[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 183 (Friday, September 20, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 58050-58087]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-22528]



[[Page 58049]]

Vol. 78

Friday,

No. 183

September 20, 2013

Part III





 Department of the Treasury





-----------------------------------------------------------------------





 Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau





-----------------------------------------------------------------------





27 CFR Part 9





 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; Proposed Rule

  Federal Register / Vol. 78 , No. 183 / Friday, September 20, 2013 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 58050]]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

[[Page 58051]]

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

[[Page 58052]]

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.

[[Page 58053]]

 
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

[[Page 58054]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP20SE13.007


[[Page 58055]]


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

[[Page 58056]]

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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                           To the east: Paso  To the south: Paso
    Distinguishing  features       Adelaida district   To the north: San    Robles Estrella      Robles Willow
                                                        Miguel District        District         Creek District
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Winkler Region..................  Transitional        Warm Region III...  Moderate Region     Region II
                                   Region II-III.                          III.
Maritime Climate *..............  6.................  7.................  5.................  1
Precipitation...................  25 inches/year....  11.4 inches/year..  12.5-15.5 inches/   24-30 inches/year
                                                                           year.
Topography......................  Santa Lucia Range   Santa Lucia Range   Rolling plains of   Mountain slopes of
                                   high mountain       footslope into      Estrella River      Santa Lucia Range
                                   slopes grading to   Salinas and         valley and          to the west of
                                   base of             Estrella River      terraces;           the Salinas
                                   foothills;          valleys; alluvial   elevation           River, centered
                                   elevation           fans and well-      approximately 745-  on the Willow
                                   approximately 900-  defined river       1,819 feet (most    Creek tributary
                                   2,200 feet (most    terraces;           vineyards at 750-   to Paso Robles
                                   vineyards at        elevation 580-      1,000 feet).        Creek; elevation
                                   1,100-1,800 feet).  1,600 feet (most                        960-1,900 (most
                                                       vineyards at 640-                       vineyards at
                                                       800 feet).                              1,000-1,300
                                                                                               feet).
Soils...........................  Shallow, well-      Deep alluvial       Deep to moderate    Mostly shallow
                                   drained, residual   soils, with clay,   depth alluvial      calcareous soils
                                   soils with silty    sandy, and          terrace soils,      of residual
                                   and clay loam       gravelly loam       with sandy to       (bedrock) origin
                                   textures;           textures.           coarse and clay     with shaly clays,
                                   moderately                              loam textures;      clay loams, and
                                   alkaline.                               slightly acidic,    rocky loams, with
                                                                           but more alkaline   some units
                                                                           at depth.           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,

[[Page 58057]]

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

[[Page 58058]]

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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       To the east: Paso                       To the Northwest:
     Distinguishing features       Creston district    Robles Highlands    To the northwest:      Paso Robles
                                                           District        El Pomar District   Geneseo District
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Winkler Region..................  Low-Moderate        Low Region IV.....  Moderate Region II  Transitional
                                   Region III.                                                 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       Transitional area   High, older         Upfaulted hills
                                   plateau at base     from valley floor   terraces, fans,     through old river
                                   of La Panza         to mountain         and hills;          terraces;
                                   Range; alluvial     slope; elevation    elevation 740-      terraces;
                                   terraces and fans   1,160-2,086 feet    1,600 feet (most    elevation 740-
                                   of Huerhuero        (most vineyards     vineyards at 840-   1,300 feet (most
                                   Creek; elevation    at 1,200-1,600      960 feet).          vineyards at 880-
                                   approximately       feet).                                  1,200 feet).
                                   1,000-2,000 feet
                                   (most vineyards
                                   at 1,030-1,300
                                   feet).
Soils...........................  Terrace alluvial    Deep alluvial       Terrace alluvial    Well-developed
                                   and some residual   soils, with sandy   soils, with         moderate depth
                                   soils, with fine    to coarse and       sandy, clay, and    residual and
                                   sandy to gravelly   clay loam           gravelly loam       alluvial soils,
                                   and clay loam       textures, mostly    textures;           with silty clays
                                   textures;           alkaline at depth.  primarily           and silty clay
                                   slightly acidic                         alkaline.           loam textures; pH
                                   at surface, more                                            varied, but
                                   alkaline at depth.                                          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.

[[Page 58059]]

    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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         To the west:                         To the north: Paso
    Distinguishing  features       El Pomar District     Templeton Gap       To the east:       Robles Geneseo
                                                           District        Creston  District       District
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Winkler Region..................  Moderate Region II  Region II.........  Low-to-Moderate     Transitional
                                                                           Region III.         Regions III-IV.
Maritime Climate *..............  3.................  1.................  4.................  7.
Precipitation...................  15 inches/year....  20 inches/year....  11.5 inches/year..  13-14 inches/year.

[[Page 58060]]

 
Topography......................  High, older         Broad terraces in   Old erosional       Upfaulted hills
                                   terraces, fans,     moderate to low     plateau at base     through old river
                                   and hills;          elevation area of   of La Panza         terraces;
                                   elevation 740-      the Santa Lucia     Range; alluvial     elevation 740-
                                   1,600 feet (most    Range with          terraces and fans   1,300 feet (most
                                   vineyards at 840-   elevations          of Huerhuero        vineyards at 880-
                                   960 feet)           ranging from 700    Creek; elevation    1,200 feet).
                                                       feet to 1,800       approximately
                                                       feet (most          1,000-2,000 feet
                                                       vineyards at 800-   (most vineyards
                                                       940 feet)           at 1,030-1,300
                                                                           feet)
Soils...........................  Terrace alluvial    Moderate depth,     Terrace alluvial    Well-developed
                                   soils, with         partially           and some residual   moderate depth
                                   sandy, clay, and    cemented alluvial   soils, with fine    residual and
                                   gravelly loam       soils on river      sandy to gravelly   alluvial soils,
                                   textures;           terraces and        and clay loam       with silty clays
                                   primarily           sections of older   textures;           and silty clay
                                   alkaline            alluvial fans       slightly acidic     loam textures; pH
                                                       with silt loams,    at surface, more    varied, but
                                                       silty clays, clay   alkaline at depth   mostly acidic.
                                                       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).

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 Dise[ntilde]o 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,

[[Page 58061]]

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

[[Page 58062]]

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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                              To the south: Paso
      Distinguishing features         Paso Robles Estrella    To the northwest: San    To the southwest:        Robles Geneseo     To the southeast: San
                                            District             Miguel District       Adelaida District           District              Juan Creek
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Winkler Region.....................  Moderate Region III...  Warm Region III.......  Transitional Regions   Transitional Regions   Transitional Regions
                                                                                      II-III.                III-IV.                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       Santa Lucia Range       Santa Lucia Range      Upfaulted hills        River valleys with
                                      Estrella River valley   footslope into          high mountain slopes   through old river      alluvial plains and
                                      and terraces;           Salinas and Estrella    grading to base of     terraces; elevation    terraces; elevation
                                      elevation 745-1,819     River valleys;          foothills; elevation   740-1,300 feet (most   approximately 980-
                                      feet (most vineyards    alluvial fans and       approximately 900-     vineyards at 880-      1,600 (most
                                      at 750-1,000 feet).     well-defined river      2,200 feet (most       1,200 feet).           vineyards at 1,000-
                                                              terraces; elevation     vineyards at 1,100-                           1,280 feet).
                                                              580-1,600 feet (most    1,800 feet).
                                                              vineyards at 640-800
                                                              feet).
Soils..............................  Deep to moderate depth  Deep alluvial soils,    Shallow, well-         Well-developed         Well to moderately
                                      alluvial terrace        with clay, sandy, and   drained, residual      moderate depth         drained, deep
                                      soils, with sandy to    gravelly loam           soils with silty and   residual and           alluvial soils, with
                                      coarse and clay loam    textures.               clay loam textures;    alluvial soils, with   great variety of
                                      textures; slightly                              moderately alkaline.   silty clays and        loamy sands to
                                      acidic, but more                                                       silty clay loam        gravelly and sandy
                                      alkaline at depth.                                                     textures; pH varied,   clay loam textures;
                                                                                                             but mostly acidic.     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

[[Page 58063]]

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

[[Page 58064]]

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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                   To the north: Paso
       Distinguishing  features          Paso Robles Geneseo        Robles Estrella       To the south: El Pomar
                                               District                 District                 District
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Winkler Region.......................  Transitional Regions     Moderate Region III....  Moderate Region II.
                                        III-IV.
Maritime Climate*....................  7......................  5......................  3.
Precipitation........................  13-14 inches/year......  12.5-15.5 inches/year..  15 inches/year.
Topography...........................  Upfaulted hills through  Rolling plains of        High, older terraces,
                                        old river terraces;      Estrella River valley    fans, and hills;
                                        elevation 740-1,300      and terraces;            elevation 740-1,600
                                        feet (most vineyards     elevation 745-1,819      feet (most vineyards
                                        at 880-1,200 feet).      feet (most vineyards     at 840-960 feet).
                                                                 at 750-1,000 feet).
Soils................................  Well-developed moderate  Deep to moderate depth   Terrace alluvial soils,
                                        depth residual and       alluvial terrace         with sandy, clay, and
                                        alluvial soils, with     soils, with sandy to     gravelly loam
                                        silty clays and silty    coarse and clay loam     textures; primarily
                                        clay loam textures; pH   textures; slightly       alkaline.
                                        varied, but mostly       acidic, but more
                                        acidic.                  alkaline at depth.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* 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

[[Page 58065]]

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[emsp14][deg]F and lows around 50[emsp14][deg]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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        Paso Robles Highlands     To the west: Creston    To the north and east:
       Distinguishing  features                District                 District              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   Old erosional plateau    River valleys with
                                        valley floor to          at base of La Panza      alluvial plains and
                                        mountain slope;          Range; alluvial          terraces; elevation
                                        elevation 1,160-2,086    terraces and fans of     980-1,600 (most
                                        feet (most vineyards     Huerhuero Creek;         vineyards at 1,000-
                                        at 1,200-1,600 feet).    elevation                1,280 feet).
                                                                 approximately 1,000-
                                                                 2,000 feet (most
                                                                 vineyards at 1,030-
                                                                 1,300 feet).

[[Page 58066]]

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

[[Page 58067]]

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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                             To the south and
       Distinguishing  features           Paso Robles Willow     To the north: Adelaida    southeast: Templeton
                                            Creek District              District               Gap District
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Winkler Region.......................  Region II..............  Transitional Regions II- Region II.
                                                                 III.
Maritime Climate *...................  1......................  6......................  1.
Precipitation........................  24-30 inches/year......  25 inches/year.........  Approximately 20 inches/
                                                                                          year.
Topography...........................  Mountain slopes of       Santa Lucia Range high   Broad terraces in
                                        Santa Lucia Range to     mountain slopes          moderate to low
                                        the west of the          grading to base of       elevation area of the
                                        Salinas River,           foothills; elevation     Santa Lucia Range with
                                        centered on the Willow   approximately 900-       elevations ranging
                                        Creek tributary to       2,200 feet (most         from 700 feet to 1,800
                                        Paso Robles Creek;       vineyards at 1,100-      feet (most vineyards
                                        elevation 960-1,900      1,800 feet).             at 800-940 feet).
                                        (most vineyards at
                                        1,000-1,300 feet).

[[Page 58068]]

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

[[Page 58069]]

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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 To the northwest: Paso     To the south: Paso
       Distinguishing features              San Juan Creek          Robles Estrella          Robles Highlands
                                                                        District                 District
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Winkler Region.......................  Transitional Regions     Moderate Region III....  Low Region IV.
                                        III to Low IV.
Maritime Climate *...................  8......................  5......................  8.
Precipitation........................  10.4 inches/year.......  12.5-15.5 inches/year..  12 inches/year.
Topography...........................  River valleys with       Rolling plains of        Transitional area from
                                        alluvial plains and      Estrella River valley    valley floor to
                                        terraces; elevation      and terraces;            mountain slope;
                                        980-1,600 (most          elevation 745-1,819      elevation 1,160-2,086
                                        vineyards at 1,000-      feet (most vineyards     feet (most vineyards
                                        1,280 feet).             at 750-1,000 feet).      at 1,200-1,600 feet).
Soils................................  Well to moderately       Deep to moderate depth   Deep alluvial soils
                                        drained, deep alluvial   alluvial terrace         with sandy to coarse
                                        soils, with great        soils, with sandy to     and clay loam
                                        variety of loamy sands   coarse and clay loam     textures, mostly
                                        to gravelly and sandy    textures; slightly       alkaline at depth.
                                        clay loam textures;      acidic, but more
                                        alkaline at depth (and   alkaline at depth.
                                        occasionally at the
                                        surface).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* 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 Arc[aacute]ngel, 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

[[Page 58070]]

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 supervisorial districts. In this area, the 
proposed San Miguel District viticultural area is adjacent to the 
northeastern portion of the proposed Adelaida District viticultural 
area.
    The western portion of the proposed boundary of the proposed San 
Miguel District viticultural area follows the eastern boundary of the 
Camp Roberts Military Reservation, which is located to the west of the 
proposed viticultural area and is unavailable for commercial 
viticulture. TTB notes that the petition's boundary for this proposed 
viticultural area originally included a portion of Camp Roberts. 
However, the proposed boundary was amended at TTB's request to exclude 
land within Camp Roberts Military Reservation from the proposed 
viticultural area since it is unavailable for private use.

Distinguishing Features

    The proposed San Miguel District viticultural area has a very mild 
marine influence, receives an average of 11.4 inches of annual 
precipitation, and is considered a warm Winkler Region III climate 
zone. Alluvial fans and well-defined terraces dominate the landscape of 
the proposed San Miguel District viticultural area, with elevations 
ranging from approximately 580 to 1,600 feet.
Climate
    The climate of the proposed San Miguel District viticultural area 
is generally drier, warmer, and windier than most of the larger Paso 
Robles viticultural area, except in the Paso Robles area's more eastern 
inland regions. The petition notes that long-term climate data for the 
community of San Miguel is limited to precipitation information, and 
all other climate parameter values must be inferred based on the 
distances from the ocean, orographic influences from the mountains, and 
other topographic influences, such as elevation.
    The San Miguel weather station averages 11.4 inches of annual 
precipitation; this low level is largely a function of the rain shadow 
created by the Santa Lucia Range to the west of the proposed 
viticultural area. Within the Paso Robles viticultural area, the 
proposed San Miguel District viticultural area has the second lowest 
precipitation total, exceeding only the 10.4 annual inches received by 
the proposed San Juan Creek viticultural area located further inland to 
the east. According to the petition, the dry conditions make irrigation 
necessary to establish and maintain most vineyards within the proposed 
viticultural area.
    The proposed San Miguel District viticultural area has a Winkler 
Region III climate, with 3,300 to 3,400 annual GDD totals, based on 
anecdotal evidence from local growers and intermittent weather data. 
The proposed San Miguel District viticultural area has the third 
highest Winkler degree day range among the 11 proposed viticultural 
areas, trailing only the more inland proposed San Juan Creek and Paso 
Robles Highlands District viticultural areas, both classified as low 
Region IV growing areas. Warm temperatures lead to earlier ripening of 
the grapes than in most other areas of the Paso Robles viticultural 
area.
Topography
    Both the Salinas and Estrella Rivers bisect the proposed San Miguel 
District viticultural area, and they converge near the center of the 
region. Both rivers have laid down deep alluvial deposits of silts, 
sands, and gravels, which the rivers have cut through to form a series 
of well defined, stepped river terraces. The active floodplains and 
terraces of the two rivers are prevalent throughout the southeast, 
central, and northern portions of the proposed San Miguel District 
viticultural area, while canyons divide several mountains in the north-
northeast portion of the proposed viticultural area.
    The proposed San Miguel District viticultural area includes the 
lowest elevations within the Paso Robles viticultural area at 580 feet, 
where the Salinas River exits San Luis Obispo County as it flows north 
toward the Pacific Ocean at Monterey Bay. The highest elevation in the 
proposed San Miguel District viticultural area is an approximately 
1,600-foot peak located near the northern portion of the proposed 
boundary, according to the USGS maps. Most vineyards within the 
proposed San Miguel District viticultural area are located at 640 to 
800 feet, with a few vineyards planted at higher elevations.
Soils
    Deep alluvial soils cover the floodplains, terraces, and benches of 
the proposed San Miguel District viticultural area. Mollisols dominate 
the soil orders of the proposed San Miguel District viticultural area, 
but older Alfisols and Vertisols are also present. The deep soils 
generally provide adequate rooting depths for plants, including 
grapevines, although some of the older alluvial soils have clay pans, 
which impede rooting to depth. Small outcrops of granite and Monterey 
shale, found at around 1,000 feet in elevation, have different soils as 
residual soils forming on bedrock, with shallower rooting depths for 
the vines.

