[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 226 (Friday, November 22, 2002)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 70352-70357]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-29590]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms

27 CFR Part 9

[Notice No. 963]
RIN 1512-AC72


Bennett Valley Viticultural Area (2002R-009T)

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

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) has received 
a petition proposing the establishment of the Bennett Valley 
viticultural area in Sonoma County, California. The petitioned area 
consists of approximately 8,140 acres of valley and upland terrain, 
with 650 acres currently planted to grapes. The proposed area is within 
the established Sonoma Valley viticultural area, except for a 281-acre 
overlap into the Sonoma Coast viticultural area. A portion of the 
proposed area also overlaps the Sonoma Mountain viticultural area, 
which is itself totally within the larger Sonoma Valley viticultural 
area.

DATES: Written comments must be received by January 21, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Chief, Regulations Division, 
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, P.O. Box 50221, Washington, DC 
20091-0221 (Attn: Notice No. 963). Copies of the petition, the proposed 
regulations, the appropriate maps, and any written comments received 
will be available for public inspection by appointment at the ATF 
Reference Library, Room 6480, 650 Massachusetts Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20226; telephone 202-927-7890. See the ``Public 
Participation'' section of this notice for alternative means of 
commenting.

[[Page 70353]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: N. A. Sutton, Specialist, Regulations 
Division (San Francisco, CA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, 
221 Main Street, 11th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105-1906; telephone 
415-271-1254.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    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 while prohibiting 
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.
    Section 4.25a(e)(1), title 27 CFR, defines an American viticultural 
area as a delimited grape-growing region distinguishable by geographic 
features, the boundaries of which have been delineated in subpart C of 
part 9.
    Section 4.25a(e)(2) outlines the procedure for proposing an 
American viticultural area. Any interested person may petition ATF to 
establish a grape-growing region as a viticultural area. The petition 
should include:
    (a) Evidence that the name of the proposed viticultural area is 
locally and/or nationally known as referring to the area specified in 
the petition;
    (b) Historical or current evidence that the boundaries of the 
viticultural area are as specified in the petition;
    (c) Evidence relating to the geographical characteristics (climate, 
soil, elevation, physical features, etc.) which distinguish the 
viticultural features of the proposed area from surrounding areas;
    (d) A description of the specific boundaries of the viticultural 
area, based on features which can be found on United States Geological 
Survey (USGS) maps of the largest applicable scale; and
    (e) A copy (or copies) of the appropriate U.S.G.S. map(s) with the 
boundaries prominently marked.

Impact on Current Wine Labels

    If this proposed viticultural area is approved, bottlers using 
brand names similar to the name of the viticultural area must review 
their existing products to insure that they are eligible to use the 
viticultural area's name as the appellation of origin. To be eligible, 
85% of the grapes in the wine must be grown within the viticultural 
area. If a product is not eligible to use the viticultural area name as 
an appellation, the bottler must obtain approval of a label with a 
different brand name for that wine. (See 27 CFR 4.39(i).)

Bennett Valley Petition

    ATF has received a petition proposing a new viticultural area to be 
called ``Bennett Valley.'' The proposed 8,140-acre viticultural area is 
located in Sonoma County, California, just southeast of the city of 
Santa Rosa and approximately 45 miles northeast of San Francisco. 
Sonoma County is entirely within the North Coast viticultural area. The 
petitioned area is almost entirely within the Sonoma Valley 
viticultural area, with a small 281-acre overlap into the Sonoma Coast 
viticultural area. It also partially overlaps the Sonoma Mountain 
viticultural area, which is entirely within the Sonoma Valley area. 
Currently, there are 650 acres of planted vineyards in the proposed 
area.
    This proposed viticultural area is about 5.5 miles long, northwest 
to southeast, 3.15 miles across at its widest point, and resembles the 
shape of a downward-pointing bullet. The floor of Bennett Valley runs 
the petitioned area's length, and Bennett Valley Road meanders from its 
northwest to southeast boundaries. This proposed viticultural area, 
including the surrounding hills and mountains, comprises the Matanzas 
Creek watershed. This creek flows west into the Russian River drainage 
system and eventually to the Pacific Ocean. The petition states that 
differences in topography, soils, and climate distinguish the proposed 
Bennett Valley viticultural area from the surrounding areas.

