River and the city of Paso Robles to the west.

Distinguishing Features

The distinguishing features of the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area include a modest marine influence, an average of 13 to 14 inches of annual precipitation, a transitional Winkler Region III to IV warm growing season climate, a landscape dominated by high hills and terraces, and elevations between approximately 740 and 1,300 feet.

Climate

The climate of the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area is influenced by marine incursion, thermal mixing of the air across hill tops, and cold air drainage from hill slopes. In the summer and fall, cool marine air travels inland and eastward over the crest of the Santa Lucia Range through the Templeton Gap and into the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area. Occasional incursions of marine air can also travel southward along the Salinas River from Monterey Bay and reach the hills of the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area. At night, cool air drains off of the hillsides and vineyards of the proposed viticultural area and into lower elevations outside of the proposed viticultural area. Because of this cold air drainage, frost and cold air ponding are rare within the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area, except along small sections of the Huerhuero Creek channel. Precipitation amounts average 13 to 14 inches annually.

The Winkler climate classification system classifies the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area as a warm Region III-IV transitional climate, with approximately 3,500 GDD units. (Daily temperature records and GDD data were gathered from 2002 through 2006 at the 980-foot elevation weather station of the Jerry Reaugh Branch Vineyard.) The petition notes that a warm Region III-IV transitional climate is well suited for growing Bordeaux varieties of winegrapes, including merlot and cabernet sauvignon, as well as Rhone varieties like syrah and zinfandel.

Topography

The landscape of the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area contains the older terraces of the Estrella River, a portion of Huerhuero Creek, Huerhuero Hills terraces, and up-faulted hills. The merging of the old river terraces and uplifted Huerhuero Hills, coupled with erosion by Huerhuero Creek and its tributaries, has created a set of higher elevation rolling hill slopes above the lower elevation valley floor. As a result, the landscape contains the appearance of hills that bulge, or bubble, upward from the valley floor. The terraces trend in a west-southwest to east-northeast direction as a flight of step-like surfaces with increasing elevations. The highest and oldest terraces of the Estrella River are located in this region and have elevations of 900 to 1,050 feet; a small section of second terraces of 860 to 880 feet in elevation is situated in the northwestern corner of the proposed viticultural area, east of the city of Paso Robles.

Elevations within the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area range from approximately 740 feet along Huerhuero Creek in the north to approximately 1,300 feet in the southeast. Vineyard elevations in the region generally vary from 880 feet to 1,200 feet, with a few vineyards located on the higher eastern hills.

The topography of the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area has a strong influence on the growing conditions in the area. The hillside and hilltop vineyards of the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area expose the grapevines to the cooling influence of the winds and sea breezes that enter the region through gaps in the crest of the Santa Lucia Range. The hillside and hilltop vineyards also are protected from frost, because cold air drains off of the high slopes of the proposed viticultural area at night and into the lower elevation valleys.

Soils

The soils of the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area have shallow to moderate rooting depths, moderate water stress, and modest to low nutrient levels. Area soils tend to be cemented by carbonates and silicates, which provides reduced rooting depths and moderate water holding capacity, drainage, and vigor.

The Huerhuero Hills soils within the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area are generally residual, silty clay, and silty clay loam soils weathered from the moderately consolidated Paso Robles Formation, with small stringers of sandy soils located immediately along the Huerhuero Creek channel. The soil series form a topographical sequence of types by slope position, from ridge-crest to shoulder-slope, mid-slope, foot-slope, and toe-slope. The Huerhuero residual soils are primarily Mollisols with darker and more organically rich horizons, leached at the surface. Many of the hilltop soils are high in calcium and have a pH typically 7.9 to 8.4 throughout. The alluvial terrace soils are

generally acidic at the surface with pH of 5.6 to 6.5, increasing at depth to an alkaline 8.4.

Comparison to Adjacent Regions

The following chart summarizes the distinguishing features of the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area and compares those features to those of the adjacent proposed viticultural areas. TTB notes that there are no proposed viticultural areas located immediately to the east or west of the proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area. The region to the east of the proposed viticultural area contains highly eroded terrain, shallow soils, and steep slopes, which contribute to slope instability and a high erosion hazard, while the region to the west contains the urban area of the city of Paso Robles.