Comparison to Adjacent Regions

    The following chart summarizes the distinguishing features of the 
proposed San Miguel District viticultural area and compares those 
features to those of the adjacent proposed viticultural areas. TTB 
notes that there are no proposed

[[Page 58071]]

viticultural areas located to the immediate west of the proposed San 
Miguel District viticultural area within the Camp Roberts Military 
Reservation, which is unavailable for commercial viticulture. Further 
west, the terrain ascends to the Santa Lucia Range. In addition, there 
are no established or proposed viticultural areas directly to the north 
of the proposed San Miguel District viticultural area in Monterey 
County, which is outside of the Paso Robles viticultural area. The 
region to the north, which is part of the Temblor Range, contains steep 
canyons and mountainous terrain that contrast to the low elevations, 
river terraces, and footslopes of the proposed viticultural area.

      Comparison of Proposed San Miguel District Viticultural Area to Adjacent Proposed Viticultural Areas
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                            To the east: Paso
       Distinguishing  features          San Miguel District     To the south: Adelaida      Robles Estrella
                                                                        District                 District
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Winkler Region.......................  Warm Region III........  Transitional Regions II- Moderate Region III.
                                                                 III.
Marine Influence *...................  7......................  6......................  5.
Precipitation........................  11.4 inches/year.......  25 inches/year.........  12.5-15.5 inches/year.
Topography...........................  Santa Lucia Range        Santa Lucia Range high   Rolling plains of
                                        footslope into Salinas   mountain slopes          Estrella River valley
                                        and Estrella River       grading to base of       and terraces;
                                        valleys; alluvial fans   foothills; elevation     elevation
                                        and well-defined river   approximately 900-       approximately 745-
                                        terraces; elevation      2,200 feet (most         1,819 feet (most
                                        580-1,600 feet (most     vineyards at 1,100-      vineyards at 750-1,000
                                        vineyards at 640-800     1,800 feet).             feet).
                                        feet).
Soils................................  Deep alluvial soils,     Shallow, well-drained,   Deep to moderate depth
                                        with clay, sandy, and    residual soils with      alluvial terrace
                                        gravelly loam textures.  silty and clay loam      soils, with sandy to
                                                                 textures; moderately     coarse and clay loam
                                                                 alkaline.                textures; slightly
                                                                                          acidic, but more
                                                                                          alkaline at depth.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Maritime climate indicated on scale from 1 (most maritime) to 8 (more continental).

Santa Margarita Ranch

    Located in the southernmost portion of the Paso Robles viticultural 
area, the proposed 17,835-acre Santa Margarita Ranch viticultural area 
contains approximately 800 acres of vineyards. The majority of the 
southern, western, and southeastern portions of the proposed boundary 
are concurrent with the boundary of the Paso Robles viticultural area. 
Unlike the other viticultural areas proposed in this document, the 
proposed Santa Margarita Ranch viticultural area is not immediately 
adjacent to any other proposed viticultural area.

Name Evidence

    The name ``Santa Margarita Ranch'' is a well-recognized, 
historically significant geographic place name for the region in which 
the proposed viticultural area is located. The name is based on that of 
the Spanish mission Santa Margarita de Cortona Asistencia, which was 
located within the area and was an outpost of Mission San Luis Obispo 
de Tolosa. Historically, the lands of the Santa Margarita mission were 
known as ``Santa Margarita Rancho,'' and today, local residents still 
refer to the region as Santa Margarita Ranch. TTB notes that the 
``Santa Margarita Land Grant'' is marked on the Lopez Mountain, San 
Luis Obispo, Santa Margarita, and Atascadero USGS maps, and that the 
great majority of the Santa Margarita Land Grant is within the proposed 
viticultural area.
    The Santa Margarita USGS map also shows the later, and still-
existent, Santa Margarita Ranch located beside Santa Margarita Creek 
just north of the small town of Santa Margarita, all of which are 
located within the proposed viticultural area. In addition, the region 
is served by the Santa Margarita Cemetery District.
    The petition requests that only the full name of ``Santa Margarita 
Ranch'' be considered viticulturally significant to more specifically 
identify the location of the proposed viticultural area and to avoid 
affecting any existing label holders. The petition explains that the 
term ``Santa Margarita'' presently is used in the brand name of Santa 
Margarita Winery in Temecula, California, and in the homonymous Italian 
wine brand Santa Margherita.

Boundary Evidence

    The proposed Santa Margarita Ranch viticultural area extends 
southeast-to-northwest approximately 9 miles, and its proposed boundary 
roughly follows the historic Santa Margarita Land Grant boundary, with 
a few minor variations to exclude areas that are currently unavailable 
for viticulture. Approximately half of the boundary of the proposed 
Santa Margarita Ranch viticultural area on its east, south, and west 
sides is concurrent with the boundary of the Paso Robles viticultural 
area.
    The northern portion of the proposed Santa Margarita Ranch 
viticultural area boundary follows a combination of a land grant line, 
roads, and section lines that approximately delineate the northernmost 
extent of the Santa Margarita Land Grant region that is suitable for 
viticultural development, while excluding the urbanized areas of 
Atascadero to the north and the rugged terrain to the northeast.
    The eastern portion of the proposed boundary follows the Salinas 
River to the point where it becomes concurrent with the Paso Robles 
viticultural area boundary, which it then follows south across the 
Santa Margarita Valley. The terrain to the east of the proposed 
boundary is steep and rugged, and the region to the southeast includes 
terraces, benches and a generally flat valley floor.
    The southern and southwestern portions of the proposed Santa 
Margarita District viticultural area boundary are based on the Santa 
Margarita grant line, section lines, and the boundary of the Los Padres 
National Forest. While the southern and southwestern portions of the 
boundary largely coincide with the existing Paso Robles viticultural 
area boundary, the southwestern corner of the originally proposed 
boundary was modified at TTB's request to remove approximately 800 
acres of land located in the Los Padres National Forest, which is 
unavailable for commercial viticulture. In this southwestern region, 
the boundary of the proposed Santa Margarita Ranch viticultural area 
follows the boundary of the Los Padres National Forest, slightly to the 
east and then north of the established Paso Robles viticultural area 
boundary.
    The remainder of the western portion of the proposed boundary is 
located along the eastern foothills of the Santa Lucia Range, and it 
follows the

[[Page 58072]]

southwestern portion of the Paso Robles viticultural area boundary.

Distinguishing Features

    The proposed Santa Margarita Ranch viticultural area has a moderate 
marine influence, averages 29 inches of precipitation annually, and has 
a relatively cool Winkler Region II climate. The valley floor and 
surrounding hillsides dominate the landscape, with elevations ranging 
from 900 to 1,400 feet.
Climate
    The proposed Santa Margarita Ranch viticultural area has a 
mountain-valley climate, which is distinctive within the Paso Robles 
viticultural area, due to its location within the narrow Santa 
Margarita Valley. The climate of the proposed Santa Margarita Ranch 
viticultural area is characterized by a Winkler Region II climate 
(approximately 2,900 GDDs), as documented by data from the Santa 
Margarita Boost weather station located at the top of the Chorro Creek 
watershed.
    Precipitation in the proposed Santa Margarita Ranch viticultural 
area averages 29 inches a year, generally higher than the precipitation 
amounts received in other regions within the Paso Robles viticultural 
area. Some marine air is able to enter the proposed viticultural area 
through the Cuesta Pass in the Santa Lucia Range, and significant 
annual precipitation results from Pacific storms that release water 
across the high mountain ridges of the Santa Lucia Range into the 
proposed viticultural area.
    As compared to the proposed Templeton Gap District and Paso Robles 
Willow Creek District viticultural areas to the north, the growing 
season in the proposed Santa Margarita Ranch viticultural area is less 
affected by the marine influence entering the Paso Robles region 
through the Templeton Gap. This reduced marine influence results in 
higher daytime maximum and lower nighttime minimum temperatures. In 
addition, cold air drains from the surrounding higher elevations and 
ponds in the Santa Margarita Valley. As a result, frost is an issue on 
the valley floor during the early growing season, and frost protection 
is a necessity for area vineyards.
Topography
    The proposed Santa Margarita Ranch viticultural area is located 
within the narrow, southeast-to-northwest Santa Margarita Valley, 
between the La Panza Range and Salinas River to the east and the Santa 
Lucia Range to the west. Elevations within the proposed viticultural 
area range from approximately 900 feet at the Salinas River in its 
northeast corner to approximately 1,400 feet in its northwest corner 
along the Los Padres National Forest boundary. The valley floor, at 
approximately 1,100 to 1,200 feet in elevation, includes a nearly flat 
landscape with gradual inclines and some hills to the north near the 
town of Santa Margarita. Numerous creeks flow through the Santa 
Margarita Valley to the Salinas River, including Santa Margarita Creek, 
Yerba Buena Creek, Trout Creek, Burrito Creek, and Rinconada Creek.
    Vineyards within the proposed Santa Margarita Ranch viticultural 
area are planted primarily on the valley floor, across gently rolling 
terraces and perched above the creek beds. Because the vineyards are 
planted on the valley floor, they are at a risk of frost when cold air 
drains into the valley from the surrounding mountains at night.
    A small groundwater basin within the Santa Margarita Valley is the 
primary water resource for the proposed Santa Margarita Ranch 
viticultural area, both for irrigation and frost protection. In 
contrast, most of the Paso Robles viticultural area relies on a large 
groundwater basin east of the city of Paso Robles for water resources.
Soils
    The soils of the proposed Santa Margarita Ranch viticultural area 
are a series of young, sandy loam to loam soils in the floodplains of 
the creeks, loam and gravelly loam soils on the terraces, clay loams on 
the highest terraces and hillsides, and pockets of clay soils in low-
lying basins. The diversity of soil types reflects the ages of the 
alluvial terrace fans and the bedrock (or parent) material type, 
sometimes mixed from several geological formations. Parent materials 
include Monterey shale, Santa Margarita sandstone, Cretaceous granite, 
Cretaceous marine sandstones, and conglomerates.
    The 1978 soil survey for the Paso Robles area indicates that 
vineyards within the proposed viticultural area contain soils that are 
primarily Mollisols (deep, rich, grassland soils), with smaller areas 
of younger Entisols and Inceptisols, clay-rich Vertisols, and older, 
leached Alfisols (where soil leaching to depth has occurred through 
time). The soils are slightly acidic at the surface (pH values of 5.6 
to 7.0), and either acidic or alkaline at depth (pH varying from 5.1 to 
8.4, influenced by both parent material and time). Few of the soils 
within the proposed viticultural area are calcareous, unlike the soils 
to the north within the proposed Templeton Gap District, Paso Robles 
Willow Creek District, and Adelaida District viticultural areas. Most 
of the soils within the proposed Santa Margarita Ranch viticultural 
area are considered fertile, due to the presence of abundant humus. In 
order to prevent overly vigorous growth in the fertile soils, vines are 
spaced closely together to promote root competition, and water is 
carefully managed.

Comparison to Adjacent Regions

    As noted above, the proposed Santa Margarita Ranch viticultural 
area is not immediately adjacent to any other of the viticultural areas 
proposed in this document. The region directly to the northwest of the 
proposed Santa Margarita Ranch viticultural area contains the urban 
area of the city of Atascadero. To the northeast of the proposed 
viticultural area, the terrain is more rugged and mountainous and 
difficult to farm and contrasts to the mostly valley terrain of the 
proposed Santa Margarita Ranch viticultural area. The mountainous 
regions to the east, south, and west of the proposed viticultural area 
are outside of the Paso Robles viticultural area, with those areas to 
the south and west in the Los Padres National Forest unavailable for 
viticulture.
    Although the Santa Margarita Valley continues to the southeast of 
the proposed viticultural area, that region is considered to be 
viticulturally distinct from the region within the proposed 
viticultural area based on cooler temperatures and lack of sufficient 
water for frost protection and irrigation.

Templeton Gap District

    The 19,017-acre proposed Templeton Gap District viticultural area 
is located in the western portion of the Paso Robles viticultural area 
and contains approximately 1,600 acres of vineyards.

Name Evidence

    The ``Templeton Gap District'' name is based on historical and 
modern name evidence associating the name with the region within which 
the proposed viticultural area is located. The name ``Templeton Gap 
District'' combines the name of the town of Templeton with the term 
``gap,'' which collectively identifies several passes located along the 
crest of the Santa Lucia Range to the west of the proposed viticultural 
area.
    The small town of Templeton, located between U.S. Route 101 and the 
Salinas River north of Atascadero and south of Paso Robles, is within 
the proposed Templeton Gap District viticultural area.