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

    According to the petitioner, the area is locally known as Bennett 
Valley. The valley is named after James N. Bennett, an 1849 immigrant 
settler who arrived by wagon train. His arrival coincided with the 1849 
Gold Rush that brought settlers to California, helping Bennett Valley 
grow as an agricultural region known for grapes, apples, hay, wheat, 
oats, barley, and livestock. The Bennett Valley Grange Hall was built 
in 1873, and it still stands on Grange Road within the proposed area as 
noted on the USGS Santa Rosa, CA, quadrangle map. The petition also 
includes an excerpt from the 1877 ``Historical Atlas Map of Sonoma 
County,'' which states that if Bennett Valley ``has any specialty, it 
is for fruit and grape culture.''
    The petition also offers documentation for the current usage of the 
proposed area's name. This includes references from a book by Don 
Edwards, ``Making the Most of Sonoma County, A California Guide,'' 
which states, ``Bennett Valley--squeezed between Taylor Mountain and 
the Sonoma Mountains on the west, Bennett Peak (Yulupa to the Indians) 
and Bennett Ridge to the east--has been ranching and farming country 
since the days when Missourian William Bennett settled here.'' The 
Bennett Valley Homeowner's Association's web site includes a boundary 
description similar to that of the proposed viticultural area. The 
Sonoma County telephone book has 24 business listings using the Bennett 
Valley name, including the Bennett Valley Union School District. The 
Bennett Valley School is identified on the USGS Santa Rosa, CA, 
quadrangle map just inside the proposed area's northwest boundary line. 
The petition also includes a reference to the Sonoma County 
government's Bennett Valley Area Plan. Only the Plan's northern-most 
portion, the petition notes, lies outside of the proposed viticultural 
area's boundaries.

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

    The petition states that the proposed area's boundaries are based 
on historical and current viticulture, geographical features, and a 
unique microclimate. The petition lists 24 grape growers who are 
historically linked with Bennett Valley agriculture. In 1862, early 
settler Isaac DeTurk planted a 30-acre vineyard at the base of Bennett 
Mountain. By 1878, the petition adds, he was producing 100,000 gallons 
of wine from his own and purchased grapes at his winery located within 
the proposed area on Grange and Bennett Valley roads.
    Modern accounts referenced in the petition indicate that, around 
the turn of the century, phylloxera disease killed some of Bennett 
Valley's estimated 2,000 vineyard-acres, while Prohibition ended the 
balance of the Valley's wine grape industry. A resurgence of wine grape 
growing in Bennett Valley started in 1975, the petition notes, when the 
Matanzas Creek Winery planted 20 acres of grapes. The proposed area now 
has approximately 650 vineyard-acres. Twelve of the thirteen petition 
signers

[[Page 70354]]

are vineyard owners within the proposed area.

Evidence Relating to the Geographical Features Which Distinguish the 
Proposed Area From Surrounding Areas