Comparison of Proposed Paso Robles Geneseo District Viticultural Area to Adjacent Proposed Viticultural Areas

Distinguishing
features

Paso Robles Geneseo District

To the north: Paso Robles Estrella
District

To the south: El Pomar District

Winkler Region
Transitional Regions III-IV
Moderate Region III
Moderate Region II.

Maritime Climate*
7
5
3.

Precipitation
13-14 inches/year
12.5-15.5 inches/year
15 inches/year.

Topography
Upfaulted hills through old river terraces; elevation 740-1,300 feet (most vineyards at 880-1,200 feet)
Rolling plains of Estrella River valley and terraces; elevation 745-1,819 feet (most vineyards at 750-1,000 feet)
High, older terraces, fans, and hills; elevation 740-1,600 feet (most vineyards at 840-960 feet).

Soils
Well-developed moderate depth residual and alluvial soils, with silty clays and silty clay loam textures; pH varied, but mostly acidic
Deep to moderate depth alluvial terrace soils, with sandy to coarse and clay loam textures; slightly acidic, but more alkaline at depth
Terrace alluvial soils, with sandy, clay, and gravelly loam textures; primarily alkaline.

* Maritime climate indicated on scale from 1 (most maritime) to 8 (more continental).

Paso Robles Highlands District

The proposed 60,300-acre Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area is a ranching and agricultural area in the southeastern portion of the Paso Robles viticultural area with approximately 2,000 acres of vineyards.

Name Evidence

The “Paso Robles Highlands District” name is based on the historical and current use of the “Highlands” or “Highlands District” name by local residents to refer to the geographical region of the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area.

The name “Highlands” or “Highlands District” has been used to describe the region located within the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area since at least the late 1800s. The Highlands School District, located largely within the proposed viticultural area, appears in local records as early as 1890. Although the school district did not extend to the eastern boundary of the proposed viticultural area, the Highlands School drew students from a broader area due to difficulties in accessing other schools in the region. In addition, a book documenting the settlement and development of the region refers to it as “the Highland district.”
7

7
Annie L. Morrison and John H. Hayde,
Pioneers of San Luis Obispo County and Environs
(Sanger, CA: Word Dancer Press, 2002), page 275.

Local residents still use the name “Highlands” to refer to the region of canyons and highlands to the east of Creston located within the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area, according to the petition. Based on the common use of the term “Highlands” throughout the United States, the words “Paso Robles” and “District” were added as modifiers to the proposed viticultural area name.

Boundary Evidence

The northern portion of the boundary of the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area uses a straight east-west line that follows section boundary lines. The northeastern portion of the boundary follows a 10-mile long leg along the western edge of the San Juan Valley. These portions of the proposed boundary divide the open spaces, broad vistas, and old erosional planation surfaces of the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area from the broad alluvial plains of the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area to the north and east.

The southeastern and southern portions of the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area boundary are concurrent with the boundary of the existing Paso Robles viticultural area. The southeastern portion of the proposed boundary approximately marks the transition from the flatter terrain of the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area to the rugged Temblor Range to the east. The southern portion of the boundary separates the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area from the rugged La Panza Range and Los Padres National Forest.

The western portion of the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area boundary follows a section line, a State Highway, and Indian Creek. Indian Creek, which forms most of the western portion of the boundary, separates the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area from the proposed Creston District viticultural area to the west. The region to the northwest of the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area contains rugged terrain that is not located within a proposed viticultural area due to the lack of viticultural development in that region.

Distinguishing Features

The proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area has a more continental climate as compared to other regions within the Paso Robles viticultural area, averages 12 inches of precipitation annually, and is classified as a low Winkler Region IV climate. The landscape in this region transitions from valley floor to mountain slopes, with elevations ranging between 1,160 to 2,086 feet.

Climate

The proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area, 33 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean, generally has a warmer and more continental climate with less precipitation than other regions of the Paso Robles viticultural area at similar elevations. Due to the proposed viticultural area's location to the east of the Santa Lucia Range and northeast of the La Panza

Range, it lies in a double-rain shadow. However, due to its relatively higher elevations, the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area still receives an average of 12 inches, or about two more inches, of rain annually than the regions farther to the east.