[[Page 58073]]

The town is shown on the USGS Templeton map and the 2001 San Luis 
Obispo County map published by the Automobile Club of Southern 
California.
    The name ``Templeton Gap'' originated from Ken Volk, a Paso Robles 
wine industry member. In the early 1980s, the name ``Templeton Gap'' 
first appeared in marketing and public relations material for Volk's 
Wild Horse Winery and Vineyards located within the proposed Templeton 
Gap District viticultural area on the east side of the Salinas River. 
Volk used the ``Templeton Gap'' name to collectively identify several 
passes in the Santa Lucia Range that allow marine air and fog from the 
Pacific Ocean to flow east over the mountains and into the Templeton 
region via several canyons containing eastward flowing streams, 
particularly Paso Robles Creek.
    Since then, the ``Templeton Gap'' name has appeared in a number of 
wine-related books and publications. For example, a book about the 
wines of California and the Pacific Northwest notes that the ``. . . 
cooling ocean air streaming through Templeton Gap'' is a major 
influence on the Paso Robles region's climate.\8\ A magazine article 
describes the Paso Robles area growing season climate as having ``very 
hot days that can be suddenly cooled by ocean breezes through the 
Templeton Gap,'' \9\ and a book about California wines refers to the 
``Templeton Gap'' as a place where maritime cooling travels inland and 
benefits the vines.\10\ In addition, an article in Decanter magazine 
about the Paso Robles region also refers to the ``Templeton Gap'' and 
notes the cooling effect on area vineyards of ocean air that passes 
through the gap.\11\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \8\ Bob Thompson, The Wine Atlas of California and the Pacific 
Northwest (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1993), page 130.
    \9\ Lora J. Finnegan, ``California's Heritage Wine,'' Sunset 
Magazine, October 1995, page 82.
    \10\ Stephen Brook, The Wines of California (New York: Faber & 
Faber, 1999), pages 131-132.
    \11\ Janice Fuhrman, ``Paso Robles, A World Apart,'' Decanter, 
August 2005, page 45.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The petition notes that, outside of the wine industry, the name 
``Templeton Gap'' also has evolved into a name for the region within 
the proposed viticultural area. In 1994, the Western Weather Group of 
Chico, California, established five weather stations in the Paso Robles 
viticultural area, including the ``Templeton Gap'' station. Real estate 
advertisements also use the name ``Templeton Gap'' to identify property 
locations within the proposed viticultural area. In addition, the 
petition included letters from several business owners located within 
the proposed Templeton Gap District viticultural area that state the 
``Templeton Gap'' geographical name is commonly used in association 
with the region.

Boundary Evidence

    The northern portion of the proposed Templeton Gap District 
viticultural area boundary follows several roads, streams, and a range 
line. This portion of the proposed boundary is primarily based on 
geology, separating the more resistant Monterey formation bedrock of 
the proposed viticultural area from the higher elevation mountain 
slopes of the softer, less resistant, shaly, calcareous bedrock of the 
proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area to the 
north.
    The eastern portion of the proposed Templeton Gap District 
viticultural area boundary, which is mostly shared with the proposed El 
Pomar District viticultural area, runs southward along the Salinas 
River and a tributary before shifting to the southeast along a series 
of roads and straight lines between elevation points and road 
intersections. This boundary approximately follows a line of hills that 
rise above the Rinconada Fault line. These hills temper the full 
cooling effects of the winds that flow from the southwest into the 
proposed Templeton Gap District viticultural area. In addition, 
depending on the depth of the marine layer, fog often settles in these 
hills, providing a visible indication of the boundary of the proposed 
viticultural area.
    The southern portion of the proposed Templeton Gap District 
viticultural area boundary follows a combination of straight lines, a 
road, a portion of the Salinas River and a portion of the historic Paso 
de Robles Land Grant's southern boundary. This portion of the boundary 
also approximates a geological boundary between the upper and lower 
members of the Monterey Formation. The southern portion of the proposed 
viticultural area's boundary also marks the southern limit of the 
Templeton Gap's identity as a region, as the region immediately to the 
south is within the urbanized area of the city of Atascadero.
    The western portion of the proposed Templeton Gap District 
viticultural area boundary, which is concurrent with part of the 
western boundary of the Paso Robles viticultural area, primarily 
follows the Paso de Robles Land Grant boundary. A segment of this 
portion of the boundary is also shared with the York Mountain 
viticultural area to the immediate west. The York Mountain viticultural 
area is closer to the Pacific Ocean, receives more precipitation, and 
has higher elevations and more rugged mountain terrain than both the 
Paso Robles viticultural area and the proposed Templeton Gap District 
viticultural area.

Distinguishing Features

    The distinguishing features of the proposed Templeton Gap District 
viticultural area include a very strong marine influence, a cooler 
growing season climate, and an average of 20 inches of annual 
precipitation. The proposed Templeton Gap District viticultural area 
has elevations ranging from approximately 700 to 1,800 feet, with broad 
terraces and a landform gap dominating the landscape.
Climate
    The proposed Templeton Gap District viticultural area has the most 
maritime climate within the Paso Robles viticultural area, with more 
fog and higher relative humidity, more moderated daily, monthly, and 
annual temperature ranges, and more persistent sea breezes. With a 
Winkler Region II climate of approximately 2,900 GDDs, the proposed 
Templeton Gap District viticultural area, along with the proposed Paso 
Robles Willow Creek viticultural area, has the coolest growing season 
climate within the larger Paso Robles viticultural area. Annual 
precipitation in the proposed Templeton Gap District viticultural area 
averages 20 inches.
    The passes in the crest of the Santa Lucia Range, collectively 
known as the Templeton Gap, bring the Pacific Ocean's maritime 
influence into the proposed viticultural area. As the marine layer 
builds to greater heights on the Pacific Ocean side of the coastal 
mountain slopes, the cooler and denser marine air spills through the 
passes and flows eastward to the lower elevations of the proposed 
viticultural area. In addition, a strong pressure gradient is created 
when there is a marked contrast between the cooler marine air along the 
coast and the warmer air inland, resulting in strong sea breezes 
extending east and inland across the proposed viticultural area. Due to 
the accelerated air flow through the passes, the proposed Templeton Gap 
District viticultural area is windier than the other lowland areas of 
the Paso Robles viticultural area, with moderate sea breezes and 
regular, light mountain-valley breezes.
    The cool climate of the proposed Templeton Gap District 
viticultural area increases the ripening period for grapes, resulting 
in harvest dates of approximately 10 to 14 days later than other areas 
in the Paso Robles viticultural area, which allows flavors to fully 
develop in the grapes. Also, given

[[Page 58074]]

the sea breeze influence in the region, slope angle and aspect are 
important factors in determining the suitability of vineyard sites for 
different grape varieties.
Topography
    The proposed Templeton Gap District viticultural area is located 
east of an area of the Santa Lucia Range where the crest of the 
mountain range is lower in altitude and the range contains an erosional 
landform known as a ``water gap'' west of the town of Templeton. This 
gap consists of several passes through the Santa Lucia Range formed by 
streams carving into the soft rocks of the Monterey Formation near the 
heads of their watersheds. The proposed viticultural area's location 
near this gap contributes greatly to the cool, marine climate and the 
later harvest time of the proposed viticultural area.
    The proposed Templeton Gap District viticultural area also is 
characterized by the broad terraces created by Paso Robles Creek and 
the Salinas River, which deposited a deep veneer of alluvium over the 
area's bedrock. Although elevations within the proposed Templeton Gap 
District viticultural area range from approximately 1,800 feet in the 
ridgelines to the west and southwest to 700 feet along the Salinas 
River, terraces with elevations of approximately 760-960 feet dominate 
the terrain. Most of the proposed viticultural area's vineyards are 
planted at elevations of 800-940 feet on south-facing hillsides in 
order to benefit from the cooling maritime air as it enters the 
proposed viticultural area through the gap in the Santa Lucia Range.
Soils
    The soils of the proposed Templeton Gap District area viticultural 
area have shallow to moderate rooting depths, moderate water stress, 
and modest nutrient levels. Partially cemented shaly, alluvial soils 
derived from the Paso Robles Formation are located on the stream 
terraces and on sections of older alluvial fans. The soil textures are 
predominantly silt loams, silty clays, clay loams, and sandy loams 
(with some units gravelly). Although some of the soils have slightly 
acidic topsoils (A horizons with pH values of 6.1 to 6.8), and others 
are neutral to slightly alkaline even at the surface (with shallow A 
horizon pH values of 7.0 to 7.8), almost all soils are alkaline at 
depth, with common pH values of 7.9-8.4. The most common soil order is 
moderately developed Mollisols (where surface humus is abundant), 
followed by older Vertisols (where pedogenic clay dominates the 
texture), and younger, poorly developed Entisols closer to streams. 
According to the petition, the soil characteristics make low vineyard 
yields common within the proposed Templeton Gap District viticultural 
area.

Comparison to Adjacent Regions

    The chart below summarizes the distinguishing features evidence for 
the proposed Templeton Gap District viticultural area described above 
and compares those features to those of the adjacent proposed 
viticultural areas within the Paso Robles viticultural area.
    In addition, part of the western boundary of the proposed Templeton 
Gap District viticultural area is concurrent with both the western 
boundary of the Paso Robles viticultural area and the eastern boundary 
of the York Mountain viticultural area. The York Mountain viticultural 
area is closer to the Pacific Ocean than the adjacent portion of the 
proposed Templeton Gap District viticultural area, contains elevations 
up to 1,500 feet on slopes of the Santa Lucia Mountains, is classified 
as Winkler region I climate zone, and receives an average of 45 inches 
of annual rainfall.
    The region outside the western portion of the proposed boundary 
that is not located within the York Mountain viticultural area contains 
the more mountainous terrain of the Santa Lucia Range, which contrasts 
to the predominately lower elevation terraces of the proposed Templeton 
Gap District viticultural area.

     Comparison of Proposed Templeton Gap District Viticultural Area to Adjacent Proposed Viticultural Areas
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                   To the north: Paso
       Distinguishing  features         Templeton Gap District    Robles Willow Creek     To the east: El Pomar
                                                                        District                 District
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Winkler Region.......................  Region II..............  Region II..............  Moderate Region II.
Maritime Climate *...................  1......................  1......................  3.
Precipitation........................  20 inches/year.........  24-30 inches/year......  15 inches/year.
Topography...........................  Broad terraces in        Mountain slopes of       High, older terraces,
                                        moderate to low          Santa Lucia Range to     fans, and hills;
                                        elevation area of the    the west of the          elevation 740-1,600
                                        Santa Lucia Range with   Salinas River,           feet (most vineyards
                                        elevations ranging       centered on the Willow   at 840-960 feet).
                                        from 700 feet to 1,800   Creek tributary to
                                        feet (most vineyards     Paso Robles Creek;
                                        at 800-940 feet).        elevation 960-1,900
                                                                 (most vineyards at
                                                                 1,000-1,300 feet).
Soils................................  Moderate depth,          Mostly shallow           Terrace alluvial soils,
                                        partially cemented       calcareous soils of      with sandy, clay, and
                                        alluvial soils on        residual (bedrock)       gravelly loam
                                        river terraces and       origin with shaly        textures; primarily
                                        sections of older        clays, clay loams, and   alkaline.
                                        alluvial fans with       rocky loams, with some
                                        silt loams, silty        units gravelly and
                                        clays, clay loams, and   with patches of
                                        sandy loams (with some   alluvial soil along
                                        units gravelly); some    streams; alkaline at
                                        with slightly acidic     depth.
                                        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).


[[Page 58075]]

Comparison of Proposed Viticultural Areas to the Existing Paso Robles 
and Central Coast Viticultural Areas

Paso Robles Viticultural Area

    The Paso Robles viticultural area is broadly characterized by: (1) 
A Winkler Region III climate with some marine influence that contrasts 
to the warmer regions to the east and cooler regions to the west; (2) 
annual rainfall averaging between 10 and 25 inches; (3) a diurnal 
temperature change of 40 to 50 degrees; (4) rolling hills and valleys 
with average elevations between 600 to 1,000 feet; and (5) soils that 
generally formed in alluvial and terrace deposits, and that are fertile 
and well-drained. Although not all of these characteristics are shared 
by each of the 11 viticultural areas, as indicated in the table below, 
each proposed viticultural area shares some of the distinctive 
characteristics of the larger Paso Robles viticultural area.

                                Comparison of the Paso Robles Viticultural Area to the Eleven Proposed Viticultural Areas
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                        Diurnal growing
         Viticultural area                   Climate             Average annual       season temp. change         Topography                Soil
                                                                    rainfall                  \2\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paso Robles \1\....................  Maritime climate        8-30 inches...........  20-50 degrees........  Salinas River and      Soils both
                                      becoming more                                                          tributary valleys,     depositional and
                                      continental to the                                                     alluvial terraces,     residual derived
                                      east, with growing                                                     and surrounding        from sedimentary
                                      degree-day Regions                                                     mountain slopes; 600-  rock; moderate
                                      II, III and IV.                                                        2,400+ feet.           depth.
Proposed Adelaida District.........  Region II-III           25 inches.............  30 degrees...........  Santa Lucia Range      Shallow, bedrock
                                      transitional area.                                                     high mountain slopes   residual soils and
                                                                                                             grading to             patchy colluvial
                                                                                                             foothills; 900-2200    hillside soils from
                                                                                                             feet.                  middle member of
                                                                                                                                    Monterey Formation
                                                                                                                                    and older rocks;
                                                                                                                                    largely calcareous
                                                                                                                                    soils.
Proposed Creston District..........  Region III............  11.5 inches...........  25 degrees...........  Old erosional plateau  Old, well developed
                                                                                                             at the base of the     terrace and hillside
                                                                                                             La Panza Range;        soils; mix of
                                                                                                             alluvial terraces      granitic and
                                                                                                             and fans of            sedimentary rocks.
                                                                                                             Huerhuero Creek;
                                                                                                             1,000-2,000 feet.
Proposed El Pomar District.........  Region II.............  15 inches.............  20-25 degrees........  High, older terraces,  Quaternary alluvial
                                                                                                             fans, and hills; 740-  soils, well
                                                                                                             1,600 feet.            developed loams to
                                                                                                                                    clay loams, some
                                                                                                                                    calcareous, with
                                                                                                                                    Monterey Formation
                                                                                                                                    sandstone and
                                                                                                                                    siltstone at depth
                                                                                                                                    in some areas.
Proposed Paso Robles Estrella        Region III............  12.5-15.5 inches......  35-40 degrees........  Rolling plains of      Quaternary alluvial
 District.                                                                                                   Estrella River         soils of diverse
                                                                                                             valley and terraces;   ages across younger
                                                                                                             745-1819 feet.         to older terraces,
                                                                                                                                    deep to moderate
                                                                                                                                    depth, with remnant
                                                                                                                                    patches of older
                                                                                                                                    valley fill at
                                                                                                                                    highest elevations.
Proposed Paso Robles Geneseo         Region III-IV.........  13-14 inches..........  20-25 degrees........  Upfaulted hills        Old alluvial terrace
 District.                                                                                                   through old river      and residual
                                                                                                             terraces along         hillside soils of
                                                                                                             Huerhuero-La Panza     moderate depth with
                                                                                                             fault; 740-1,300       cementation of the
                                                                                                             feet.                  gravelly Paso Robles
                                                                                                                                    Formation and older
                                                                                                                                    granites.
Proposed Paso Robles Highlands       Region IV.............  12 inches.............  50+ degrees..........  Old Pliocene-          Deep, sometimes
 District.                                                                                                   Pleistocene            cemented alluvial
                                                                                                             erosional surface      soils; old leached
                                                                                                             across the Simmler,    alkaline soils
                                                                                                             Monterey and Paso      common, with younger
                                                                                                             Robles formations      sandy soils along
                                                                                                             below the La Panza     active steams.
                                                                                                             Range; 1,160-2,086
                                                                                                             feet.
Proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek    Region II.............  24-30 inches..........  20 degrees...........  High elevation         Mostly bedrock
 District.                                                                                                   mountainous bedrock    (residual) soils
                                                                                                             slopes across a more   from the middle and
                                                                                                             erodible member of     lower members of the
                                                                                                             the Monterey           Monterey Formation,
                                                                                                             Formation; 960-1,900   patches of alluvial
                                                                                                             feet.                  soil along streams,
                                                                                                                                    largely calcareous,
                                                                                                                                    loams to clay loams.

