Sta. Rita Hills AVA explained

Sta. Rita Hills AVA
Type:American Viticultural Area
Year:2001
2005 amended:[1]
2016 expansion:[2]
Country:United States
Part Of:California, Central Coast AVA, Santa Ynez Valley AVA
Similar:Ballard Canyon AVA, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA, Los Olivos District AVA
Total Size:48sqmi[3]
2296acres
Planted:2700acres[4]
Vineyards:over 59
Grapes:Barbera, Chardonnay, Dolcetto, Dornfelder, Grenache, Mission, Pinot blanc, Pinot gris, Pinot noir, Riesling, Sauvignon blanc, Syrah, Viognier, Zinfandel
Wineries:54[5]
Comments:As of 2020

Sta. Rita Hills is an American Viticultural Area located in Santa Barbara County, California. From its creation in 2001 through 2006, the wine appellation was officially named Santa Rita Hills AVA. The formal name change was the result of a protest by and subsequent negotiations with Vina Santa Rita, a very large Chilean wine producer that was concerned about the AVA name diluting its international brand value. The name change took effect on January 5, 2006, with a yearlong period for producers in the AVA to change their wine labels.[1] [4] In 2016, TTB expanded the approximately 33380acres “Sta. Rita Hills” viticultural area by approximately 2296acres.[2]

Terroir

Sta. Rita Hills is a sub-region of the larger Santa Ynez Valley AVA, located between the towns of Lompoc and Buellton with the Purisima Hills on the north and the Santa Rosa Hills on the south. The wine region is exposed to fog and coastal breezes from the nearby Pacific Ocean. The hills are oriented on an east-west axis, which allows cool ocean breezes from the Pacific Ocean to enter the valley creating a cool mesoclimate. Combined with the rocky nature of the area, the Santa Rita Hills area is well-suited for the growing Pinot noir grapes, which grow well in cool climates with rocky soil. The region is best known for Chardonnay, Pinot noir, and cool climate Syrah varietal wines.

Wine industry

The AVA petition was submitted from viticulturists and vintners in the area under the direction of J. Richard Sanford (Sanford Winery), Bryan Babcock (Babcock Vineyards and Winery), and Wesley D. Hagen (Vineyard Manager of Clos Pepe Vineyards).[3] Wineries and locations in Sta. Rita Hills were featured in the 2004 U.S. film Sideways. Sideways Fest is an annual three-day event hosted by the Sta. Rita Hills Wine Alliance celebrating the anniversary of the movie's filming in the Santa Ynez Valley.[6] [7]

See also

External links

34.6341°N -120.2882°W

Notes and References

  1. Santa Rita Hills Viticultural Area Name Abbreviation to Sta. Rita Hills (2003R-091P) . Federal Register . 2006-01-06 . 72710–72713 . . Final Rule, 27 CFR 9 Docket No.T.D. TTB-37 [Notice No. 40 Ref: T.D. ATF-454] . This Treasury decision modifies the name of the existing “Santa Rita Hills” American viticultural area by abbreviating its name to “Sta. Rita Hills.”.
  2. Expansion of the Sta. Rita Hills Viticultural Area . Federal Register . 2016-08-22 . 56492–56504 . Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). Final Rule, 27 CFR 9 Docket No.TTB-2014-0007: [T.D. TTB-141 Ref: Notice No. 145]. TTB is expanding the approximately 33,380-acre “Sta. Rita Hills” viticultural area in Santa Barbara County, California, by approximately 2,296 acres.
  3. News: Establishment of Santa Rita Hills Viticultural Area (98R-129 P) . Federal Register . Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. 2001-05-31 . 66 FR 29476, 27 CFR 9 Doc#: 01-13645 . 29476–29480.
  4. Web site: Appellation America . 2007. Sta. Rita Hills (AVA): Appellation Profile. https://web.archive.org/web/20090307030437/http://wine.appellationamerica.com:80/wine-region/Sta.-Rita-Hills.html. 2009-03-07 . January 25, 2008. live .
  5. Web site: Sta. Rita Hills AVA Wineries . Santa Barbara Vintners Association.
  6. Web site: Sideways Fest . California 101 Traveler's Guide. September 27, 2019 .
  7. News: Could California's Central Coast Lead the Way For the Future of Local Food Tourism?. Elliott. Farley. 2020-05-13. Eater LA. 2020-05-14.