According to the Winkler climate classification system, the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area has a low Region IV climate, based on the 3,678 average GDD units measured from 2000 to 2003 at the 1,400-foot elevation French Camp Vineyard. The abundant sunshine and warm temperatures result in moderate yields from vineyards within the proposed viticultural area.

The proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area has greater daily, monthly, seasonal, and annual temperature ranges when compared to other areas within the Paso Robles viticultural area. The difference between daily maximum and minimum temperatures in the mid- and late-summer can be 50 degrees F or more, with highs around 100 °F and lows around 50 °F. According to grape growers in the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area, the warm summer days ensure full maturity of the fruit, while the cool evenings preserve acids in the grapes. The growers also note that due to its distinctive climate, grape harvest in the proposed viticultural area occurs two to four weeks earlier than in some other areas of the Paso Robles viticultural area.

Topography

The proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area is topographically distinct from the central and western regions of the Paso Robles viticultural area. The terrain in the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area includes large expanses of open landscape and grasslands, high ridges with scattered coniferous trees, and low hills and terraces that are bisected by canyons and channels incised by intermittent streams. These canyons and streams appear as long fingers that run predominantly south to north across the landscape. The open spaces and broad vistas of the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area serve as a geologic transition zone between the valley floor to the north and the La Panza Range to the south.

Elevations of the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area generally increase from north to south toward the La Panza Range, rising from 1,160 feet in the area's north to 2,086 feet in the area's south. Vineyards in the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area are generally planted on old alluvial terraces, alluvial fans, and hill slopes at elevations of 1,200 to 1,600 feet. These high elevations enable vineyards in the proposed viticultural area to benefit from more precipitation than surrounding lower elevations, as well as rapid hillside warming with the morning sun. At night, cold air drains off the high elevations and into the lower elevations outside the proposed viticultural area, reducing the risk of frost in vineyards within the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area.

Soils

The soil textures of the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area are predominantly sandy loams along the creeks, loams on the small alluvial fans, and coarse sandy loams to clay loams on the hillsides. Most soils have composite soil profiles, with older soils buried below the surface soil due to repeated alluvial deposition. In some areas, erosion has exposed some of the older buried soils. Many of the subsoils are cemented by calcium carbonate.

The soil orders within the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area include more weakly developed Entisols along the creeks, Inceptisols on the young alluvial fans, and Mollisols on the upslope, more stable surfaces. Old, leached Alfisols are common on hillsides in the eastern part of the proposed viticultural area. The soils of the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area have low to moderate fertility, good near surface drainage, and limited rooting depth, all of which contribute to low-vigor vineyards.

Most of the younger soils within the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area are calcareous and alkaline at depth (with pH values of 7.9 to 8.4), and also occasionally alkaline at the surface (with pH values of 7.4 to 8.1) due to the aridity of the climate and the presence of the Monterey Formation to the south. The soil profile of the older Alfisols may be leached throughout to depth, with pH values of 5.6 to 6.5 in the acidic soils.

Comparison to Adjacent Regions

The following chart summarizes the distinguishing features of the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area and compares those features to those of the adjacent proposed viticultural areas. TTB notes that there are no proposed viticultural areas to the northwest of the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area; this region contains highly eroded terrain, shallow soils, and steep slopes, which contribute to slope instability and a high erosion hazard. In addition, there are no proposed or established viticultural areas to the south and southeast of the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area. Those regions, which are outside of the existing Paso Robles viticultural area, contain the rugged terrain of the La Panza Range and the Los Padres National Forest, which is unavailable for commercial viticulture.

Comparison of Proposed Paso Robles Highlands District Viticultural Area to Adjacent Proposed Viticultural Areas

Distinguishing
features

Paso Robles Highlands District
To the west: Creston District
To the north and east: San Juan Creek

Winkler Region
Low Region IV
Low-Moderate Region III
Transitional Regions III to Low IV.

Maritime Climate *
8
4
8.

Precipitation
12 inches/year
11.5 inches/year
10.4 inches/year.