[[Page 58076]]

 
Proposed San Juan Creek............  Region III-IV           10.4 inches...........  35-40 degrees........  San Juan Creek         Well to moderately
                                      transition.                                                            younger river          drained, deep
                                                                                                             valleys with           alluvial soils,
                                                                                                             alluvial terraces      sandy loams to loams
                                                                                                             and fans as a          to clay loams on the
                                                                                                             tributary to the       highest, oldest
                                                                                                             upper Estrella         terraces.
                                                                                                             River; 980-1,600
                                                                                                             feet.
Proposed San Miguel District.......  Region III............  11.4 inches...........  30-35 degrees........  Footslope of Santa     Deep, alluvial sandy
                                                                                                             Lucia Range, with      loams to loams to a
                                                                                                             alluvial terraces of   few clay loams (some
                                                                                                             the Salinas and        with clay pans) from
                                                                                                             Estrella rivers and    the river bottoms up
                                                                                                             small recent           onto the higher
                                                                                                             alluvial fans; 580-    terraces.
                                                                                                             1,600 feet.
Proposed Santa Margarita Ranch.....  Region II.............  29 inches.............  25 degrees...........  High, steep mountain   Deep alluvial soils
                                                                                                             slopes of ancient      derived from many
                                                                                                             Salinas River and      lithologies and
                                                                                                             upper reaches of       varying in texture,
                                                                                                             incised contemporary   with patchy residual
                                                                                                             Salinas River along    soils on mountain
                                                                                                             the Rinconada Fault;   slopes.
                                                                                                             900-1,400 feet.
Proposed Templeton Gap District....  Region II.............  20 inches.............  20 degrees...........  Santa Lucia Range      Broad alluvial
                                                                                                             mountain slopes and    terraces and fans of
                                                                                                             broad alluvial         Paso Robles Creek
                                                                                                             terraces; elevations   and the Salinas
                                                                                                             700-1,800 feet.        River over bedrock;
                                                                                                                                    alluvial soils of
                                                                                                                                    shallow to moderate
                                                                                                                                    depth and sandy to
                                                                                                                                    silty to clay loams;
                                                                                                                                    calcareous in
                                                                                                                                    places.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The PRAVAC petitioners supplied scientific data and other information that was not available to the original Paso Robles viticultural area
  petitioners in 1983, and that updated information is included in this table.
\2\ The growing season referenced herein is from April 1 to October 31 in a calendar year.

    As shown in the above table, all of the 11 proposed viticultural 
areas have distinguishing features--particularly with regard to 
climatic features--that generally fall within the broader ranges of the 
larger Paso Robles viticultural area. Each of the 11 proposed 
viticultural areas, however, also has distinctive features and a more 
specific microclimate that distinguish it viticulturally from the 
larger Paso Robles viticultural area.

Central Coast Viticultural Area

    Because the Paso Robles viticultural area is entirely within the 
larger, multicounty Central Coast viticultural area, each of the 11 
proposed viticultural areas would also be located within the Central 
Coast viticultural area. The Central Coast viticultural area stretches 
from Santa Barbara County in the south to the San Francisco Bay area in 
the north and includes the region between the Pacific Coast and the 
eastern ranges of California's coastal mountains, where the marine 
influence of the Pacific Ocean impacts local climates more 
significantly than regions further to the east, such as the San Joaquin 
Valley. This marine influence is seen in precipitation, heat 
accumulation, maximum high temperature, minimum low temperature, 
growing season length, wind, marine fog incursion, and relative 
humidity data that are significantly different from the more arid 
regions found to the east of the Coastal Ranges.
    In addition, T.D. ATF-216, which established the Central Coast 
viticultural area, also recognized the existence of microclimates 
within this relatively large viticultural area. As described above, 
each of the 11 proposed viticultural areas is affected by the marine 
influence of the Pacific Ocean, consistent with the distinguishing 
features of the Central Coast viticultural area. The extent of the 
marine influence on the climate of each of the proposed viticultural 
areas varies among the 11 proposed viticultural areas, however, 
creating distinct microclimates in those regions.

TTB Determination

    TTB believes that the evidence presented by the petitioner 
regarding the various distinguishing features of the 11 proposed 
viticultural areas, as well as the distinctiveness of those areas as 
compared to the larger Paso Robles and Central Coast viticultural 
areas, justify recognition 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 areas as viticultural areas within the 
existing Paso Robles and Central Coast viticultural areas.
    Accordingly, TTB concludes that the petitions 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 merit consideration and public comment, as invited 
in this document.

Impact on Current Wine Labels

    Part 4 of the TTB regulations prohibits any label reference on a 
wine that indicates or implies an origin other than the wine's true 
place of origin. If TTB

[[Page 58077]]

establishes the proposed ``Adelaida District,'' ``Creston District,'' 
``El Pomar District,'' ``Paso Robles Willow Creek District,'' ``San 
Juan Creek,'' ``San Miguel District,'' ``Santa Margarita Ranch,'' or 
``Templeton Gap District'' viticultural areas, the full name of each 
viticultural area will be recognized as a name of viticultural 
significance. TTB does not believe that any part of these eight 
proposed viticultural area names standing alone, such as ``Adelaida,'' 
``Creston,'' ``El Pomar,'' ``San Juan,'' ``San Miguel,'' ``Santa 
Margarita,'' or ``Templeton,'' would have viticultural significance if 
the respective viticultural area is established because of the 
potential for consumer and industry confusion based on the multiple 
locations in the United States and/or other countries that are referred 
to or known by the above names. Additionally, TTB does not believe that 
``Paso Robles Willow Creek,'' standing alone, would have viticultural 
significance with regards to the proposed Paso Robles Willow Creek 
District viticultural area, because the terms ``Paso Robles'' and 
``Willow Creek,'' standing alone, both have viticultural significance 
pursuant to, respectively, 27 CFR 9.84 and 9.85 as names of established 
viticultural areas. Furthermore, in order to avoid affecting the use of 
the term ``Templeton Gap,'' standing alone, in brand names or on wine 
labels, TTB is not proposing to designate the term ``Templeton Gap,'' 
standing alone, as a term of viticultural significance.
    If TTB establishes the proposed ``Paso Robles Estrella District,'' 
``Paso Robles Geneseo District,'' or ``Paso Robles Highlands District'' 
viticultural areas, the full name of each viticultural area will be 
recognized as a name of viticultural significance. In addition, based 
on the evidence submitted, as well as a review of the information 
contained in the Geographic Names Information System maintained by the 
USGS and a general search of relevant Web sites, TTB believes that 
``Paso Robles Estrella,'' ``Paso Robles Geneseo,'' and ``Paso Robles 
Highlands'' are locally and/or nationally known as referring to the 
region in San Luis Obispo County, California, encompassed by each 
respective proposed viticultural area, so consumers and vintners could 
reasonably attribute the quality, reputation, or other characteristic 
of wine made from grapes grown in the proposed ``Paso Robles Estrella 
District,'' ``Paso Robles Geneseo District,'' or ``Paso Robles 
Highlands District'' viticultural areas to these terms. Accordingly, 
with the establishment of the above three viticultural areas, the terms 
``Paso Robles Estrella,'' ``Paso Robles Geneseo,'' and ``Paso Robles 
Highlands,'' standing alone, will also be considered terms of 
viticultural significance for each respective viticultural area. TTB 
notes that the geographical name of ``Paso Robles'' identifies the 
existing Paso Robles viticultural area, which is already a term of 
viticultural significance pursuant to 27 CFR 9.84. TTB does not believe 
that the terms ``Estrella,'' ``Geneseo,'' or ``Highlands,'' each 
standing alone, would have viticultural significance if the respective 
viticultural areas are established because of the potential for 
consumer and industry confusion based on the multiple locations in the 
United States and/or other countries that are referred to or known by 
the above names. Furthermore, in order to avoid affecting the use of 
the terms ``Estrella'' or ``Geneseo,'' each standing alone, in brand 
names or on wine labels, TTB is not proposing to designate ``Estrella'' 
or ``Geneseo'' as terms of viticultural significance.
    Therefore, the eleven proposed 27 CFR part 9 section texts set 
forth in this document specify, respectively, that ``Adelaida 
District,'' ``Creston District,'' ``El Pomar District,'' ``Paso Robles 
Estrella District'' and ``Paso Robles Estrella'' standing alone, ``Paso 
Robles Geneseo District'' and ``Paso Robles Geneseo'' standing alone, 
``Paso Robles Highlands District'' and ``Paso Robles Highlands'' 
standing alone, ``Paso Robles Willow Creek District,'' ``San Juan 
Creek,'' ``San Miguel District,'' ``Santa Margarita Ranch,'' and 
``Templeton Gap District'' are terms of viticultural significance for 
purposes of part 4 of the TTB regulations. Consequently, if these 11 
proposed viticultural areas are established, wine bottlers using any of 
the above terms in a brand name, including a trademark, or in another 
label reference as to the origin of the wine, will have to ensure that 
the product is eligible to use the name of the viticultural area in 
question as an appellation of origin. TTB notes that the establishment 
of any or all of these 11 proposed viticultural areas will not affect 
the established Paso Robles viticultural area or approved labels using 
the ``Paso Robles'' name.
    For a wine to be labeled with a viticultural area name or with a 
brand name that includes a viticultural area name or other term 
identified as being viticulturally significant in part 9 of the TTB 
regulations, at least 85 percent of the wine must be derived from 
grapes grown within the area represented by that name or other term, 
and the wine must meet the other conditions listed in 27 CFR 
4.25(e)(3). If the wine is not eligible for labeling with the 
viticultural area name or other viticulturally significant term and 
that name or term appears in the brand name, then the label is not in 
compliance, and the bottler must change the brand name and obtain 
approval of a new label. Similarly, if the viticultural area name or 
other viticulturally significant term appears in another reference on 
the label in a misleading manner, the bottler would have to obtain 
approval of a new label.
    Different rules apply if a wine has a brand name containing a 
viticultural area name or other term of viticultural significance that 
was used as a brand name on a label approved before July 7, 1986. See 
27 CFR 4.39(i)(2) for details.

Public Participation

Comments Invited

    TTB invites comments from interested members of the public on 
whether TTB should establish any or all of the 11 proposed viticultural 
areas within the existing Paso Robles viticultural area. TTB is also 
interested in receiving comments on the sufficiency and accuracy of the 
names and the climatic, boundary, and other required information 
submitted in support of the petitions. In addition, given the location 
of the 11 proposed viticultural areas within the existing Paso Robles 
and Central Coast viticultural areas, TTB is interested in comments on 
whether the evidence submitted in the petitions regarding the 
distinguishing features of the proposed viticultural areas sufficiently 
differentiates them from the existing Paso Robles and Central Coast 
viticultural areas. TTB is also interested in comments on whether the 
geographic features of any of the 11 proposed viticultural areas are so 
distinguishable from the surrounding Paso Robles and Central Coast 
viticultural areas that they should no longer be part of those 
viticultural areas. Finally, TTB is interested in comments regarding 
whether the portions of the Paso Robles viticultural area that are not 
contained within any of the 11 proposed viticultural areas have been 
appropriately excluded from the proposed viticultural areas or whether 
these excluded areas should be incorporated into any of the proposed 
viticultural areas. Please provide any available specific information 
in support of your comments. Also, please identify the specific 
proposed viticultural area or areas that your comments concern.

[[Page 58078]]

    Because of the potential impact of the establishment of the eleven 
proposed viticultural areas on brand labels that include the words 
``Adelaida District,'' ``Creston District,'' ``El Pomar District,'' 
``Paso Robles Estrella District'' (or ``Paso Robles Estrella'' standing 
alone), ``Paso Robles Geneseo District'' (or ``Paso Robles Geneseo'' 
standing alone), ``Paso Robles Highlands District'' (or ``Paso Robles 
Highlands'' standing alone), ``Paso Robles Willow Creek District,'' 
``San Juan Creek,'' ``San Miguel District,'' ``Santa Margarita Ranch,'' 
and ``Templeton Gap District,'' as discussed above under Impact on 
Current Wine Labels, TTB is particularly interested in comments 
regarding whether there will be a conflict between the proposed 
viticultural area names and/or viticulturally significant terms and 
currently used brand names. If a commenter believes that a conflict 
will arise, the comment should describe the nature of that conflict, 
including any negative economic impact that approval of the proposed 
viticultural area will have on an existing viticultural enterprise. TTB 
is also interested in receiving suggestions for ways to avoid any 
conflicts, for example, by adopting a modified or different name for 
the viticultural area.

Submitting Comments

    You may submit comments on this proposal by using one of the 
following three methods:
     Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: You may send comments via the 
online comment form posted with this document within Docket No. TTB-
2013-0009 on ``Regulations.gov,'' the Federal e-rulemaking portal, at 
http://www.regulations.gov. A direct link to that docket is available 
under Notice No. 140 on the TTB Web site at http://www.ttb.gov/wine/wine-rulemaking.shtml. Supplemental files may be attached to comments 
submitted via Regulations.gov. For complete instructions on how to use 
Regulations.gov, visit the site and click on the site's ``Help'' tab.
     U.S. Mail: You may send comments via postal mail to the 
Director, Regulations and Rulings Division, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and 
Trade Bureau, 1310 G Street NW., Box 12, Washington, DC 20005.
     Hand Delivery/Courier: You may hand-carry your comments or 
have them hand-carried to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, 
1310 G Street NW., Suite 200E, Washington, DC 20005.
    Please submit your comments by the closing date shown above in this 
document. Your comments must reference Notice No. 140 and include your 
name and mailing address. Your comments also must be made in English, 
be legible, and be written in language acceptable for public 
disclosure. TTB does not acknowledge receipt of comments, and considers 
all comments as originals.
    In your comment, please indicate if you are speaking on your own 
behalf or on behalf of an association, business, or other entity. If 
you are speaking on behalf of an entity, your comment must include the 
entity's name as well as your name and position title. If you comment 
via http://www.regulations.gov, please also enter the entity's name in 
the ``Organization'' blank of the online comment form. If you comment 
via postal mail or hand delivery/courier, please submit your entity's 
comment on letterhead.
    You may also write to the Administrator before the comment closing 
date to ask for a public hearing. The Administrator reserves the right 
to determine whether to hold a public hearing.

Confidentiality

    All submitted comments and attachments are part of the public 
record and subject to disclosure. Do not include, attach, or enclose 
any material in or with your comments that you consider to be 
confidential or inappropriate for public disclosure.

