[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 40 (Thursday, February 28, 2002)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 9192-9194]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-4768]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms

27 CFR Part 9

[T.D. ATF-473; Re: Notice No. 916]
RIN 1512-AAO7


Rockpile Viticultural Area (2000R-436P)

AGENCY: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury.

ACTION: Treasury decision, final rule.

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SUMMARY: This Treasury decision establishes the Rockpile viticultural 
area in northwestern Sonoma County, CA. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco 
and Firearms believes the establishment of viticultural areas and the 
subsequent use of viticultural area names as appellations of origin in 
wine labeling and advertising help consumers identify the wines they 
may purchase. This also allows wineries to better designate the 
specific grape-growing area in which the grapes used in their wine were 
grown.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Effective April 29, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy Sutton, Specialist, Regulations 
Division (San Francisco, CA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, 
221 Main Street, 11th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105, telephone (415) 
947-5192.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background on Viticultural Areas

What Is ATF's Authority To Establish a Viticultural Area?

    The Federal Alcohol Administration Act (FAA Act) at 27 U.S.C. 
205(e) requires that alcohol beverage labels provide the consumer with 
adequate information regarding a product's identity and prohibits the 
use of deceptive information on such labels. The FAA Act also 
authorizes the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) to issue 
regulations to carry out the Act's provisions. Regulations in 27 CFR 
part 4, Labeling and Advertising of Wine, allow the establishment of 
definitive viticultural areas. The regulations allow the name of an 
approved viticultural area to be used as an appellation of origin on 
wine labels and in wine advertisements. A list of approved viticultural 
areas is contained in 27 CFR part 9, American Viticultural Areas.

What Is the Definition of an American Viticultural Area?

    An American viticultural area is a delimited grape-growing region 
distinguishable by geographic features. Viticultural features such as 
soil, climate, elevation, topography, etc., distinguish it from 
surrounding areas.

What Is Required To Establish a Viticultural Area?

    Any interested person may petition ATF to establish a grape-growing 
region as a viticultural area. The petition should include:
     Evidence that the name of the proposed viticultural area 
is locally and/or nationally known as referring to the area specified 
in the petition;
     Historical or current evidence that the boundaries of the 
viticultural area are as specified in the petition;
     Evidence relating to the geographical characteristics 
(climate, soil, elevation, physical features, etc.) which distinguish 
the viticultural features of the proposed area from surrounding areas;
     A description of the specific boundaries of the 
viticultural area, based on features which can be found on United 
States Geological Survey (U.S.G.S.) maps of the largest applicable 
scale; and
     A copy (or copies) of the appropriate U.S.G.S. map(s) with 
the boundaries prominently marked.

Rulemaking Proceeding

Rockpile Petition

    ATF received a petition from Jack Florence, chairman of the 
Rockpile Appellation Committee, proposing to establish the ``Rockpile'' 
viticultural area in northwestern Sonoma County, California. This 
viticultural area is located entirely within Sonoma County and the 
established North Coast viticultural area as described in 27 CFR 9.30. 
The Rockpile viticultural area encompasses 15,400 acres at or above the 
800-foot contour line and includes eleven vineyards with approximately 
160 acres of planted wine grapes. The area's shape is an irregular 
east-to-west rectangle with Rockpile Road running through its length. 
The eastern portion of the area abuts the western edge of the Lake 
Sonoma Recreational Area and the Warm Springs Dam area. Continuing in a 
west-northwesterly direction, Rockpile Peak and Rockpile Ranch #3 
anchor the viticultural area's west side.
    Approximately 2,500 acres of Rockpile's eastern end overlaps the 
northwest corner of the established Dry Creek Valley viticultural area 
(27 CFR 9.64). This overlapping area, comprising 3% of the Dry Creek 
Valley viticultural area, 16% of the Rockpile viticultural area, and 
found on the U.S.G.S. Warm Springs Dam Quadrangle map, is flanked by 
Dry Creek to the north and Warm Springs Creek to the south.