    As described in the petition, the proposed boundaries of the 
Bennett Valley viticultural area are based on a combination of terrain 
and soil similarities, a climate with a strong coastal influence in a 
sheltered, inland location, and the common denominator of being within 
the Matanzas Creek watershed.
Physical Features
    Bennett Valley is surrounded on three sides by the Sonoma Mountain 
Range and, on the north side, by the city of Santa Rosa. The 
mountainous boundaries, generally defined by ridgelines, indicate the 
outer limits of the Matanzas Creek watershed. Taylor and Bennett 
Mountains provide anchors for the proposed area's western and eastern 
boundary, respectively, while the 1,600-foot elevation line on Sonoma 
Mountain defines the southern boundary. Elevations within the proposed 
area range from 250 to 1,850 feet, with most vineyards between the 500 
and 600-foot level.
    The proposed area's northwestern boundary starts at Taylor 
Mountain's peak and continues straight northeast, coinciding with a 
portion of the Sonoma Valley viticultural area boundary line. The lower 
northern elevations open to the Santa Rosa Valley and city of Santa 
Rosa, where, at the northernmost point, the boundary line turns 
southeast at a 65-degree angle. The northeastern and eastern 
boundaries, primarily a series of straight lines connecting elevation 
points, follow the ridgelines through the peak of Bennett Mountain that 
outline the eastern side of the Matanzas Creek watershed.
    The southern boundary follows the 1600-foot elevation line along 
Sonoma Mountain's north side and then a westerly straight line to a 
900-foot elevation point. The southwestern boundary uses intersections 
and markers, within the Matanzas Creek watershed, to close the boundary 
line at Taylor Mountain. Crane Canyon, on the proposed area's 
southwestern side, provides an opening in the mountains for the cooling 
coastal fogs and breezes from the Pacific coast, which, according to 
the petitioners, moderate the Bennett Valley's climate.
Soils
    The proposed Bennett Valley viticultural area's soils vary from the 
surrounding areas, the petition notes, due to the different composition 
percentages of its predominant Goulding-Toomes-Guenoc Association. The 
petition adds that there are differences in the distribution of 
Spreckels, Laniger, Haire, and Red Hill clay loam soils between the 
proposed area and nearby portions of the Sonoma Valley viticultural 
area. It also states that the soils in the Sonoma Mountain viticultural 
area, other than the overlapping portion, vary from those within the 
proposed Bennett Valley area.
    The foothills soils, comprised primarily of the Goulding-Toomes-
Guenoc Association, are of a volcanic origin that include lava flows, 
tuff beds and sandstone, gravel, and some conglomerate, according to 
the petitioner. The lower slopes and valley floor soils have more 
variety, including some of alluvial origin. The distribution of 
Spreckels loam, a well drained loam with clay subsoil, the petition 
states, is about 24 percent in the proposed Bennett Valley area, 27 
percent in the Sonoma Mountain viticultural area, and almost 42 percent 
in the common area that overlaps the two areas.
Climate
    The proposed Bennett Valley viticultural area has a unique 
microclimate, resulting from its sheltered inland location and access 
to coastal cooling elements, according to the petition. It notes that 
the broad and tall Sonoma Mountain diverts the foggy, south-to-north 
coastal breezes of the Petaluma gap to the north and into the Crane 
Canyon gap. This gap, between Sonoma Mountain and Taylor Mountain, 
funnels the coastal fog and winds into the Bennett Valley. Rainfall 
amounts in the Bennett Valley area are 17 to 25 percent higher than in 
the areas to the immediate north and east, according to the petition, 
which also quotes Valley residents who state that rainfall amounts vary 
with elevation and proximity to the mountains and their wind patterns.

Overlaps With the Sonoma Mountain and Sonoma Coast Viticultural Areas

    The proposed Bennett Valley area is almost entirely within the 
Sonoma Valley viticultural area. The Sonoma Mountain viticultural area, 
which is totally within the larger Sonoma Valley viticultural area, 
overlaps 13.1 percent of the proposed Bennett Valley area. A small 3.4 
percent of the proposed area overlaps into the Sonoma Coast 
viticultural area. The Sonoma Coast and the interior Sonoma Valley 
viticultural areas, both within the North Coast viticultural area, 
share a common boundary line along Sonoma Valley's western border. This 
common boundary line is the site of the petitioned boundary's small 
overlap into the Sonoma Coast area.
    The following table summarizes the proposed 8,140-acre Bennett 
Valley viticultural area's overlaps with other, established 
viticultural areas:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          Percent of the
                                           Acres within      proposed
            Viticultural area              the proposed   Bennett Valley
                                          Bennett Valley      area in
                                               area           overlap
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sonoma Valley only......................           6,796            83.5
Sonoma Mountain (within Sonoma Valley              1,063            13.1
 area)..................................
                                         -----------------
    Total within Sonoma Valley..........           7,859            96.6
                                         =================
Sonoma Coast............................             281             3.4
                                         -----------------
    Grand total.........................           8,140           100.0
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The petitioner believes these overlapping acreages provide more of 
a transition than a definitive contrast between the proposed and 
established viticultural areas.
Sonoma Valley Viticultural Area (27 CFR 9.29)
    The proposed Bennett Valley viticultural area is 96.6 percent 
within

[[Page 70355]]