Public Disclosure

    On the Federal e-rulemaking portal, Regulations.gov, TTB will post, 
and you may view, copies of this document, selected supporting 
materials, and any online or mailed comments TTB receives about this. A 
direct link to the Regulations.gov docket containing this document and 
the posted comments received on it is available on the TTB Web site at 
http://www.ttb.gov/wine/wine-rulemaking.shtml under Notice No. 140. You 
may also reach the docket containing this document and the posted 
comments received on it through the Regulations.gov search page at 
http://www.regulations.gov. For instructions on how to use 
Regulations.gov, visit the site and click on the site's ``Help'' tab.
    All posted comments will display the commenter's name, organization 
(if any), city, and State, and, in the case of mailed comments, all 
address information, including email addresses. TTB may omit voluminous 
attachments or material that TTB considers unsuitable for posting.
    You may view copies of this document, all related petitions, maps 
and other supporting materials, and any electronic or mailed comments 
TTB receives about this proposal by appointment at the TTB Information 
Resource Center, 1310 G Street NW., Washington, DC 20005. You may also 
obtain copies at 20 cents per 8.5- x 11-inch page. Contact the 
information specialist at the above address or by telephone at 202-453-
2270 to schedule an appointment or to request copies of comments or 
other materials.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    TTB certifies that this proposed regulation, if adopted, would not 
have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities. The proposed regulation imposes no new reporting, 
recordkeeping, or other administrative requirement. Any benefit derived 
from the use of a viticultural area name would be the result of a 
proprietor's efforts and consumer acceptance of wines from that area. 
Therefore, no regulatory flexibility analysis is required.

Executive Order 12866

    This proposed rule is not a significant regulatory action as 
defined by Executive Order 12866 of September 30, 1993. Therefore, it 
requires no regulatory assessment.

Drafting Information

    The Regulations and Rulings Division staff drafted this document.

List of Subjects in 27 CFR Part 9

    Wine.

Proposed Regulatory Amendment

    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, TTB proposes to amend 
title 27, chapter I, part 9, Code of Federal Regulations, as follows:

PART 9--AMERICAN VITICULTURAL AREAS

0
1. The authority citation for part 9 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  27 U.S.C. 205.
0
2. Subpart C is amended by adding Sec. Sec.  9.---- through 9.---- to 
read as follows:

Subpart C--Approved American Viticultural Areas


Sec.  9.----  Adelaida District.

    (a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this 
section is ``Adelaida District''. For purposes of part 4 of this 
chapter, ``Adelaida District'' is a term of viticultural significance.
    (b) Approved maps. The six United States Geological Survey (USGS) 
1:24 000 scale topographic maps used to

[[Page 58079]]

determine the boundary of the Adelaida District viticultural area are 
titled:
    (1) Paso Robles, Calif., 1948, photorevised 1979;
    (2) Templeton, Calif., 1948, photorevised 1979;
    (3) York Mountain, Calif., 1948, photorevised 1979;
    (4) Cypress Mountain, Calif., 1948, photorevised 1979;
    (5) Lime Mountain, Calif., 1948, photorevised 1979; and
    (6) Adelaida, Calif., 1948, photorevised 1978.
    (c) Boundary. The Adelaida District viticultural area is located in 
San Luis Obispo County, California. The boundary of the Adelaida 
District viticultural area is as described below:
    (1) The beginning point is on the Paso Robles map at the point 
where an unnamed light-duty road locally known as Wellsona Road crosses 
the main channel of the Salinas River, section 4, T26S/R12E. From the 
beginning point, proceed southerly (upstream) along the main channel of 
the Salinas River approximately 3.4 miles to the river's first 
intersection with the city of Paso Robles Corporate Boundary line, 
T26S/R12E; then
    (2) Proceed westerly and then southerly along the meandering city 
of Paso Robles Corporate Boundary line, crossing onto the Templeton 
map, to the boundary line's intersection with Peachy Canyon Road, T26S/
R12E; then
    (3) Proceed westerly on Peachy Canyon Road approximately 2.6 miles, 
crossing to and from the Paso Robles map, to the road's intersection 
with an unnamed intermittent stream at the 1,100-foot elevation line 
near the center of section 36, T26S/R11; then
    (4) Proceed south-southeasterly (downstream) along the unnamed 
intermittent stream approximately 1.2 miles to the stream's 
intersection with the R11E/R12E common boundary line, section 1, T27S/
R11E; then
    (5) Proceed south along the R11E/R12E common boundary line 
approximately 0.15 mile to the line's intersection with an unnamed 
light-duty road locally known as Kiler Canyon Road, section 1, T27S/
R11E; then
    (6) Proceed westerly on the light-duty and then unimproved Kiler 
Canyon Road approximately 4 miles, crossing onto the York Mountain map, 
to the road's intersection with Summit Canyon Road (locally known as 
Peachy Canyon Road), section 33, T26S/R11E; then
    (7) Proceed southwesterly on Summit Canyon Road (locally known as 
Peachy Canyon Road) approximately 3.5 miles to the road's intersection 
with Willow Creek Road (locally known as Vineyard Drive), T27S/R11E; 
then
    (8) Proceed southerly on Willow Creek Road (locally known as 
Vineyard Drive) approximately 0.4 mile to the road's intersection with 
Dover Canyon Road, T27S/R11E; then
    (9) Proceed westerly on Dover Canyon Road approximately 2.8 miles 
to the road's intersection with an intermittent stream and an unnamed 
jeep trail in Dover Canyon, section 14, T27S/R10E; then
    (10) Proceed west-northwesterly in a straight line approximately 
5.7 miles, crossing onto the Cypress Mountain map, to the R9E/R10E 
common boundary line at the northwest corner of section 6, T27S/R10E; 
then
    (11) Proceed north along the R9E/R10E common boundary line 
approximately 6.5 miles, crossing onto the Lime Mountain map, to the 
line's intersection with the second unnamed intermittent stream that 
crosses the western boundary line of section 31, T25S/R10E; then
    (12) Proceed easterly in a straight line approximately 0.45 mile to 
a marked 1,165-foot peak in section 31, T25S/R10E, and then continue 
easterly in a straight line approximately 0.8 mile to the marked 1,135-
foot peak in section 32, T25S/R10E; then
    (13) Proceed due east-northeasterly in a straight line 
approximately 0.3 mile to the line's intersection with Dip Creek, 
section 32, T25S/R10E; then
    (14) Proceed southeasterly and then easterly along Dip Creek 
approximately 6 miles, crossing onto the Adelaida map, to the creek's 
intersection with San Miguel Road (locally known as Chimney Rock Road), 
section 13, T26S/R10E; then
    (15) Proceed easterly on San Miguel Road (locally known as Chimney 
Rock Road, then Nacimiento Lake Drive, then Godfrey Road, and then San 
Marcos Road) approximately 8.6 miles, crossing onto the Paso Robles 
map, to the road's intersection with an unnamed light-duty road locally 
known as Wellsona Road, section 6, T26S/R12E; then
    (16) Proceed southeasterly and then easterly on Wellsona Road 
approximately 2.0 miles, returning to the beginning point.


Sec.  9.----  Creston District.

    (a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this 
section is ``Creston District''. For purposes of part 4 of this 
chapter, ``Creston District'' is a term of viticultural significance.
    (b) Approved maps. The five United States Geological Survey (USGS) 
1:24,000 scale topographic maps used to determine the boundary of the 
Creston District viticultural area are titled:
    (1) Creston, Calif., 1948, photorevised 1980;
    (2) Shedd Canyon, Calif., 1961;
    (3) Wilson Corner, CA, 1995;
    (4) Camatta Ranch, CA, 1995; and
    (5) Santa Margarita, Calif., 1965, revised 1993.
    (c) Boundary. The Creston District viticultural area is located in 
San Luis Obispo County, California. The boundary of the Creston 
District viticultural area is as described below:
    (1) The beginning point is located on the Creston map along the 
common boundary line of the Huerhuero Land Grant and section 34, T27S/
R13E, at the eastern-most intersection of State Route 41 and an unnamed 
light-duty road locally known as Cripple Creek Road. From the beginning 
point, proceed northerly on Cripple Creek Road approximately 1 mile to 
the road's intersection with an unnamed light duty road locally known 
as El Pomar Drive (at BM 1052), section 27, T27S/R13E; then
    (2) Proceed northeasterly in a straight line approximately 0.75 
mile to the unnamed 1,142-foot elevation point, T27S/R13E; then
    (3) Proceed north in a straight line approximately 1.2 miles to the 
line's intersection with an unnamed light duty road locally known as 
Creston Road at the southwest corner of section 14, T27S/R13E; then
    (4) Proceed east on Creston Road approximately 0.35 mile to the 
road's intersection with an unnamed light-duty road known locally as 
Geneseo Road (at BM 1014), T27S/R13E; then
    (5) Proceed north-northwesterly on Geneseo Road approximately 0.7 
mile to the road's intersection with a jeep trail (locally known as 
Rancho Verano Place) and the western boundary line of section 14, T27S/
R13E; then
    (6) Proceed due east in a straight line approximately 0.2 mile to 
the line's intersection with the Huerhuero Land Grant boundary line, 
section 14, T27S/R13E;
    (7) Proceed north-northeasterly along the Huerhuero Land Grant 
boundary line approximately 0.7 mile to the land grant's northern-most 
point, and then continue east-southeasterly along the land grant's 
boundary line approximately 0.4 mile to the line's intersection with 
the northern boundary line of section 14, T27S/R13E; then
    (8) Proceed east approximately 1.3 miles along the northern 
boundary lines of sections 14 and 13, T27S/R13E, and continue east 
approximately 0.25 mile along the northern boundary line of section 18, 
T27S/R14E, to the T-intersection of two unnamed unimproved roads; then

[[Page 58080]]

    (9) Proceed east-southeasterly on the generally east-west unnamed 
unimproved road approximately 0.85 mile, crossing onto the Shedd Canyon 
map, to the road's intersection with the eastern boundary line of 
section 18, T27S/R14E; then
    (10) Proceed southeasterly in a straight line approximately 1.2 
miles to the 1,641-foot elevation point located at the southeast corner 
of section 17, T27S/R14E; then
    (11) Proceed southeasterly approximately 0.55 mile in a straight 
line to BM 1533 (located beside Creston Shandon Road (State Route 41)) 
and continue southeasterly in a straight line approximately 1.25 miles 
to the 1,607 elevation point near the western boundary line of section 
27, T27S/R14E; then
    (12) Proceed east-southeasterly in a straight line approximately 
1.1 miles to the 1.579-foot elevation point at the southeast corner of 
section 27, T27S/R14E; then
    (13) Proceed east approximately 1.9 miles along the northern 
boundary lines of sections 35 and 36, T27S/R14E, to the section 36 
boundary line's intersection with Indian Creek; then
    (14) Proceed southerly (upstream) along Indian Creek approximately 
5.3 miles in straight-line distance, crossing onto the Wilson Corner 
map, to the creek's intersection with an unnamed light-duty road 
locally known as La Panza Road, section 20, T28S/R15E; then
    (15) Proceed southeasterly on La Panza Road approximately 0.15 mile 
to the road's intersection with State Route 58 at Wilson Corner, 
section 29, T28S/R15E; then
    (16) Proceed easterly on State Route 58 approximately 1.4 miles, 
crossing onto the Camatta Ranch map, to the road's intersection with 
the eastern boundary line of section 28, T28S/R15E; then
    (17) Proceed south approximately 1.5 miles along the eastern 
boundary lines of sections 28 and 33, T28S/R15E, to the T28S/T29S 
common boundary line at the southeast corner of section 33, T28S/15E; 
then
    (18) Proceed west along the T28S/T29S common boundary line 
approximately 8.5 miles, crossing over the Wilson Corner map and onto 
the Santa Margarita map, to the boundary line's intersection with the 
Middle Branch of Huerhuero Creek, section 31, T28S/R14E; then
    (19) Proceed north-northwesterly (downstream) along the Middle 
Branch of Huerhuero Creek approximately 2.3 miles in straight-line 
distance to the creek's intersection with the southern boundary line of 
section 24, T28S/R13E; then
    (20) Proceed west along the southern boundary line of section 24, 
T28S/R13E, approximately 0.45 mile to that section's southwestern 
corner; then
    (21) Proceed north along the western boundary line of section 24, 
T28S/R13E, approximately 1.0 mile to the boundary line's intersection 
with an unnamed unimproved road at the section's northwestern corner; 
then
    (22) Proceed northwesterly on the unnamed unimproved road 
approximately 0.7 mile to the road's intersection with State Route 229 
near BM 1138, section 14, T28S/R13E; then
    (23) Proceed northeasterly on State Route 229 approximately 0.2 
mile to the road's intersection with the Huerhuero Land Grant boundary 
line, section 14, T28S/R13E; and
    (24) Proceed north-northwesterly along the boundary of the 
Huerhuero Land Grant approximately 3 miles, crossing onto the Creston 
map and returning to the beginning point.


Sec.  9.----  El Pomar District.

    (a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this 
section is ``El Pomar District''. For purposes of part 4 of this 
chapter, ``El Pomar District'' is a term of viticultural significance.
    (b) Approved maps. The two United States Geological Survey (USGS) 
1:24,000 scale topographic maps used to determine the boundary of the 
El Pomar District viticultural area are titled:
    (1) Templeton, Calif., 1948, photorevised 1979; and
    (2) Creston, Calif., 1948, photorevised 1980.
    (c) Boundary. The El Pomar District viticultural area is located in 
San Luis Obispo County, California. The boundary of the El Pomar 
District viticultural area is as described below:
    (1) The beginning point is on the southeastern portion of the 
Templeton map at the intersection of State Route 41 and an unnamed 
light-duty road locally known as Homestead Road, east-northeast of 
Atascadero within the Asuncion Land Grant. From the beginning point, 
proceed north-northwesterly on Homestead Road approximately 1.1 miles 
to the road's intersection with an unnamed light-duty road locally 
known as South El Pomar Road, Asuncion Land Grant; then
    (2) Proceed north-northwesterly in a straight line approximately 
0.8 mile to the 1,452-foot elevation point, and continue north-
northwesterly in a straight line approximately 0.3 mile to an unnamed 
peak above the 1,440-foot elevation line (marked on the map by a 
triangle), Asuncion Land Grant; then
    (3) Proceed northeasterly in a straight line approximately 0.3 mile 
to the 1,344-foot elevation point, Asuncion Land Grant; then
    (4) Proceed northerly in a series of straight lines, totaling 
approximately 1.4 miles, through the 1,338-foot and 1,329-foot 
elevation points to the intersection of two unnamed light-duty roads 
locally known as El Pomar Drive and Hollyhock Lane in the Santa Ysabel 
Land Grant, T27S/R12E; then
    (5) Proceed north-northwesterly on Hollyhock Lane approximately 1 
mile to the road's intersection with an unnamed light-duty road locally 
known as Neal Springs Road, Santa Ysabel Land Grant; then
    (6) Proceed west on Neal Springs Road approximately 0.4 mile to the 
road's intersection with an unnamed light-duty road locally known as 
South River Road, Santa Ysabel Land Grant; then
    (7) Proceed northwesterly and then northerly on South River Road 
approximately 2.8 miles to the road's intersection with an unnamed 
light-duty road locally known as Charolais Road (0.1 mile north of a 
marked windmill), Santa Ysabel Land Grant; then
    (8) Proceed east-southeasterly on Charolais Road approximately 1.4 
miles to the road's intersection with an unnamed light-duty road 
locally known as Creston Road, Santa Ysabel Land Grant; then
    (9) Proceed north on Creston Road approximately 1.6 miles to the 
road's intersection with an unnamed unimproved road to the east locally 
known as Grand Canyon Drive, and then continue due north in a straight 
line approximately 0.15 mile to a marked east-west telephone line, 
Santa Ysabel Land Grant; then
    (10) Proceed easterly in a straight line approximately 2 miles, 
crossing onto the Creston map, to the line's intersection with the 
point where the R12E/R13E common boundary line crosses Huerhuero Creek, 
western boundary line of section 31, T26S/R13E; then
    (11) Proceed southeasterly (upstream) along Huerhuero Creek 
approximately 2.4 miles to the creek's first confluence with an unnamed 
intermittent stream in the northwest quadrant of section 8, T27S/R13E; 
then
    (12) Proceed southeasterly in a straight line approximately 1.4 
miles to the 1,255-foot elevation point in the northwest quadrant of 
section 16, T27S/R13E; then
    (13) Proceed easterly in a straight line approximately 0.75 mile to 
an unnamed peak above the 1,380-foot elevation line (marked on the map 
with a triangle), section 16, T27S/R13E; then