Topography
Transitional area from valley floor to mountain slope; elevation 1,160-2,086 feet (most vineyards at 1,200-1,600 feet)
Old erosional plateau at base of La Panza Range; alluvial terraces and fans of Huerhuero Creek; elevation approximately 1,000-2,000 feet (most vineyards at 1,030-1,300 feet)
River valleys with alluvial plains and terraces; elevation 980-1,600 (most vineyards at 1,000-1,280 feet).

Soils
Deep alluvial soils, with sandy to coarse and clay loam textures, mostly alkaline at depth
Terrace alluvial and some residual soils, with fine sandy to gravelly and clay loam textures; slightly acidic at surface, more alkaline at depth
Well to moderately drained, deep alluvial soils, with great variety of loamy sands to gravelly and sandy clay loam textures; alkaline at depth (and occasionally at the surface).

* Maritime climate indicated on scale from 1 (most maritime) to 8 (more continental).

Paso Robles Willow Creek District

The proposed 16,622-acre Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area is located in the westernmost portion of the Paso Robles viticultural area and contains approximately 1,400 acres of vineyards.

Name Evidence

The name “Paso Robles Willow Creek District” refers to the Willow Creek watershed and a small rural enclave in the center of the proposed viticultural area. Local residents refer to the region in which the proposed viticultural area is located as the “Willow Creek District.”

Willow Creek, an intermittent stream and tributary of Paso Robles Creek identified on the USGS York Mountain map, is a dominant geographical feature of the proposed viticultural area. The USGS York Mountain map also identifies Willow Creek Road, which runs in a northwest-to-southeast direction through the proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area. (The petition notes that the road identified as “Willow Creek” on the USGS York Mountain map is now known as “Vineyard Drive”; the roughly parallel mountain road to the east, unnamed on the York Mountain map, is now known as “Willow Creek Road.” The petition includes a map, from the “SanLuisObispoCounty.com” Web site, which identifies each road by its current name.) The 2001 Automobile Club of Southern California's San Luis Obispo County map also shows Willow Creek and Willow Creek Road within the proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area.

In addition, news articles in local publications use the “Willow Creek” name for the region within the proposed viticultural area. For example, a March 17, 2007 article entitled “Hands-On Hobby” in The Tribune (San Luis Obispo) discusses winemaker Charlie Poalillo and his “Willow Creek grape-growing business,” and an article entitled “Paso Robles Boy Has His Wish Fulfilled Saturday” in the June 22, 2005 Paso Robles Press discusses a young Make-A-Wish Foundation recipient who is described as living on his family's Willow Creek area ranch.

Local organizations also use the name “Willow Creek” to refer to the geographical region of the proposed viticultural area. An undated flyer for the annual Paso Robles Pioneer Day celebration includes a regional map that identifies Willow Creek in the area of the proposed viticultural area, and the Web site for the local Wine and Steins Club states that the group started in 1979 in the Willow Creek area of rural Paso Robles. Also, the Willow Creek Mennonite Church has existed within the proposed viticultural area since 1954.

Further, the “Willow Creek” name is used by some local wineries to more specifically describe the location of their vineyards in the Paso Robles viticultural area, according to wine marketing materials provided with the petition. For example, the Villa Creek Cellars 2007 spring release notes provide information on their 2005 Willow Creek Cuvée, and Stephen's Cellar and Vineyard explains that their 2003 Pinot Noir grapes were grown in the Willow Creek area.

Boundary Evidence

The northern portion of the boundary of the proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District follows a rugged, mountainous ridgeline and eventually descends eastward to the Salinas River floodplain. The proposed northern portion of the boundary follows roads, intermittent streams, and the city limits of Paso Robles as marked on the provided USGS Templeton map. This boundary is shared with the southern boundary of the proposed Adelaida District viticultural area and separates the cool, mountainous proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area from the warmer, less mountainous proposed Adelaida District viticultural area.

The eastern portion of the boundary of the proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area follows roads, streams, and range lines to separate the proposed viticultural area from the gently sloping landscape that descends toward lower elevations to the east. The eastern and southeastern portion of the proposed boundary is based on the transition from the soft Monterey Formation rock within the proposed viticultural area, which contributes to the region's distinct terroir, to bedrock-alluvial contact to the east. The area immediately to the east of the proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area includes the city of Paso Robles and a portion of the proposed Templeton Gap District viticultural area.