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

    A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Notice No. 916, requesting 
comments by July 2, 2001, from all interested persons concerning the 
establishment of this viticultural area, was published in the Federal 
Register on May 1, 2001 (66 FR 21709). ATF received requests from three 
commenters.
    Comments from Peter Beall of Tombs Creek Vineyards and Art 
Viramontes of Sonoma Royale Vineyard requested that several vineyards 
south of the proposed viticultural area be included within the Rockpile 
boundaries. After the close of the comment period, Mr. Beall determined 
that he had misread the written description of Rockpile's south 
boundary on the Tombs Creek U.S.G.S. map. He realized that including 
the Tombs Creek Vineyards and Sonoma Royale Vineyard would necessitate 
an extensive realignment of the proposed south boundary line, pushing 
it beyond what is commonly recognized as the Rockpile area. In a July 
10, 2001, letter, Mr. Beall retracted his and Mr. Viramontes' comment 
letters, withdrew their requests for the boundary realignment, and 
offered support for the Rockpile petition and its original boundaries.
    A comment from Gary Branham requested that his vineyard, Branham's 
Rockpile, located northwest of the proposed viticultural area, be 
included within the Rockpile boundaries. As shown on the U.S.G.S. Big 
Foot Mountain map, the 1,400 acre area in question is above the 800-
foot contour line on Rockpile Road in Sonoma County and is considered a 
part of the original Rockpile Ranch. Its climate, soil and geography 
are similar to the proposed viticultural area. The Rockpile Appellation 
Committee concurred with this 1,400-acre northwest expansion of their 
originally proposed boundaries. ATF agrees that the proposed Rockpile 
viticultural area's expansion is consistent with the original petition 
and meets regulatory criteria for an American viticultural area. This 
final rule has been modified accordingly.

Evidence That the Name of the Area Is Locally or Nationally Known

    The Rockpile name in Sonoma County dates to 1858 and the start of 
cattle-raising operations at the ``Rock Pile Ranch. This name was used 
in a newspaper article (Sonoma Democrat, Santa Rosa, California) on 
October 28, 1882. According to the petitioner, and as researched by 
historian Cathy Parks, an investment partnership purchased

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about 21,000 acres of property in this area in 1911, naming it ``La 
Roca Monte Rancho,'' Spanish for ``the Rocky Peak Ranch.'' The property 
soon became known by its English name of Rockpile Ranch.
    The Rockpile name is noted on the current U.S.G.S. Warm Springs 
Dam, Cloverdale, and Big Foot Mountain Quadrangle maps, all parts of 
the petition. The most recent AAA Mendocino and Sonoma Coast Region map 
shows Rockpile Road within the proposed viticultural area.

Historical or Current Evidence That the Boundaries of the Viticultural 
Area Are as Specified in the Petition

    The viticultural area's boundaries are based on those of the 
historical Rockpile Ranch and on the area's higher elevation. The 
Rockpile Ranch, as noted above, stems from a 1911 investment 
partnership that purchased land in the petitioned area. Acquisitions 
included the 19th century Rock Pile Ranch, Rockpile Peak, and several 
surrounding areas. To manage this vast sheep-raising and hunting 
property, the area was eventually divided into Rockpile #1, Rockpile 
#2, and Rockpile #3 ranches. During the Great Depression some of the 
property was sold, but 18,000 acres of the Rockpile Ranch #3 were 
preserved as a working sheep ranch. By the 1930's the area became 
locally known as Rockpile, and the winding road to the ranch 
headquarters was named Rockpile Road. U.S.G.S. and AAA maps identify 
the area and road as Rockpile.
    Rockpile's predominant geographic feature is the 800 foot and above 
elevation of the entire petitioned area. This elevation makes it higher 
than other grape-growing areas in the surrounding region.