the Sonoma Valley viticultural area. The petitioned Bennett Valley area 
occupies 7,859 acres, or approximately 7 percent, of the larger Sonoma 
Valley viticultural area's acreage. According to the petition, the 
Sonoma Valley viticultural area petition included the Bennett Valley 
due to its similar soil and climate. The Sonoma Mountain viticultural 
area is totally within, and located in the western portion of, the 
Sonoma Valley viticultural area.
Sonoma Mountain Viticultural Area (27 CFR 9.102)
    The proposed Bennett Valley viticultural area overlaps 1,063 acres 
(13.1 percent of its territory) of the established Sonoma Mountain 
viticultural area, which is itself totally within the Sonoma Valley 
viticultural area. The overlap is in the southeast corner of the 
Bennett Valley area and the northwestern portion of the Sonoma Mountain 
area. The overlap is seen on the Glen Ellen and Kenwood USGS maps in 
Sections 11 through 14, T6N, R7W. The overlap is mainly that portion of 
the proposed Bennett Valley viticultural area north of the 1,600-foot 
elevation line on Sonoma Mountain in Sections 13, 14, and 23, and the 
land east of the common line between Sections 15 and 14, as shown on 
the Glen Ellen map. The northern limit of the overlap is the 800-foot 
elevation line from its southern most intersection with the common line 
between Sections 10 and 11 to its intersection with Bennett Valley 
Road, as shown on the Kenwood map.
    According to the petition, the overlap area between the proposed 
Bennett Valley and the Sonoma Mountain viticultural areas contains 
common geographic features, such as the Matanzas Creek watershed, 
similar vineyard elevations, and the ``thermal belt'' phenomenon that 
drains cold air and fog from the upper mountain slopes to the lower 
elevations, which moderates temperatures at the lower levels. The 
thermal belt phenomenon is seen in this overlap due to its proximity to 
the Crane Canyon wind gap, which delivers the Pacific's cooling marine 
influence to the proposed area.
    The petition also notes strong soil similarities in this 
overlapping area. For example, Goulding clay loam covers 30.2 percent 
of the proposed Bennett Valley area, 33.4 percent of this overlapping 
area, and from 7.4 to 49.8 percent of other sections of Sonoma County 
viticultural areas. Goulding cobbly clay loam covers 18.5 percent of 
the Bennett Valley area, 19.0 percent of the Sonoma Mountain overlap, 
and covers 10.8 to 43.1 percent of other areas.
    The petition also quotes several Sonoma Mountain area grape growers 
who state that diverse growing conditions exist on different sides, and 
at various elevations, on Sonoma Mountain. Specifically, they note, the 
overlapping area benefits from the coastal influence and wind, which 
contrasts to the protected, warmer, eastern side of the mountain.
Sonoma Coast Viticultural Area (27 CFR 9.116)
    The proposed Bennett Valley viticultural area overlaps 
approximately 281 acres (3.4 percent of its territory) of the 
established Sonoma Coast viticultural area. This overlapping area is in 
two portions on the petitioned area's west side. The first is located 
north of Crane Canyon Road and can be found in Sections 9 and 8, T6N, 
R7W, on the Cotati and Santa Rosa USGS maps. The second is located in 
Sections 15 and 16, T6N, R7W, on the Cotati map. This section of the 
Sonoma Valley and Sonoma Coast viticultural areas common boundary line 
spans a remote section of the Sonoma Mountains, where, according to the 
petitioners, determining the exact limits of the Matanzas Creek 
watershed might have challenged previous petitioners in drawing the two 
areas' boundary lines.
    The petitioners originally intended to follow the Sonoma Valley 
area's western border and not overlap into the Sonoma Coast area. 
However, in the overlap north of Crane Canyon Road, the petitioners 
discovered that the former George N. Whitaker vineyard, a historically 
significant Bennett Valley vineyard, straddled the common boundary line 
between the Sonoma Coast and Sonoma Valley viticultural areas. The 
vineyard, and the immediately surrounding land, is similar to the 
proposed Bennett Valley viticultural area due to its drainage into the 
Matanzas Creek watershed, its direct receipt of the cooling marine 
influence from the Crane Canyon gap, and terrain and soils that are 
consistent with petitioned area. To avoid again dividing this vineyard 
between two viticultural areas, the petitioners extended their boundary 
line about a quarter-mile west into the Sonoma Coast viticultural area, 
causing the small, 281-acre overlap.
    The petitioner claims the terrain, soils, and microclimate of this 
Sonoma Coast overlap are consistent with the proposed Bennett Valley 
viticultural area. The area is totally within the Matanzas Creek 
watershed and on the Sonoma Valley side of the dividing ridge. The 
elevations, from 680 to 960 feet, are consistent with the surrounding 
petitioned areas. The Goulding soils predominate the overlapping area 
and are similar to the rest of the proposed Bennett Valley area. The 
Crane Canyon gap gives this overlap area the same cooling marine 
influence as the rest of the proposed area.