The southern and southwestern portions of the proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area boundary follow various roads, streams, section and range lines, and straight lines between marked points on USGS maps to approximately follow the contact of the less resistant Monterey Formation units in the proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area, with a more resistant unit of the Monterey Formation to the south. The proposed Templeton Gap District viticultural area is located immediately to the south.

The western portion of the proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area boundary follows the Paso de Robles Land Grant and mountain roads. The boundary in this area is shared with the Paso Robles viticultural area boundary and separates both the proposed viticultural area and the Paso Robles viticultural area from the higher, more rugged mountain terrain of the York Mountain viticultural area to the west.

Distinguishing Features

The distinguishing features of the proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area include a strong marine influence, an average of 24 to 30 inches of precipitation annually, a cool Winkler Region II growing season climate, and a mountainous landscape with elevations of 960 to 1,900 feet.

Climate

The climate of the proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District has significant maritime influence due to its location near gaps in the crest of the Santa Lucia Range and its high elevations. As a result, this proposed viticultural area is wetter and cooler than other regions of the Paso Robles viticultural area, with 24 to 30 inches of annual rainfall, frequent fog, and persistent sea breezes. Daily, monthly, and annual temperature ranges are less pronounced in this proposed viticultural area, and it is less affected by cold air drainage than most other regions of the Paso Robles viticultural area. This cooler climate is seen in the proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area's Winkler Region II climate classification of approximately 2,900 GDDs of growing season heat accumulation.

The cool climate of the proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area increases the ripening period for grapes, resulting in longer hang-time to develop flavors, with harvest dates approximately two to three weeks later than in other parts of the Paso Robles viticultural area. In addition, the higher annual precipitation in the proposed viticultural area results in thicker natural vegetation, which increases the input of humus to soils and allows viticulturally beneficial topsoils to develop on many slopes.

Topography

The proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area is a relatively high elevation, mountainous area of the Santa Lucia Range located in the western part of the Paso Robles viticultural area. The proposed area's location and topography create its distinctively cool climate, which, in turn, affects viticulture within the proposed viticultural area.

The proposed viticultural area's topography is largely defined by three small tributaries of Paso Robles Creek that run north-to-south down mountainsides into Paso Robles Creek: Willow Creek, Sheepcamp Creek, and Jack Creek. These creeks have eroded the hillsides of the proposed viticultural area, creating a mountain terroir of bedrock slopes. Jack Creek is located just inside the western portion of the proposed boundary, with Sheepcamp Creek to its east. Willow Creek is further to the east near the center of the proposed viticultural area, dominating its landscape.

Elevations in the proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area range from 1,900 feet along the high ridges of the northern portion of the boundary to 960 feet at the bedrock-alluvium contact to the east. Most of the vineyards within the proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area are planted at elevations between 1,000-1,300 feet, with many on south- to southeast-facing aspects, in order to benefit from the cool marine air that enters the proposed viticultural area from the south. The steep slopes have high erosion potential, which is often controlled though the planting of cover crops.

Soils

The parent materials of the soils of the proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area are the soft marine shales, mudstones, siltstones, and sandstones of the Monterey Formation, as well as small pockets of the poorly consolidated Paso Robles Formation. Benches along the small creeks are covered with alluvial sediments. Soil orders include Mollisols (where surface humus is abundant under woodlands) and younger, poorly developed Entisols on steep slopes. Occasionally Vertisols occur on very old geomorphic surfaces where pedogenic clays dominate the soil profile. Soil textures are predominantly shaly clays, clay loams, and rocky loams, with some units gravelly. Soils are alkaline at depth, with pH values commonly between 7.8 and 8.9.

The soils in the proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area have modest nutrient values and low to moderate water holding capacity, and are considered moderately fertile (although, in this mountainous region, fertility is also a function of slope stability, which influences soil depth). These soil characteristics create challenging conditions for winegrapes, and low yields are common for vineyards within the proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area.

Comparison to Adjacent Regions

The following chart summarizes the distinguishing features of the proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area and compares those features to those of the adjacent proposed viticultural areas. TTB notes that there are no proposed viticultural areas adjacent to the proposed area's northeast in the urban area of the city of Paso Robles. In addition, part of the western portion of the proposed boundary for the proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area is shared with the eastern portion of the York Mountain viticultural area boundary. The York Mountain viticultural area is closer to the Pacific Ocean than the proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area, contains elevations up to 1,500 feet on slopes of the Santa Lucia Mountains, receives an average of 45 inches of annual rainfall, and is classified as Winkler region I climate zone.