Evidence Relating to the Geographical Features (Climate, Soil, 
Elevation, Physical Features, Etc.) Which Distinguish Viticultural 
Features of the Proposed Area From Surrounding Areas

    The petition noted several geographic factors that distinguish the 
Rockpile viticultural area from surrounding grape-growing regions. The 
elevation of the Rockpile area, as shown on the U.S.G.S. maps, ranges 
from 800 feet to approximately 1,900 feet. According to the petition, 
the 800-foot elevation line delineates the area's eastern and northern 
boundaries, while the southern and western boundary lines average close 
to 1,800 feet in elevation. The elevation of the area's established 
vineyards ranges from 800 feet to 1,800 feet, with approximately 95% of 
the planted area above the 1,000-foot elevation. This higher elevation 
provides different climatic influences than found in nearby valleys.
    Spring daytime temperatures in the Rockpile area run five to ten 
degrees cooler than the Healdsburg area, approximately ten miles 
southeast, according to the petition. In the absence of a marine 
inversion layer, or fog, the temperature decreases about six degrees 
Fahrenheit for each additional 1,000 feet of elevation. The cool, 
prevailing northwesterly spring breezes, which are not as prevalent at 
the lower elevations of the protected valley floors, increase the 
cooling effect. According to the petition, the viticultural effect of 
this cooling creates a delayed bud break and slower growth, resulting 
in delayed bloom and fruit set.
    Summer weather in the Rockpile area, according to the petition, is 
slightly warmer than the nearby valleys due to less fog and more clear 
weather, resulting in increased sunshine and warmer temperatures. On 
days when the marine inversion is shallower than 1,000 feet, the 
Rockpile area is above the fog.
    Fall night temperatures, as stated in the petition, are warmer than 
in the surrounding areas, with less fog at 800 feet and above than at 
lower elevations. The crucial grape ripening period of September and 
early October is generally warmer and drier in the Rockpile locality 
than in surrounding viticultural areas.
    The Rockpile viticultural area's soils, according to the petition, 
differ from neighboring valley viticultural areas in the relative 
absence of silt and sand, the higher oxidized iron properties (red 
color), and the greater clay content of the subsoil. The topsoil, 
generally loam to clay loam with a red to brown color, is twelve to 
twenty-four inches in depth in the better viticultural locations. There 
are areas of small rocks and gravel mixed in the topsoil, some with 
outcroppings of larger rock. The topsoil depth and amounts of clay, 
rock, and organic matter vary within the area. The topsoil is acidic to 
very acidic, and the subsoil is more clay-like in texture. However, 
areas of weathered shale and sandstone, in addition to the topography, 
contribute to well-drained vineyard conditions.

Regulatory Analyses and Notices

Does the Paperwork Reduction Act Apply to This Final Rule?

    The provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 
chapter 35, and its implementing regulations, 5 CFR part 1320, do not 
apply to this rule because no requirement to collect information is 
imposed.

How Does the Regulatory Flexibility Act Apply to This Final Rule?

    This regulation will not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities or otherwise cause a significant 
increase in reporting, recordkeeping, or other compliance burdens on a 
substantial number of small entities. No new requirements are imposed. 
ATF approval of a viticultural area is not an endorsement of the wine 
produced in the area. The approval of this viticultural area petition 
merely allows the wineries in the area to more accurately describe the 
origin of their wines to consumers and helps consumers identify the 
wines they purchase. Thus, any benefit derived from the use and 
reputation of a viticultural area name is the result of a proprietor's 
own efforts and consumer acceptance of wines from that area. 
Accordingly, a regulatory flexibility analysis is not required.

Is This a Significant Regulatory Action as Defined by Executive Order 
12866?

    It has been determined that this regulation is not a significant 
regulatory action as defined by Executive Order 12866. Therefore, a 
regulatory assessment is not required.

Drafting Information

    The principal author of this document is Nancy Sutton, Regulations 
Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

List of Subjects in 27 CFR Part 9

    Wine.

Authority and Issuance

    Title 27, Code of Federal Regulations, part 9, American 
Viticultural Areas, is amended as follows:

PART 9--AMERICAN VITICULTURAL AREAS

    Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 9 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority:  27 U.S.C. 205.