[[Page 58081]]

    (14) Proceed east-southeasterly in a straight line approximately 
0.6 mile to the 1,342-foot elevation point in section 15, T27S/R13E, 
and then continue east-southeasterly in a straight line approximately 
0.6 mile to the northern end of an unnamed light-duty road locally 
known as Branbrit Road, section 15, T27S/R13E; then
    (15) Proceed south on Branbrit Road approximately 0.3 mile to the 
road's intersection with an unnamed light-duty road locally known as 
Creston Road, section 15, T27S/R13E; then
    (16) Proceed east on Creston Road approximately 0.2 mile to the 
road's intersection with northeast corner of section 22, T27S/R13E; 
then
    (17) Proceed southerly in a straight line approximately 1.2 miles 
to the 1,142 elevation point in the Huerhuero Land Grant (0.1 mile 
south of a pipe line), T27S/R13E; then
    (18) Proceed southwesterly in a straight line approximately 0.75 
mile to BM 1052 located at the intersection of two unnamed light-duty 
roads locally known locally as El Pomar Drive and Cripple Creek Road, 
section 27 T27S/R13E; then
    (19) Proceed south on Cripple Creek Road approximately 1.0 mile to 
the road's eastern-most intersection with State Route 41, section 34, 
T27S/R13E; then
    (20) Proceed southwesterly on State Route 41 approximately 6.1 
miles, crossing onto the Templeton map and returning to the beginning 
point.


Sec.  9.----  Paso Robles Estrella District.

    (a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this 
section is ``Paso Robles Estrella District''. For purposes of part 4 of 
this chapter, ``Paso Robles Estrella District'' and ``Paso Robles 
Estrella'' are terms of viticultural significance.
    (b) Approved maps. The five United States Geological Survey 
1:24,000 scale topographic maps used to determine the boundary of the 
Paso Robles Estrella District viticultural area are titled:
    (1) Paso Robles, Calif., 1948, photorevised 1979;
    (2) San Miguel, Calif., 1948, photorevised 1979;
    (3) Ranchito Canyon, Calif., 1948, photorevised 1976;
    (4) Estrella, Calif., 1948, photorevised 1979; and
    (5) Shandon, Calif., 1961.
    (c) Boundary. The Paso Robles Estrella District is located in San 
Luis Obispo County, California. The boundary of the Paso Robles 
Estrella District is as described below:
    (1) The beginning point is on the Paso Robles map at the confluence 
of San Jacinto Creek and the Estrella River, section 26, T25S/R12E. 
From the beginning point, proceed north-northeasterly (upstream) along 
San Jacinto Creek approximately 6.5 miles, crossing onto the San Miguel 
map, to the creek's intersection with the San Luis Obispo County-
Monterey County boundary line, northern boundary of section 1, T25S/
R12E; then
    (2) Proceed east along the San Luis Obispo County-Monterey County 
boundary line approximately 2.4 miles, crossing onto the Ranchito 
Canyon map, to the county line's intersection with an unnamed light-
duty road locally known as Ranchita Canyon Road, northern boundary of 
section 4, T25S/R13E; then
    (3) Proceed east-southeasterly in a straight line approximately 4.5 
miles to the 1,819-foot elevation point in the northwestern quadrant of 
section 18, T25S/R14E; then
    (4) Proceed southeasterly in a straight line approximately 1.6 
miles, crossing over the northeastern corner of the Estrella map and 
then onto the Shandon map, to the 1,614-foot elevation point in the 
northwestern quadrant of section 20, T25S/R14E; then
    (5) Proceed southeasterly in a straight line approximately 1.05 
miles to the 1,601-foot elevation point in the northeastern quadrant of 
section 29, T25S/R14E; then
    (6) Proceed east-southeasterly in a straight line approximately 2.2 
miles to the 1,562-foot elevation point, section 34, T25S/R14E; then
    (7) Proceed south-southeasterly in a straight line approximately 3 
miles to the 1,481-foot ``Estrella'' elevation point, section 14, T26S/
R14E; then
    (8) Proceed southwesterly in a straight line approximately 0.95 
mile to the intersection of the eastern boundary line of section 15, 
T26S/R14E, and U.S. 446/State Route 41 (now known as State Route 46); 
then
    (9) Proceed south along the eastern boundary lines of sections 15 
and 22, approximately 0.55 mile, to the intersection of the section 22 
boundary line and the unnamed intermittent stream that flows from Shedd 
Canyon, section 22, T26S/R14E; then
    (10) Proceed southeasterly and then southerly (upstream) along the 
unnamed intermittent stream located within Shedd Canyon approximately 
1.9 miles to the stream's intersection with the southern boundary line 
of section 26, T26S/R14E; then
    (11) Proceed west along the southern boundary lines of sections 26, 
27 and 28, T26S/R14E, approximately 1.9 miles to the section 28 
boundary line's intersection with an unnamed unimproved road located 
between the 1,220- and 1,240-foot contour lines, section 28, T26S/R14E;
    (12) Proceed southwesterly along the unnamed unimproved road 
approximately 0.4 miles to a fork and then continue on the westerly 
fork of the unnamed unimproved road approximately 0.3 miles to the 
1,385-foot elevation point, section 32, T26S/R14E; then
    (13) Proceed west-northwesterly in a straight line approximately 
1.6 miles, crossing onto the Estrella map, to the line's intersection 
with an unnamed unimproved road and the southern boundary of section 
30, T26R/R14E; then
    (14) Proceed northerly along the unnamed unimproved road 
approximately 2.0 miles to the road's intersection with an unnamed 
light-duty road known locally as River Grove Drive in Whitley Gardens, 
T26S/R14E; then
    (15) Proceed westerly in a straight line less than 0.1 mile to the 
intersection of the western boundary line of section 19, T26S/R14E and 
State Route 46, and then continue west on State Route 46 approximately 
2.1 miles to the southwest corner of section 14, T26S/R13E; then
    (16) Proceed west along the southern boundary lines of sections 14, 
15, 16, 17, and 18 (largely concurrent with State Route 46) 
approximately 4 miles to the southwest corner of section 18, T26S/R13E; 
then
    (17) Proceed southwest in a straight line approximately 1.45 miles, 
crossing onto the Paso Robles map, to the line's intersection with 
State Route 46 at the southwestern corner of section 24, T26S/R12E; 
then
    (18) Proceed west on State Route 46 approximately 2.4 miles to the 
road's intersection with the Salinas River at the city of Paso Robles, 
T26S/R12E; then
    (19) Proceed northerly (downstream) along the main channel of the 
Salinas River approximately 5.2 miles in straight-line distance to the 
river's intersection with the northern boundary line of section 33, 
T25S/R12E; then
    (20) Proceed east along the northern boundary lines of sections 33, 
34, and 35, T25S/R12E, approximately 1.8 miles to the intersection of 
the section 35 boundary line with the Estrella River; then
    (21) Proceed northerly (downstream) along the main channel of the 
Estrella River approximately 0.7 mile, returning to the beginning 
point.


Sec.  9.----  Paso Robles Geneseo District.

    (a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this 
section is ``Paso Robles Geneseo District''. For purposes of part 4 of 
this chapter, ``Paso Robles

[[Page 58082]]

Geneseo District'' and ``Paso Robles Geneseo'' are terms of 
viticultural significance.
    (b) Approved maps. The four United States Geological Survey 
1:24,000 scale topographic maps used to determine the boundary of the 
Paso Robles Geneseo District viticultural area are titled:
    (1) Paso Robles, Calif., 1948, photorevised 1979;
    (2) Estrella Calif., 1948; photorevised 1979;
    (3) Creston, Calif., 1948; photorevised 1980; and
    (4) Templeton, Calif., 1948; photorevised 1979.
    (c) Boundary. The Paso Robles Geneseo District is located in San 
Luis Obispo County, California. The boundary of the Paso Robles Geneseo 
District is as described below:
    (1) The beginning point is on the Paso Robles map at the 
intersection of State Route 46 and Golden Hill Road at the northwest 
corner of section 26, T26S/R12E. From the beginning point, proceed east 
on State Route 46 for 1 mile to the southwest corner of section 24, 
T26S/R12E; then
    (2) Proceed northeast in a straight line approximately 1.45 miles, 
crossing onto the Estrella map, to the northwest corner of section 19, 
T26S/R13E; then
    (3) Proceed east along the northern boundary lines of sections 19 
and 20, T26S/R13E, to the section 20 boundary line's intersection with 
State Route 46 and then continue east on State Route 46 to the road's 
intersection with the eastern boundary line of section 24, T26S/R13E; 
then
    (4) Proceed easterly in a straight line less than 0.1 mile to the 
intersection of an unnamed light duty road locally known as River Grove 
Drive and an unnamed unimproved road in Whitley Gardens, section 19, 
T26S/R14E; then
    (5) Proceed south on the unnamed unimproved road approximately 2 
miles to the road's intersection with the southern boundary line of 
section 30, T26S/R14E; then
    (6) Proceed west-southwesterly in a straight line approximately 1.9 
miles, crossing onto the Creston map, to the intersection of an unnamed 
light duty road locally known as Geneseo Road and an unnamed unimproved 
road locally known as Dry Canyon Road (just east of a windmill within 
Dry Canyon), section 35, T26S/R13E; then
    (7) Proceed south on Geneseo Road approximately 1 mile to the 
road's intersection with the eastern boundary line of section 3, T27S/
R13E (near BM 1200); then
    (8) Proceed south along the eastern boundary lines of sections 3, 
10, and 15, T27S/R13E, approximately 1.9 miles to the first 
intersection of the section 15 eastern boundary line with the unnamed 
light-duty road locally known as Geneseo Road, section 15, T27S/R13E; 
then
    (9) Proceed south-southeasterly on Geneseo Road approximately 0.85 
mile to the road's intersection with an unnamed light duty road locally 
known as Creston Road, Huerhuero Land Grant, T27S/R13E; then
    (10) Proceed west on Creston Road 0.5 mile to the road's 
intersection with an unnamed light duty road locally known as Branbrit 
Road, southern boundary of section 15, T27S/R13E; then
    (11) Proceed north on Branbrit Road approximately 0.3 mile to the 
road's end, section 15, T27S/R13E; then
    (12) Proceed west-northwesterly in a straight line approximately 
0.6 mile to the 1,342 foot elevation point in section 15, T27S/R13E, 
and then continue west-northwesterly in a straight line approximately 
0.6 mile to an unnamed peak above the 1,380-foot elevation line (marked 
on the map with a triangle), section 16, T27S/R13E; then
    (13) Proceed westerly in a straight line approximately 0.75 mile to 
the 1,255-foot elevation point in the northwest quadrant of section 16, 
T27S/R13E; then
    (14) Proceed northwesterly in a straight line approximately 1.4 
miles to the confluence of Huerhuero Creek and an unnamed intermittent 
stream in the northwest quadrant of section 8, T27S/R13E; then
    (15) Proceed northwesterly (downstream) along Huerhuero Creek 
approximately 2.4 miles to the creek's intersection with the R12E/R13E 
common boundary line, section 31, T26S/R13E; then
    (16) Proceed westerly in a straight line approximately 2.3 miles, 
crossing onto the Templeton map, to the line's intersection with the 
junction of a marked telephone line and an unnamed light duty road 
locally known as Creston Road (approximately 1.3 miles due east of U.S. 
Route 101 in the Santa Ysabel Land Grant, T26S/R12E; then
    (17) Proceed west on Creston Road approximately 0.05 mile to the 
road's intersection with an unnamed light-duty road locally known as 
Rolling Hills Road, Santa Ysabel Land Grant; then
    (18) Proceed north on Rolling Hills Road, crossing onto the Paso 
Robles map (where a portion of Rolling Hills Road is labeled Golden 
Hill Road), and continue north on Rolling Hills Road and then Golden 
Hill Road (a total distance of approximately 1.5 miles), returning to 
the beginning point.


Sec.  9.----  Paso Robles Highlands District.

    (a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this 
section is ``Paso Robles Highlands District''. For purposes of part 4 
of this chapter, ``Paso Robles Highlands District'' and ``Paso Robles 
Highlands'' are terms of viticultural significance.
    (b) Approved maps. The six United States Geological Survey 1:24,000 
scale topographic maps used to determine the boundary of the Paso 
Robles Highlands District viticultural area are titled:
    (1) Camatta Ranch, CA, 1995;
    (2) Wilson Corner, CA, 1995;
    (3) Shedd Canyon, Calif., 1961, revised 1993;
    (4) Camatta Canyon, Calif., 1961, revised 1993;
    (5) Holland Canyon, Calif., 1961, revised 1993; and
    (6) La Panza Ranch, CA, 1995.
    (c) Boundary. The Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area 
is located in San Luis Obispo County, California. The boundary of the 
Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area is as described below:
    (1) The beginning point is on the Camatta Ranch map along the T28S/
T29S common boundary line (also concurrent with the northern boundary 
line of the Los Padres National Forest) at the southwest corner of 
section 34, T28S/R15E. From the beginning point, proceed north along 
the western boundary lines of sections 34 and 27, T28S/R15E, 
approximately 1.5 miles to the section 27 boundary line's intersection 
with State Route 58; then
    (2) Proceed west on State Route 58 approximately 1.5 miles, 
crossing onto the Wilson Corner map, to the road's intersection with an 
unnamed light-duty road known locally as La Panza Road at Wilson 
Corner, section 29, T28S/R15E; then
    (3) Proceed northwest on the unnamed light-duty road known locally 
as La Panza Road approximately 0.15 mile to the road's intersection 
with Indian Creek, section 20, T28S/R15E;
    (4) Proceed north-northwesterly (downstream) along the meandering 
Indian Creek approximately 8.5 miles in straight-line distance, 
crossing onto the Shedd Canyon map, to the creek's intersection with 
the northern boundary line of section 13, T27S/R14E, within Shedd 
Canyon; then
    (5) Proceed east approximately 6.2 miles along the northern 
boundary line of section 13, T27S/R14E, and the northern boundary lines 
of sections 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, and 13, T27S/R15E, crossing onto the 
Camatta Canyon map, to the intersection of the northern boundary line 
of section 13, T27S/R15E, with the 1,200-foot elevation line on the