Comparison of Proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District Viticultural Area to Adjacent Proposed Viticultural Areas

Distinguishing
features

Paso Robles Willow Creek District
To the north: Adelaida District
To the south and southeast: Templeton Gap District

Winkler Region
Region II
Transitional Regions II-III
Region II.

Maritime Climate *
1
6
1.

Precipitation
24-30 inches/year
25 inches/year
Approximately 20 inches/year.

Topography
Mountain slopes of Santa Lucia Range to the west of the Salinas River, centered on the Willow Creek tributary to Paso Robles Creek; elevation 960-1,900 (most vineyards at 1,000-1,300 feet)
Santa Lucia Range high mountain slopes grading to base of foothills; elevation approximately 900-2,200 feet (most vineyards at 1,100-1,800 feet)
Broad terraces in moderate to low elevation area of the Santa Lucia Range with elevations ranging from 700 feet to 1,800 feet (most vineyards at 800-940 feet).

Soils
Mostly shallow calcareous soils of residual (bedrock) origin with shaly clays, clay loams, and rocky loams, with some units gravelly and with patches of alluvial soil along streams; alkaline at depth
Shallow, well-drained, residual soils with silty and clay loam textures; moderately alkaline
Moderate depth, partially cemented alluvial soils on river terraces and sections of older alluvial fans with silt loams, silty clays, clay loams, and sandy loams (with some units gravelly); some with slightly acidic topsoils and others neutral to slightly alkaline at surface (all alkaline at depth).

* Maritime climate indicated on scale from 1 (most maritime) to 8 (more continental).

San Juan Creek

The proposed 26,600-acre San Juan Creek viticultural area is located in the eastern part of the Paso Robles viticultural area with approximately 3,000 acres of vineyards planted.

Name Evidence

The proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area boundary closely approximates the valley floor of San Juan Creek, which flows northward to the Estrella River near the town of Shandon. The “San Juan Creek” name has been used in connection with the eastern portion of the Paso Robles region since the early days of San Luis Obispo County. One of the early land grants in San Luis Obispo County was named “San Juan Capistrano del Camate,” and the name “San Juan” was subsequently applied to the creek. Early maps of San Luis Obispo County from 1874, 1890, and 1913 identify San Juan Creek as the southern branch of the Estrella River. In addition, the 1890 San Luis Obispo County map shows the name “San Juan” used in connection with school and political districts in the region of the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area.

San Juan Creek continues to be identified on modern San Luis Obispo County maps in the same region as the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area, including a 1986 precinct map for San Luis Obispo County, the 2001 Automobile Club of Southern California (AAA) San Luis Obispo County map, the 2005 AAA San Luis Obispo County Cities map, and the USGS Holland Canyon and Camatta Canyon quadrangle maps. Each of these maps is included with the petition.

Boundary Evidence

As previously stated, the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area boundary closely approximates the San Juan Creek valley floor. The proposed viticultural area is roughly rectangular, with a narrow 10-mile long leg extending to the southeast to the eastern boundary of the existing Paso Robles viticultural area.

The northern portion of the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area boundary follows section lines, which approximately follow a line of peaks marking where the proposed viticultural area's terrain ascends to the Cholame Hills of the Temblor Range. These regions to the north of the proposed viticultural area contain steep, arid terrain that contrasts to the more fertile alluvial plains of the proposed viticultural area.

The eastern portion of the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area boundary extends south and southeast approximately 17.5 miles, and includes the eastern side of the narrow, 10-mile long leg encompassing the San Juan Valley. East of the proposed boundary, the Temblor Range dominates the landscape with rugged terrain and high elevations that contrast with the alluvial plains of the proposed viticultural area.

The southern portion of the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area boundary follows the western side of the long, narrow leg along the San Juan Valley, before turning west and following section lines to Shedd Canyon. The proposed boundary in this region divides the alluvial plains within the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area from the open spaces, broad vistas, and old erosional planation surfaces of the proposed Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area to the south.