Proposed Boundaries

    The proposed viticultural area is in Sonoma County, California. The 
four approved USGS maps for determining the boundary of the proposed 
Bennett Valley viticultural area are the Santa Rosa Quadrangle, 
California--Sonoma Co., 7.5 Minute Series, edition of 1994; Kenwood 
Quadrangle, California, 7.5 Minute Series, edition of 1954, 
photorevised 1980; Glen Ellen Quadrangle, California--Sonoma Co, 7.5 
Minute Series, edition of 1954, photorevised 1980; and Cotati 
Quadrangle, California--Sonoma Co, 7.5 Minute Series, edition of 1954, 
photorevised 1980.
    The proposed Bennett Valley area is of an irregular five-sided 
shape, resembling a downward-pointing bullet, with Taylor Mountain, the 
city of Santa Rosa, and Bennett Mountain to the north, while the large 
Sonoma Mountain anchors the south side. The proposed viticultural area 
is totally within the North Coast viticultural area, is almost entirely 
within the Sonoma Valley viticultural area, with a small overlap into 
the Sonoma Coast viticultural area. The proposed area also overlaps a 
portion of the Sonoma Mountain viticultural area, which is itself 
totally within the Sonoma Valley area.

Public Participation

Comments Sought

    ATF requests comments from all interested persons. Comments 
received on or before the closing date will be carefully considered. 
Comments received after that date will be given the same consideration 
if it is practical to do so. However, assurance of consideration can 
only be given to comments received on or before the closing date.
    ATF is especially interested in comments about the small overlap 
into the Sonoma Coast viticultural area. This overlap departs from the 
common course of two established viticultural area boundary lines to 
avoid dividing an established vineyard that appears to meet the 
criteria of the Bennett Valley viticultural area. ATF is also 
interested in comments about the proposed area's overlap with the 
Sonoma Mountain viticultural area. Refer to the ``Overlapping Areas'' 
section of this

[[Page 70356]]

document for more detailed information.
    ATF will not recognize any submitted material as confidential and 
comments may be disclosed to the public. Any material that a commenter 
considers confidential or inappropriate for disclosure to the public 
should not be included in the comments. The name of the person 
submitting a comment is not exempt from disclosure.

Submitting Comments

    By U.S. Mail: Written comments may be mailed to ATF at the address 
listed in the ADDRESSES section.
    By Fax: Comments may be submitted by facsimile transmission to 202-
927-8602, provided the comments: (1) Are legible; (2) are 8\1/2\'' x 
11'' in size, (3) contain a written signature, and (4) are five pages 
or less in length. This limitation is necessary to assure reasonable 
access to the equipment. Comments sent by fax in excess of five pages 
will not be accepted. Receipt of fax transmittals will not be 
acknowledged. Facsimile transmitted comments will be treated as 
originals.
    By E-Mail: Comments may be submitted by e-mail to 
[email protected]. E-mail comments must: contain your name, mailing 
address and e-mail address, and reference this notice number. We will 
not acknowledge the receipt of e-mail. We will treat comments submitted 
by e-mail as originals.
    Comments may also be submitted using the comment form provided with 
the online copy of this proposed rule on the ATF Internet web site at 
http://www.atf.treas.gov.
    By Public Hearing: Any person who desires an opportunity to comment 
orally at a public hearing on the proposed regulation should submit his 
or her request in writing to the Director within the 60-day comment 
period. The Director, however, reserves the right to determine, in 
light of all circumstances, whether a public hearing will be held.

Reviewing Comments

    You may view copies of the full comments received in response to 
this notice of proposed rulemaking by appointment at the ATF Reference 
Library, Room 6480, 650 Massachusetts Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20226; telephone 202-927-7890. You may request copies of the full 
comments (at 20 cents per page) by writing to the ATF Reference 
Librarian at the above address.
    For the convenience of the public, ATF will post comments received 
in response to this notice on the ATF web site. All comments posted on 
our web site will show the name of the commenter, but will have street 
addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses removed. We may also 
omit voluminous attachments or material that we do not consider 
suitable for posting. In all cases, the full comment will be available 
in the ATF library as noted above. To access online copies of the 
comments on this proposed rulemaking, visit http://www.atf.treas.gov/, 
and select ``Regulations,'' then ``Notices of proposed rulemaking 
(alcohol),'' and then click on the ``View Comments'' link for this 
notice.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    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 notice because no requirement to collect information is 
proposed.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    ATF certifies that this proposed regulation will not have a 
significant impact on a substantial number of small entities. The 
establishment of a viticultural area is neither an endorsement nor 
approval by ATF of the quality of wine produced in the area, but rather 
an identification of an area that is distinct from surrounding areas. 
ATF believes the establishment of viticultural areas merely allows 
wineries 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 of a viticultural area name is the 
result of a proprietor's own efforts and consumer acceptance of wines 
from that area.
    No new requirements are proposed. Accordingly, a regulatory 
flexibility analysis is not required.