Subpart C--Approved American Viticultural Areas

    Par. 2. Subpart C is amended by adding Sec. 9.173 to read as 
follows:


Sec. 9.173  Rockpile

    (a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this 
section is ``Rockpile''.
    (b) Approved Maps. The appropriate maps for determining the 
boundary of

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the Rockpile viticultural area are four 1:24,000 Scale U.S.G.S. 
topographic maps. They are titled:
    (1) Warm Springs Dam Quadrangle, CA--Sonoma Co. 1978;
    (2) Cloverdale Quadrangle, CA 1975;
    (3) Tombs Creek Quadrangle, CA--Sonoma Co. 1978; and
    (4) Big Foot Mountain Quadrangle, CA 1991.
    (c) Boundary. The Rockpile viticultural area is located in 
northwestern Sonoma County, California. The boundary encircles the 
Rockpile Ranch area, located west of Lake Sonoma. The point of 
beginning is the intersection of Rockpile Road and the Section 15 east 
boundary line, T 10 N, R 11 W (Warm Springs Dam Quadrangle);
    (1) Then proceed straight north to the 800-foot contour line, 
Section 10, T 10 N, R 11 W (Warm Springs Dam Quadrangle);
    (2) Then proceed west along the 800-foot contour line through 
Sections 10, 9, 4, 5, and 32 to the Section 31 east boundary line, T 11 
N, R 11 W (Warm Springs Dam and Cloverdale Quadrangles);
    (3) Then proceed west along the 800-foot contour line in Section 
31, following the line as it reverses from the west to the east 
direction, returning to the east boundary of Section 31, T 11 N, R 11 W 
(Cloverdale and Big Foot Mountain Quadrangles);
    (4) Then proceed along the 800-foot contour line east through 
Section 32 and northwest through Sections 33, 32, 29, 30, 25, 24, 23, 
14, 15, 22, 21, and 20 to the east boundary line of Section 19, T 11 N, 
R 12 W (Cloverdale and Big Foot Mountain Quadrangles);
    (5) Then proceed west, north, south and east along the meandering 
800-foot contour line, in a loop, crossing the southwest and northwest 
headwaters of Galloway Creek, and returning to the east boundary line 
of Section 19, T 11 N, R 12 W (Big Foot Mountain Quadrangle);
    (6) Then proceed straight north to the Mendocino-Sonoma county 
boundary line, then follow the county line straight west to the R 13 
and 12 W line, and continue straight south to the 1,600-foot contour 
line in the Section 19 southwest corner, T 11 N, R 12 W (Big Foot 
Mountain Quadrangle);
    (7) Then proceed southeast along the meandering 1,600-foot contour 
line to the Section 29 west boundary line, and continue straight south 
to the T 11 and 10 N boundary line, R 12 W (Big Foot Mountain 
Quadrangle);
    (8) Then proceed east along the T 11 and 10 N boundary line to the 
Section 1 west boundary line, R 12 W (Big Foot Mountain Quadrangle);
    (9) Then proceed south along the Section 1 west boundary line, 
turning east at the Section 1 south boundary and continue east to the 
northwest corner of Section 8, T 10 N, R 11 W (Big Foot Mountain, Tombs 
Creek and Warm Springs Dam Quadrangles);
    (10) Then proceed south along the west boundary of Section 8, 
turning east at its southwest corner, and continue east to the 876-foot 
elevation marker, T 10 N, R 11 W (Warm Springs Dam Quadrangle);
    (11) Then proceed straight south approximately 2,000 feet to the 
800-foot contour line, T 10 N, R 11 W (Warm Springs Dam Quadrangle);
    (12) Then follow the 800-foot contour line as it meanders west, 
southeast, southwest, and east to the Section 14 west boundary, and 
then straight north, returning to the point of beginning at Rockpile 
Road, T 10 N, R 11 W (Warm Springs Dam Quadrangle).

    Signed: January 15, 2002.
Bradley A. Buckles,
Director.
    Approved: January 31, 2002.
Timothy E. Skud,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary, (Regulatory, Tariff & Trade 
Enforcement).
[FR Doc. 02-4768 Filed 2-27-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-31-P