[[Page 58083]]

western edge of the San Juan Valley; then
    (6) Proceed southerly then easterly along the 1,200-foot elevation 
line to the elevation line's first intersection with the eastern 
boundary line of section 13, T27S/R15E; then
    (7) Proceed south along the eastern boundary line of section 13, 
T27S/R15E, approximately 0.2 mile to the section 13 boundary line's 
second intersection with an unnamed unimproved road; then
    (8) Proceed southeasterly on the unnamed unimproved road 
approximately 3 miles as it follows the southwestern edge of the San 
Juan Valley to the road's intersection with the eastern boundary line 
of section 29, T27S/R16E; then
    (9) Proceed south along the eastern boundary line of section 29, 
T27S/R16E, approximately 0.15 mile to the section line's intersection 
with the 1,300-foot elevation line; then
    (10) Proceed southeasterly along the 1,300-foot elevation line 
approximately 3.7 miles as it follows the southwestern edge of the San 
Juan Valley, crossing onto the Holland Canyon map, to the elevation 
line's first intersection with the eastern boundary line of section 3, 
T28S/R16E; then
    (11) Proceed south along the eastern boundary line of section 3, 
T28S/R16E, approximately 0.55 mile to the section boundary line's fifth 
intersection with the 1,300-foot elevation line (northwest of Pear Tree 
Spring); then
    (12) Proceed southeasterly along the 1,300-foot elevation line 
approximately 1.3 miles to the elevation line's intersection with an 
unnamed tributary of San Juan Creek (approximately 0.35 mile east of 
the 1,686-foot San Juan peak), section 11, T28S/R16E; then
    (13) Proceed southerly in a straight line approximately 0.6 mile, 
crossing onto the La Panza Ranch map, to the northwestern corner of 
section 13, T28S/R16E; then
    (14) Proceed east along the northern boundary line of section 13, 
T28S/R16E, approximately 0.7 mile to the section boundary line's 
intersection with an unnamed unimproved road; then
    (15) Proceed south-southeasterly on the unnamed unimproved road 
approximately 0.85 mile to the road's intersection with the eastern 
boundary line of section 13, T28S/R16E, which is concurrent with the 
R16E/R17E common boundary line; then
    (16) Proceed south along the R16E/R17E common boundary line 
approximately 3.35 miles to the southeast corner of section 36, T28S/
R16E, which is concurrent with the eastern-most intersection of the 
R16E/R17E and T28S/T29S common boundary lines; then
    (17) Proceed west along the T28S/R29S common boundary line 
approximately 9.1 miles, crossing onto the Camatta Ranch map, returning 
to the beginning point.


Sec.  9.----  Paso Robles Willow Creek District.

    (a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this 
section is ``Paso Robles Willow Creek District''. For purposes of part 
4 of this chapter, ``Paso Robles Willow Creek District'' is a term of 
viticultural significance.
    (b) Approved maps. The three United States Geological Survey 
1:24,000 scale topographic maps used to determine the boundary of the 
Paso Robles Willow Creek District viticultural area are titled:
    (1) York Mountain, Calif., 1948, photorevised 1979;
    (2) Templeton, Calif., 1948, photorevised 1979; and
    (3) Paso Robles, Calif. 1948, photorevised 1979.
    (c) Boundary. The Paso Robles Willow Creek District is located in 
San Luis Obispo County, California. The boundary of the Paso Robles 
Willow Creek District is as follows:
    (1) The beginning point is on the York Mountain map at the 
intersection of Summit Canyon Road (locally known as Peachy Canyon 
Road), and an unnamed unimproved road locally known as Kiler Canyon 
Road, section 33, T26S/R11E. From the beginning point, proceed 
southerly and then southwesterly on Summit Canyon Road (locally known 
as Peachy Canyon Road) approximately 3.3 miles to the road's 
intersection with Willow Canyon Road (locally known as Vineyard Drive), 
Paso de Robles Land Grant; then
    (2) Proceed southerly on Willow Creek Road (locally known as 
Vineyard Drive) approximately 0.35 mile to its intersection with Dover 
Canyon Road; then
    (3) Proceed westerly then southerly on Dover Canyon Road 
approximately 1 mile to the road's intersection with the common 
boundary line of section 18, T27S/R11E, and the Paso de Robles Land 
Grant; then
    (4) Proceed east, south, and southeast along the Paso de Robles 
Land Grant Boundary line approximately 1.9 miles to the fourth crossing 
of an unnamed intermittent tributary of Jack Creek by the common 
boundary line of section 20, T27S/R11E, and the Paso de Robles Land 
Grant; then
    (5) Proceed northerly (downstream) along the unnamed intermittent 
tributary of Jack Creek approximately 0.15 mile to the tributary's 
confluence with Jack Creek, Paso de Robles Land Grant; then
    (6) Proceed southeasterly (downstream) along Jack Creek 
approximately 1.8 miles to the creek's intersection with an unnamed 
light-duty road locally known as Jack Creek Road (near BM 920), Paso de 
Robles Land Grant; then
    (7) Proceed northeasterly and then east-southeasterly along Jack 
Creek Road approximately 1 mile to the road's intersection with State 
Route 46; then
    (8) Proceed east on State Route 46 approximately 0.15 mile to the 
road's intersection with an unnamed light-duty road locally known as 
Hidden Valley Road, Paso de Robles Land Grant; then
    (9) Proceed southeasterly and then easterly on Hidden Valley Road 
approximately 2.2 miles, crossing onto the Templeton map, to the road's 
intersection with an unnamed light-duty road locally known as Vineyard 
Drive, Paso de Robles Land Grant; then
    (10) Proceed east on Vineyard Drive approximately 0.85 mile to the 
road's intersection with an unnamed light-duty road locally known as S. 
Bethel Road, Paso de Robles Land Grant; then
    (11) Proceed north-northeasterly on S. Bethel Road and then N. 
Bethel Road approximately 1.7 miles to the road's fifth intersection 
with an unnamed intermittent stream, Paso de Robles Land Grant; then
    (12) Proceed westerly (upstream) along the unnamed intermittent 
stream and then the stream's middle branch approximately 1.1 miles to 
the marked end of the stream, and then continue due west in a straight 
line approximately 0.05 mile to State Route 46 (Cayucos Road), Paso de 
Robles Land Grant; then
    (13) Proceed northeasterly on State Route 46 (Cayucos Road) 
approximately 0.8 mile to BM 924, Paso de Robles Land Grant; then
    (14) Proceed due north in a straight line to the southeast corner 
of section 12, T27S/R11E, and continue north along the eastern boundary 
line of section 12, a total of approximately 1.1 miles, to the section 
boundary line's intersection with a light-duty road locally known as 
Live Oak Road; then
    (15) Proceed easterly on Live Oak Road approximately 0.2 mile to 
the road's intersection with an unnamed intermittent stream, Paso de 
Robles Land Grant; then
    (16) Proceed northwesterly (upstream) along the unnamed 
intermittent stream approximately 0.35 mile to the eastern boundary 
line of section 12, T27S/R11E; then
    (17) Proceed north along the eastern boundary line of section 12, 
T27S/R11E,

[[Page 58084]]

to the section's northeast corner, and then proceed east along the 
southern boundary line of section 6, T27S/R11E, a total of 
approximately 1.3 miles, to the intersection of the section 6 boundary 
line with an unnamed light-duty road locally known as Arbor Road; then
    (18) Proceed south-southeasterly on Arbor Road approximately 0.35 
mile to the road's first intersection with an unnamed intermittent 
stream, Paso de Robles Land Grant; then
    (19) Proceed southeasterly and then easterly (downstream) along the 
unnamed intermittent stream approximately 1.4 miles to the stream's 
intersection with an unnamed light-duty road known locally as S. Vine 
Street, just west of the U.S. 101/State Route 46 interchange, Paso de 
Robles Land Grant; then
    (20) Proceed northerly along S. Vine Street (which generally 
parallels U.S. 101) approximately 1.8 miles to the street's 
intersection with the marked city of Paso Robles Corporate Boundary 
line (concurrent with the locally-known intersection of S. Vine and 1st 
Streets), Paso de Robles Land Grant; then
    (21) Proceed west, north, west, and north again along the marked 
city of Paso Robles Corporate Boundary line approximately 1 mile to the 
boundary line's junction with the intersection of an unnamed light-duty 
road locally known as Merry Hill Road and Peachy Canyon Road, Paso de 
Robles Land Grant; then
    (22) Proceed westerly on Peachy Canyon Road approximately 2.6 
miles, crossing to and from the Paso Robles map, to the road's 
intersection with an unnamed intermittent stream near the center of 
section 36, T26S/R11E; then
    (23) Proceed south-southeasterly (downstream) along the unnamed 
intermittent stream approximately 1.2 miles to the stream's 
intersection with the eastern boundary line of section 1, T27S/R11E; 
then
    (24) Proceed south along the eastern boundary line of section 1, 
T27S/R11E, approximately 0.15 mile to the line's intersection with an 
unnamed light-duty road locally known as Kiler Canyon Road, section 1, 
T27S/R11E; then
    (25) Proceed westerly on Kiler Canyon Road approximately 3.7 miles, 
crossing onto the York Mountain map, returning to the beginning point.


Sec.  9.----  San Juan Creek.

    (a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this 
section is ``San Juan Creek''. For purposes of part 4 of this chapter, 
``San Juan Creek'' is a term of viticultural significance.
    (b) Approved maps. The six United States Geological Survey 1:24,000 
scale topographic maps used to determine the boundary of the San Juan 
Creek viticultural area are titled:
    (1) Cholame, Calif., 1961, revised 1993;
    (2) Camatta Canyon, Calif., 1961, revised 1993;
    (3) Holland Canyon, Calif. 1961, revised 1993;
    (4) La Panza Ranch, CA, 1995;
    (5) Shedd Canyon, Calif., 1961, revised 1993; and
    (6) Shandon, Calif., 1961, revised 1993.
    (c) Boundary. The San Juan Creek viticultural area is located in 
San Luis Obispo County, California. The boundary of the San Juan Creek 
viticultural area is as described below:
    (1) The beginning point is on the Cholame map in the Shandon Valley 
at the intersection of State Route 41 and San Juan Road, northern 
boundary of section 21, T26S/R15E. From the beginning point on the 
Cholame map, and crossing onto the Camatta Canyon map and then the 
Holland Canyon map, proceed south and then southeasterly approximately 
16 miles along the eastern edge of the Shandon Valley and then the San 
Juan Valley by following San Juan Road (also locally known in places as 
Shandon San Juan Road, Camatti-Shandon Road, Bitterwater Canyon Road, 
and then San Juan Road again), passing the San Juan Ranch (where to 
road is marked as unimproved), to the road's intersection with the San 
Luis Obispo-Kern County boundary line at the eastern boundary line of 
section 12, T28S/R16E, which is also concurrent with the R16E/R17E 
common boundary line; then
    (2) Proceed south along the R16E/R17E common boundary line 
approximately 1.3 miles, crossing onto the La Panza Ranch map, to the 
boundary line's intersection with an unnamed unimproved road locally 
known as Navajo Creek Road, immediately south of the 1,340-foot 
elevation line, section 13, T28S/R16E; then
    (3) Proceed north-northwesterly on Navajo Creek Road to the road's 
intersection with the southern boundary line of section 12, T28S/R16E; 
then
    (4) Proceed west along the southern boundary line of section 12, 
T28S/R16E, approximately 0.7 mile to the section's southwestern corner; 
then
    (5) Proceed northerly in a straight line approximately 0.6 mile, 
crossing onto the Holland Canyon map, to the intersection of the 1,300-
foot elevation line and an unnamed tributary of San Juan Creek 
(approximately 0.35 mile east of the 1,686-foot San Juan peak), in 
section 11, T28S/R16E; then
    (6) Proceed northwesterly along the 1,300-foot elevation line 
approximately 1.3 miles to the line's first intersection with the 
western boundary line of section 2, T28S/R16E, northwest of Pear Tree 
Spring; then
    (7) Proceed north along the western boundary line of section 2 
approximately 0.55 to the section boundary line's last intersection 
with the 1,300-foot elevation line, near the northwestern corner of 
section 2, T28S/R16E; then
    (8) Proceed northwesterly along the meandering 1,300-foot elevation 
line approximately 3.7 miles, crossing onto the Camatta Canyon map, to 
the elevation line's intersection with the western boundary line of 
section 28, T27S/R16E; then
    (9) Proceed north along the western boundary line of section 28 
approximately 0.15 mile to the section boundary line's intersection 
with an unnamed unimproved road, section 28, T27S/R16E; then
    (10) Proceed northeasterly on the unnamed unimproved road 
approximately 3 miles as it follows the southwestern edge of the San 
Juan Valley to the road's intersection with western boundary line of 
section 18, T27S/R16E; then
    (11) Proceed north along the western boundary line of section 18, 
T27S/R16E, approximately 0.2 mile to the section boundary line's 
intersection with 1,200-foot elevation line, section 18, T27S/R16E; 
then
    (12) Proceed westerly then northerly along the 1,200-foot elevation 
line to the elevation line's intersection with the southern boundary of 
section 12, T27S/R15E; then
    (13) Proceed west approximately 6.4 miles along the southern 
boundary lines of sections 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, and 7, T27S/R15E, crossing 
onto the Shedd Canyon map, and continue west along the southern 
boundary lines of sections 12 and 11, T27S/R14E, to the intersection of 
the southern boundary line of section 11 with an unnamed unimproved 
road locally known as Shedd Canyon Road (within Shedd Canyon 0.1 mile 
west of State Route 41); then
    (14) Proceed northerly on Shedd Canyon Road approximately 3.2 
miles, crossing onto the Shandon map, to the road's intersection with 
the southern boundary line of section 26, T26S/R14E; then
    (15) Proceed west along the southern boundary line of section 26, 
T26S/R14E, to the boundary line's intersection with the unnamed 
intermittent stream located within Shedd Canyon; then
    (16) Proceed northerly along the unnamed intermittent stream 
located

[[Page 58085]]

within Shedd Canyon approximately 1.8 miles to the stream's 
intersection with the western boundary line of section 23, T26S/R14E; 
then
    (17) Proceed north along the western boundary lines of sections 23 
and 14, T26S/R14E, approximately 0.6 mile to the section 14 boundary 
line's intersection with State Route 46; then
    (18) Proceed northeasterly in a straight line approximately 0.95 
mile to the 1,481-foot ``Estrella'' elevation point, section 14, T26S/
R14E; then
    (19) Proceed north-northwesterly in a straight line approximately 
1.25 miles to the line's intersection with 1,300-foot elevation line 
and the northern boundary line of section 11, T26S/R14E; then
    (20) Proceed east along northern section boundary lines of sections 
11 and 12, T26S/R14E, and the northern boundary lines of sections 7, 8, 
9, and 10, T26S/R15E, approximately 5.9 miles in total distance and 
crossing onto the Cholame map, to the northeast corner of section 10, 
T26S/R15E (adjacent to State Routes 41/46); then
    (21) Proceed south along the eastern boundary line of section 10, 
T26S/R15E, approximately 1 mile to the section's southeast corner; then
    (22) Proceed west-southwesterly in a straight line approximately 
1.8 miles, returning to the beginning point.