Executive Order 12866

    ATF has determined that this proposed regulation is not a 
significant regulatory action as defined by Executive Order 12866. 
Accordingly, this proposal is not subject to the analysis required by 
this Executive Order.

Drafting Information

    The principal author of this document is N. A. Sutton, Regulations 
Division (San Francisco), 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 proposed to be 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 Section 9.---- to read as 
follows:


Sec.  9.----  Bennett Valley

    (a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this 
section is ``Bennett Valley''.
    (b) Approved maps. The appropriate maps for determining the 
boundary of the Bennett Valley viticultural area are four 1:24,000 
Scale U.S.G.S. topography maps. They are titled:
    (1) Santa Rosa Quadrangle, CA--Sonoma Co. 1994
    (2) Kenwood Quadrangle, CA 1954, photorevised 1980
    (3) Glen Ellen Quadrangle, CA--Sonoma Co. 1954, photorevised 1980
    (4) Cotati Quadrangle, CA--Sonoma Co. 1954, photorevised 1980
    (c) Boundary. The Bennett Valley viticultural area is entirely 
within Sonoma County, California, and is located northwest of the peak 
of Sonoma Mountain and southeast of the city of Santa Rosa. The point 
of beginning is the peak of Taylor Mountain (BM 1401), Section 6, T6N, 
R7W (Santa Rosa Quadrangle).
    (1) Then proceed straight northeast to the intersection of the 
common line between Sections 31 and 32 and the 560-foot elevation line, 
T7N, R7W, and continue straight northeast at the same angle, crossing 
the Bennett Valley Golf Course and Matanzas Creek, to a point on the 
500-foot elevation line approximately 400 feet north of the southern 
boundary of Section 20, T7N, R7W (Santa Rosa Quadrangle);
    (2) From that point, proceed straight southeast to the center peak 
of the three unnamed peaks above the 1,100-foot elevation line, located 
approximately 1,600 feet southwest of Hunter Spring, in Section 28, 
T7N, R7W (Santa Rosa Quadrangle);
    (3) Then proceed straight east-southeast to a 1,527-foot peak in 
the southeast corner of Section 28, T7N, R7W (Santa Rosa Quadrangle);
    (4) Then proceed straight southeast to Bennett Mountain's 1,887-
foot peak, Section 34, T7N, R7W (Kenwood Quadrangle);

[[Page 70357]]

    (5) Then proceed straight southeast to the 1,309-foot peak located 
northwest of a water tank and approximately 400 feet north of the 
southern boundary of Section 35, T7N, R7W (Kenwood Quadrangle);
    (6) Then proceed straight south-southeast to the 978-foot peak in 
the northeast quadrant of Section 11, T6N, R7W, and continue straight 
south-southeast approximately 600 feet to the ``T'' intersection of two 
unimproved roads located on the common boundary line between Sections 
11 and 12, T6N, R7W (Kenwood Quadrangle);
    (7) Then proceed south along the north-south unimproved road to its 
intersection with Sonoma Mountain Road, Section 13, T6N, R7W, and 
continue straight south to the 1,600-foot elevation line, Section 13, 
T6N, R7W (Glen Ellen Quadrangle);
    (8) Then proceed west along the meandering 1,600-foot elevation 
line to the point where it crosses the common line between Sections 22 
and 23, T6N, R7W (Glen Ellen Quadrangle);
    (9) Then proceed straight west-northwest to the point where the 
900-foot elevation line crosses the common line between Sections 15 and 
16, T6N, R7W, approximately 500 feet north of the southwest corner of 
Section 15 (Cotati Quadrangle);
    (10) Then proceed straight northwest to intersection of Grange Road 
(known as Crane Canyon Road to the west) and the southern boundary of 
Section 9, and continue straight west along that section boundary to 
the southwest corner of Section 9, T6N, R7W (Cotati Quadrangle);
    (11) Then proceed straight north-northwest to the 961-foot peak on 
the east side of Section 8, T6N, R7W, (Santa Rosa Quadrangle) and
    (12) From that peak, continue straight northwest to the peak of 
Taylor Mountain, returning to the point of beginning.

    Dated: November 8, 2002.
Bradley A. Buckles,
Director.
[FR Doc. 02-29590 Filed 11-21-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-31-P