The western portion of the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area boundary follows Shedd Canyon northward to the Estrella River, and then continues northward over mountainous terrain. Shedd Canyon provides a natural divide between the alluvial plains within the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area and the steep mountainous terrain to the southwest as well as the hills and benches of the Estrella River Valley to the northwest. The northwestern portion of the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area boundary is shared with the southeastern portion of the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area boundary.

Distinguishing Features

The proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area has a less marine-influenced, more continental climate, and contains alluvial plains and terraces that dominate the landscape with elevations between approximately 980 and 1,600 feet.

Climate

Located 30 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean, the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area is climatically affected by the surrounding Santa Lucia Range and Temblor Range mountains, which greatly reduce the ocean's marine influence on the area. As a result, the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area has a more continental climate that is drier, less breezy, and generally warmer, with great temperature ranges, than areas further west in the Paso Robles viticultural area.

Precipitation within the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area averages 10.4 inches a year, based on data collected from the Shandon Pump station, located within the proposed viticultural area to the northeast of Shandon. The Winkler climate system classifies the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area as a high Region III climate (or a low Region IV climate in warmer years). Shandon Hills Vineyard, located in the center of the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area at 1,120 feet, averaged 3,394 GDD units annually from 1997 through 2006. The warm temperatures and abundant sunshine within the proposed viticultural area result in moderate vineyard yields and harvest dates that are earlier than the harvest dates of the cooler central and

western parts of the Paso Robles viticultural area.

Topography

Broad alluvial plains, constructed by the Estrella River and its tributary streams, dominate the topography of the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area. A series of high to low alluvial terraces lie along the Estrella River and along the alluvial fan and delta complex where San Juan Creek and Cholame Creek combine to form the Estrella River near the town of Shandon. The lowland alluvial plains of the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area are surrounded by the steep Cholame Hills of the Temblor Range slopes to the north and east.

Elevations within the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area range from approximately 980 feet along the Estrella River to approximately 1,600 feet along the northern portion of the proposed boundary in the Cholame Hills of the Temblor Range. Most of the vineyards within the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area are planted at elevations of 1,000 to 1,280 feet on river terraces, small alluvial fans, and across the larger alluvial plain. Although some vineyards are planted on steep slopes with southerly and northerly aspects, the proposed viticultural area's vineyards are generally located on flat land and gentle slopes with less than eight degrees incline, which exposes them to day-long direct sunlight, cooling breezes from mountain-valley winds, and occasional sea breezes.

Soils

Soil textures of the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area are predominantly loamy sands to sandy loams along the creeks and alluvial plains, and gravelly to sandy clay loams, and a few clays, on the older alluvial fans and terraces. Most soils have composite soil profiles, with older buried soils below the surface soil due to repeated alluvial deposition. Area soils are well- to moderately- drained and have good rooting depth and modest nutrient values. The soils within the proposed viticultural area create vineyards with moderate vigor growing characteristics when balanced with careful irrigation.

Soil orders in the San Juan Creek region are diverse and related to landform age, and include the more weakly developed Entisols and Inceptisols, along with better developed Mollisols and Alfisols, and strongly developed Vertisols. The best developed soils in the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area are on the oldest alluvial fans, especially along the north side of the Estrella River, close to the northern portion of the proposed boundary. The oldest soils are leached at the surface (pH values of 6.1-7.3), with some profiles leached throughout. Many of the soils are calcareous and alkaline at depth (pH values of 7.9-8.4), and occasionally alkaline at the surface (pH values of 7.4-8.4), based on the aridity of the climate and the presence of the Monterey Formation to the south. With the native grassland vegetation of the proposed viticultural area, the more mature soils (Mollisols and Alfisols) have a well-developed surface horizon high in organic material, adding nutrients to the soils.

Comparison to Adjacent Regions

The following chart summarizes the distinguishing features of the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area and compares those features to those of the adjacent proposed viticultural areas. TTB notes that there are no proposed viticultural areas located immediately to the north or east of the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area. The regions to the north and east of the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area contain the steep, arid terrain of the Cholame Hills and the Temblor Range, which contrasts to the valley terrain and more fertile soils of the proposed viticultural area. The region to the southwest of the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area that is not included in another proposed viticultural area contains highly eroded terrain, shallow soils, and steep slopes, which contribute to slope instability and a high erosion hazard.