Sec.  9.----  San Miguel District.

    (a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this 
section is ``San Miguel District''. For purposes of part 4 of this 
chapter, ``San Miguel District'' is a term of viticultural 
significance.
    (b) Approved maps. The three United States Geological Survey 
1:24,000 scale topographic maps used to determine the boundary of the 
San Miguel District viticultural area are titled:
    (1) San Miguel, Calif., 1948, photorevised 1979;
    (2) Paso Robles, Calif., 1948, photorevised 1979; and
    (3) Adelaida, Calif., 1948, photorevised 1978.
    (c) Boundary. The San Miguel District is located in San Luis Obispo 
County, California. The boundary of the San Miguel District is as 
described below:
    (1) The beginning point is on the San Miguel map at the 
intersection of U.S. Highway 101 and the San Luis Obispo-Monterey 
County boundary line, section 1, T25S/R11E. From the beginning point, 
proceed east along the San Luis Obispo-Monterey County line 
approximately 5.9 miles to the county line's intersection with San 
Jacinto Creek, section 1, T25S/R12E; then
    (2) Proceed south-southwesterly (downstream) along San Jacinto 
Creek for approximately 6.5 miles, crossing on to the Paso Robles map, 
to the creek's confluence with the Estrella River, section 26, T25S/
R12E; then
    (3) Proceed southerly (upstream) 0.7 mile along the main channel of 
the Estrella River to the river's intersection with the southern 
boundary line of section 26, T25S/R12E;
    (4) Proceed west along the southern boundary lines of sections 26, 
27, and 28, T25S/R12E, approximately 1.85 miles to the section 28 
boundary line's intersection with the Salinas River; then
    (5) Proceed southerly (upstream) along the main channel of the 
Salinas River approximately 1.6 miles to the river's intersection with 
an unnamed light-duty road locally known as Wellsona Road, section 4, 
T26S/R12E; then
    (6) Proceed west then northwesterly on Wellsona Road approximately 
2 miles to the road's intersection with San Miguel Road (locally known 
as San Marcos Road), section 6, T26S/R12E; then
    (7) Proceed west-southwesterly on San Miguel Road (locally known as 
San Marcos Road) approximately 2.6 miles, crossing onto the Adelaida 
map, to the road's intersection with the eastern boundary line of the 
Camp Roberts Military Reservation (approximately 400 feet east of the 
road's intersection with Generals Road), section 2, T26S/R11E; then
    (8) Proceed northerly along the meandering eastern boundary line of 
the Camp Roberts Military Reservation (approximately 6.3 miles in 
straight line distance), crossing onto the San Miguel map, to the 
intersection of the military reservation's boundary line with U.S. 
Highway 101 near the northeast corner of section 7, T25S/R12E; then
    (9) Proceed northwesterly on U.S. Highway 101 approximately 1.55 
miles, returning to the beginning point.


Sec.  9.----  Santa Margarita Ranch.

    (a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this 
section is ``Santa Margarita Ranch''. For purposes of part 4 of this 
chapter, ``Santa Margarita Ranch'' is a term of viticultural 
significance.
    (b) Approved maps. The four United States Geological Survey 
1:24,000 scale topographic maps used to determine the boundary of the 
Santa Margarita Ranch viticultural area are titled:
    (1) Santa Margarita, Calif., 1965, revised 1993;
    (2) Lopez Mountain, CA, 1995;
    (3) San Luis Obispo, CA, 1995; and
    (4) Atascadero, CA, 1995.
    (c) Boundary. The Santa Margarita Ranch is located in San Luis 
Obispo County, California. The boundary of the Santa Margarita Ranch is 
as follows:
    (1) The beginning point is on the Santa Margarita map at the 
intersection of the northern boundary line of section 10, T29S/R13E, 
and the Salinas River. From the beginning point, proceed southerly 
(upstream) along the meandering Salinas River approximately 7.9 miles, 
crossing onto the Lopez Mountain map, to the river's intersection with 
the R13E/R14E boundary line, which coincides with the eastern boundary 
line of section 36, T29S/R13E; then
    (2) Proceed south along the R13E/R14E boundary line approximately 
3.2 miles to the boundary line's first intersection with the Los Padres 
National Forest boundary line, section 13, T30S/R13E; then
    (3) Proceed northwesterly along the Los Padres National Forest 
boundary line approximately 4 miles to the Forest boundary line's 
intersection with the T29S/T30S boundary line, near the northwest 
corner of section 3, T30S/R13E; then
    (4) Proceed west along the Los Padres National Forest boundary line 
and then the T29S/T30S boundary line approximately 2 miles to the 
southwest corner of section 32, T29S/R13E; then
    (5) Proceed north along the western boundary line of section 32, 
T29S/R13E, and then the Los Padres National Forest boundary line to 
northwest corner of section 32 where the Forest boundary line makes a 
90 degree turn to the west; then
    (6) Proceed west along the Los Padres National Forest boundary line 
approximately 1.5 miles, crossing onto the San Luis Obispo map, to the 
point where the Los Padres National Forest boundary line first dips to 
the south and is no longer concurrent with the northern boundary line 
of section 36, T29S/R12E; then
    (7) Proceed north-northwesterly in a straight line approximately 
2.25 miles, crossing onto the Atascadero map, to the western-most 
intersection of the 1,400-foot elevation line with the northern 
boundary line of section 23, T29S/R12E; then
    (8) Proceed west along the northern boundary line of section 23, 
T29S/R12E, approximately 0.6 mile to the section's northeast corner; 
then
    (9) Proceed east along the western boundary line of section 13, 
T29S/R12E, to the section's northwest corner, and then continue east 
along the northern boundary line of section 13, T29S/R12E, to the 
section boundary line's intersection with the R12E/R13E common boundary 
line at section 13's northeast corner; then

[[Page 58086]]

    (10) Proceed due north along the R12E/R13E common boundary line 
approximately 0.75 mile to the boundary line's intersection with the T-
intersection of two unnamed unimproved roads, locally known as 
Powerline Road and Santa Margarita Road; then
    (11) Proceed easterly and then east-northeasterly on Santa 
Margarita Road approximately 1.5 miles, crossing onto the Santa 
Margarita map, to the road's intersection with El Camino Real, Santa 
Margarita Land Grant, T29S/R13E; then
    (12) Proceed southeasterly on El Camino Real approximately 300 feet 
to the road's intersection with an unnamed light-duty road locally 
known as Asuncion Road at BM 931 (just south of Santa Margarita Creek), 
Santa Margarita Land Grant; then
    (13) Proceed northeasterly on Asuncion Road approximately 0.3 mile 
(crossing a railroad line) to the road's intersection with Chispa Road; 
then
    (14) Proceed due east in a straight line approximately 0.1 mile to 
the line's intersection with the boundary line of the Santa Margarita 
Land Grant, which, at this point, is concurrent with the southwestern 
boundary line of section 5, T29S/R13E; then
    (15) Proceed southeasterly along the Santa Margarita Land Grant 
boundary line approximately 0.7 mile to the boundary line's 
intersection with the northwest corner of section 9, T29S/R13E, and 
then continue east along the northern boundary lines of sections 9 and 
10, T29S/R13E, approximately 1.15 miles, returning to the beginning 
point.


Sec.  9.----  Templeton Gap District.

    (a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this 
section is ``Templeton Gap District''. For purposes of part 4 of this 
chapter, ``Templeton Gap District'' is a term of viticultural 
significance.
    (b) Approved maps. The two United States Geological Survey 1:24,000 
scale topographic maps used to determine the boundary of the Templeton 
Gap District viticultural area are titled:
    (1) Templeton, Calif., 1948, photorevised 1979; and
    (2) York Mountain, Calif., 1948, photorevised 1979.
    (c) Boundary. The Templeton Gap viticultural area is located in San 
Luis Obispo County, California. The boundary of the Templeton Gap 
District viticultural area is as follows:
    (1) The beginning point is on the northern portion of the Templeton 
map at the point where the marked southern city of Paso Robles 
Corporate Boundary line intersects the Salinas River (now very 
approximate to the point where Niblick Road crosses the Salinas River). 
From the beginning point, proceed southerly (upstream) along the 
Salinas River approximately 1.1 miles to the river's confluence with 
the first marked unnamed intermittent stream flowing from the east, 
Santa Ysabel Land Grant; then
    (2) Proceed southeasterly (upstream) along the unnamed intermittent 
stream approximately 0.4 mile to the stream's intersection with an 
unnamed light-duty road locally known as S. River Road, Santa Ysabel 
Land Grant; then
    (3) Proceed southeasterly then southerly on S. River Road 
approximately 2.2 miles to the road's intersection with an unnamed 
light-duty road locally known as Neal Springs Road, Santa Ysabel Land 
Grant; then
    (4) Proceed east on Neal Springs Roads approximately 0.4 mile to 
the road's intersection with an unnamed light-duty road locally known 
as Hollyhock Lane, Santa Ysabel Land Grant; then
    (5) Proceed south-southeasterly on Hollyhock Lane approximately 
0.95 mile to the road's intersection with an unnamed light-duty road 
locally known as El Pomar Drive, Santa Ysabel Land Grant; then
    (6) Proceed southerly in a series of straight lines, totaling 
approximately 1.4 miles, through the 1,329-foot and 1,338-foot 
elevation points (crossing from the Santa Ysabel to the Asuncion Land 
Grants) to the 1,344-foot elevation point; then
    (7) Proceed southwesterly in a straight line approximately 0.3 mile 
to the elevation control point (marked by a triangle) above the 1,440-
foot contour line, Asuncion Land Grant; then
    (8) Proceed south-southeasterly in a straight line approximately 
0.8 mile to the 1,452-foot elevation point, and continue south-
southwesterly in a straight line approximately 0.3 mile to the 
intersection of two light-duty roads locally known as S. El Pomar Road 
and Homestead Road, Asuncion Land Grant; then
    (9) Proceed west-southwesterly in a straight line approximately 1.1 
miles to the point where an unnamed light-duty road locally known as 
Templeton Road intersects with an unnamed intermittent stream (where 
Templeton Road makes a 90 degree turn at its junction with two unnamed 
unimproved roads), Asuncion Land Grant; then
    (10) Proceed westerly (downstream) along the unnamed intermittent 
stream approximately 0.5 mile to the stream's confluence with the 
Salinas River, Asuncion Land Grant; then
    (11) Proceed westerly (downstream) along the Salinas River 
approximately 2.3 miles to the river's intersection with the boundary 
line of the Paso de Robles Land Grant; then
    (12) Proceed southwesterly along the boundary line of the Paso de 
Robles Land Grant approximately 2.3 miles to the point where the 
boundary line turns sharply to the northwest; then
    (13) Proceed northwesterly approximately 4.65 miles along the 
boundary line of the Paso de Robles Land Grant, crossing onto the York 
Mountain map, to the point where the boundary line turns due north 
(coincides with the southeast corner of section 32, T27S/R11E); then
    (14) Proceed north and then north-northeasterly along the boundary 
line of the Paso de Robles Land Grant approximately 1.5 miles to the 
point where the boundary line turns sharply to the northwest (coincides 
with the eastern-most point of section 20, T27S/R11E); then
    (15) Proceed northwesterly along the boundary line of the Paso de 
Robles Land Grant approximately 0.3 mile to the eastern-most fork of an 
unnamed three-fork tributary of the Jack Creek; then
    (16) Proceed northerly (downstream) along the unnamed intermittent 
tributary of Jack Creek approximately 0.15 mile to the tributary's 
confluence with Jack Creek, Paso de Robles Land Grant; then
    (17) Proceed southeasterly (downstream) along Jack Creek 
approximately 1.8 miles to the creek's intersection with an unnamed 
light-duty road locally known as Jack Creek Road (near BM 920), Paso de 
Robles Land Grant; then
    (18) Proceed northeasterly and then east-southeasterly along Jack 
Creek Road approximately 1 mile to the road's intersection with State 
Route 46; then
    (19) Proceed east on State Route 46 approximately 0.15 mile to the 
road's intersection with an unnamed light-duty road locally known as 
Hidden Valley Road, Paso de Robles Land Grant; then
    (20) Proceed southeasterly and then easterly on Hidden Valley Road 
approximately 2.2 miles, crossing onto the Templeton map, to the road's 
intersection with an unnamed light-duty road locally known as Vineyard 
Drive, Paso de Robles Land Grant; then
    (21) Proceed east on Vineyard Drive approximately 0.85 mile to the 
road's intersection with an unnamed light-duty road locally known as S. 
Bethel Road, Paso de Robles Land Grant; then
    (22) Proceed north-northeasterly on S. Bethel Road and then N. 
Bethel Road approximately 1.7 miles to the road's fifth intersection 
with an unnamed

[[Page 58087]]

intermittent stream, Paso de Robles Land Grant; then
    (23) Proceed westerly (upstream) along the unnamed intermittent 
stream and then the stream's middle branch approximately 1.1 miles to 
the marked end of the stream, and then continue due west in a straight 
line approximately 0.05 mile to State Route 46 (Cayucos Road), Paso de 
Robles Land Grant; then
    (24) Proceed northeasterly on State Route 46 (Cayucos Road) 
approximately 0.8 mile to BM 924, Paso de Robles Land Grant; then
    (25) Proceed due north in a straight line to the southeast corner 
of section 12, T27S/R11E, and continue north along the eastern boundary 
line of section 12, a total of approximately 1.1 miles, to the section 
boundary line's intersection with a light-duty road locally known as 
Live Oak Road; then
    (26) Proceed easterly on Live Oak Road approximately 0.2 mile to 
the road's intersection with an unnamed intermittent stream, Paso de 
Robles Land Grant; then
    (27) Proceed northwesterly (upstream) along the unnamed 
intermittent stream approximately 0.35 mile to the eastern boundary 
line of section 12, T27S/R11E; then
    (28) Proceed north along the eastern boundary line of section 12, 
T27S/R11E, to the section's northeast corner, and then proceed east 
along the southern boundary line of section 6, T27S/R11E, a total of 
approximately 1.3 miles, to the intersection of the section 6 boundary 
line with an unnamed light-duty road locally known as Arbor Road; then
    (29) Proceed south-southeasterly on Arbor Road approximately 0.35 
mile to the road's first intersection with an unnamed intermittent 
stream, Paso de Robles Land Grant; then
    (30) Proceed southeasterly and then easterly (downstream) along the 
unnamed intermittent stream approximately 1.4 miles to the stream's 
intersection with an unnamed light-duty road known locally as S. Vine 
Street, just west of the U.S. 101/State Route 46 interchange, Paso de 
Robles Land Grant; then
    (31) Proceed northerly along S. Vine Street (which generally 
parallels U.S. 101) approximately 1.8 miles to the street's 
intersection with the marked city of Paso Robles Corporate Boundary 
line (concurrent with the locally-known intersection of S. Vine and 1st 
Streets), Paso de Robles Land Grant; then
    (32) Proceed east along the marked city of Paso Robles Corporate 
Boundary line (now very approximate to the alignment of 1st Street and 
then Niblick Road) approximately 0.5 mile, returning to the beginning 
point.

    Signed: September 6, 2013.
John J. Manfreda,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2013-22528 Filed 9-19-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-31-P