Comparison of Proposed San Juan Creek Viticultural Area to Adjacent Proposed Viticultural Areas

Distinguishing
features

San Juan Creek
To the northwest: Paso Robles Estrella District
To the south: Paso Robles Highlands District

Winkler Region
Transitional Regions III to Low IV
Moderate Region III
Low Region IV.

Maritime Climate *
8
5
8.

Precipitation
10.4 inches/year
12.5-15.5 inches/year
12 inches/year.

Topography
River valleys with alluvial plains and terraces; elevation 980-1,600 (most vineyards at 1,000-1,280 feet)
Rolling plains of Estrella River valley and terraces; elevation 745-1,819 feet (most vineyards at 750-1,000 feet)
Transitional area from valley floor to mountain slope; elevation 1,160-2,086 feet (most vineyards at 1,200-1,600 feet).

Soils
Well to moderately drained, deep alluvial soils, with great variety of loamy sands to gravelly and sandy clay loam textures; alkaline at depth (and occasionally at the surface)
Deep to moderate depth alluvial terrace soils, with sandy to coarse and clay loam textures; slightly acidic, but more alkaline at depth
Deep alluvial soils with sandy to coarse and clay loam textures, mostly alkaline at depth.

* Maritime climate indicated on scale from 1 (most maritime) to 8 (more continental).

San Miguel District

The proposed 19,014-acre San Miguel District viticultural area contains approximately 1,500 acres of vineyards. The proposed area is located in the north-northwestern portion of the Paso Robles viticultural area, along the northern boundary of the Paso Robles viticultural area, where the Salinas River leaves San Luis Obispo County.

Name Evidence

The name “San Miguel” has long been associated with the region in which the proposed San Miguel District viticultural area is located. The region is the site of the Mission San Miguel Arcángel, a Franciscan Mission established in 1797. The small town of San Miguel is located within the proposed San Miguel District viticultural area along Highway 101 to the north of the city of Paso Robles, as shown on the USGS San Miguel and Paso Robles maps and the 2001 Automobile Club of Southern California road map.

The “San Miguel” name also has been used in association with various historical and modern community districts located within the boundary of the proposed viticultural area, including a school district, cemetery district, supervisorial district, and a community services district. The San Miguel School

District, as shown on the 1874 San Luis Obispo County map, still exists today as the “San Miguel Joint Unified School District.” The San Miguel Precinct is shown on the 1913 San Luis Obispo County map, and it continues to be the name of a voting precinct in northern San Luis Obispo County. Also, the San Miguel District Cemetery, formed in 1939, serves the community of San Miguel and northern San Luis Obispo County. In addition, in 2000, the San Miguel Community Services District consolidated the government services provided by the San Miguel Fire Protection District, the San Miguel Lighting District, and the San Luis Obispo Waterworks District 1.

Boundary Evidence

The northern portion of the proposed San Miguel District viticultural area boundary is concurrent with a portion of the northern boundary of the Paso Robles viticultural area, and it is also concurrent with the San Luis Obispo-Monterey County line. This portion of the proposed viticultural area's boundary connects the Nacimiento River valley in the west to the Lowes Canyon in the east as it crosses over the Salinas River, mountainous terrain, and canyons.

The eastern portion of the boundary of the proposed San Miguel District viticultural area follows San Jacinto Creek south-southwesterly (downstream) through the mountainous terrain surrounding Lowes Canyon to the Estrella River. The boundary then continues southerly (upstream) a short distance along the Estrella River before turning west along a section line and continuing to the Salinas River. The boundary continues south (upstream) along the Salinas River to the southeastern corner of the proposed viticultural area boundary, east of the town of Wellsona. The eastern portion of the proposed boundary closely matches the current and historical San Miguel political boundaries and separates the proposed San Miguel District viticultural area from the proposed Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area to the east.

The southern portion of the proposed San Miguel District viticultural area boundary follows several roads that closely parallel San Marcos Creek and closely aligns with the boundaries of the San Miguel school, cemetery, and supervisor

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A2013-22528. Public record. Not legal advice.