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Draft talk:Santa Cruz County wine/Temp

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Santa Cruz County wine
Wine region
Santa Cruz County AVAs
TypeU.S. County Appellation[1]
Year established1850
Years of wine industry159
CountryUnited States
Part ofCalifornia, Central Coast AVA, San Francisco Bay AVA
Other regions in California, Central Coast AVA, San Francisco Bay AVAMonterey County
Sub-regionsBen Lomond Mountain AVA, Santa Cruz Mountains AVA
Growing season210 days[2]
Precipitation (annual average)60 inches (1,524 mm)[3]
Total area284,800 acres (445 sq mi)[4]
Size of planted vineyards3,650 acres (1,477 ha)[5]
No. of vineyardsabout 340
Grapes producedPinot gris/Grigio, Pinot noir, Viognier[1]
No. of wineries76
Commentsas of 2024

Santa Cruz County wine is an appellation that designates wine made from grapes grown in Santa Cruz County, California located south of San Francisco and San Mateo Counties and west of Santa Clara County lying entirely within the expansive multi-county Central Coast viticultural area.[1] County names in the United States automatically qualify as legal appellations of origin for wine produced from grapes grown in that county and do not require registration with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Treasury. TTB was created in January of 2003, when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, or ATF, was extensively reorganized under the provisions of the Homeland Security Act of 2002.[6]

Santa Cruz County is renowned internationally for its scenic splendor with the California Coast Ranges forming the mountainous shoreline and wind-swept evergreens on coastal cliffs outlined by the cinematic Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) caressed by the maritime California weather. These elements provide ideal terrain, climate, and soil creating unique microclimates throughout the county for a vibrant viticulture economy. The county is situated on a wide coastline with over 29 miles (47 km) of beaches.[7] The strip is about ten miles (16 km) wide between the Pacific Coast and the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains to form the northern shore of Monterey Bay. It can be divided roughly into four regions: the rugged "north coast"; the urban City of Santa Cruz, Soquel, Capitola, and Aptos; mountainous Bonny Doon, San Lorenzo River Valley; and the fertile "south county", including Watsonville and Corralitos.
Agriculture is concentrated in the coastal lowlands of the county's northern and southern ends. Most of the north coastal land comprises relatively flat terraces that end at steep cliffs.[8] Total county land acreage is 284,800 acres (445 sq mi) with 3,650 acres (1,477 ha) cultivated on about 340 small vineyards compromised of 2,210 acres (894 ha) of red varietals and 1,440 acres (583 ha) to white, as of 2024, sourcing 76 wineries within the county.[5][8]

History

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The area has been recorded as the "Santa Cruz Mountains" since 1838. As early as 1867, when the first government surveyor laid section lines in the area, the vineyards of the region were noted. Moreover, numerous books and articles dealing with wine refer to the "Santa Cruz Mountains" as a specific grape-growing area. Testimony was also received which indicated that although the area encompassed parts of three counties, the "Santa Cruz Mountains" constitutes a well-defined area forming a distinct geographical and phytogeographical unit. ATF believed this testimony established the historical and current use of the name. Santa Cruz Mountains, as-a distinguishable region and is the most appropriate for the viticultural area."[9]

The history of wine growing in the Santa Cruz Mountains goes back to the 1860s when George Jarvis first planted significant vineyards. By the late 1880s, there were thirty-eight wineries in the mountains. By the 1870s there were 16 vintners in Santa Cruz County. The wineries of the Santa Cruz Mountains started to receive awards and recognition at the international level. Ben Lomond Wine Co., operated by William Coope, and Dr. John Stewart won prizes at World’s Fairs in Paris in 1889, Chicago in 1893, and San Francisco in 1894.[10][11]
Vine acreage increased fivefold in the Santa Cruz Mountains in the 1880s.[12] Quality Santa Cruz Mountains wines came from Santa Clara County and San Mateo County as well. However, prohibition soon marked the end of California’s first quality wine district of international repute. Prohibition began in 1919, forbidding the “manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors” and lasted until December 5, 1933. Afterward, growers began replanting fine wine variety vineyards, but it was decades later that modern winemaking was adopted, enabling the Santa Cruz Mountains to regain its status among the premier wine growing areas in the country. Many California wine-growing pioneers started here, including Paul Masson, Martin Ray, and Charles Le Franc. The appellation was the first in the U.S. to be defined by geophysical and climatic factors. While the Santa Cruz Mountains has always been a well-kept secret, its wines have increasingly become better-known and more widely recognized among wine enthusiasts and the general public.[8]
In the 1960s and early 1970s, the quality of some California wines was outstanding but few took notice as the market favored French brands.[13] At the legendary Judgement of Paris blind tasting event on 24 May 1976, celebrating the United States Bicentennial and judged by renown French oenophiles, California vintages in white and red wine categories ranked 1st besting acclaimed French wines.[14] Also the 1971 Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello Cabernet from the Santa Cruz Mountains ranked 5th.[15] The identical vintage ranked 1st in an anniversary event at the San Francisco Wine Tasting of 1978 and again ranked 1st in the Judgment of Paris 30th anniversary tastings on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean in 2006.[16]

Terroir

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Ridge Winery in Santa Cruz Mountains

Aviticultural area should possess geogapiibal features which distinguish the viticultural area from surrounding be used as an appellation of origin in wine labeling and advertising. Section 4.25a(e)(1) defines an American viticultural area as a delimited grape-growing region distinguishable by geographic characteristics. Section 4.25a(e)(2) outlines the procedures for proposing an American viticultural area.[17] Any interested person may petition TTB to establish a grape-growing region as a viticultural area. The Santa Cruz Mountains Vintners submitted a petition to establish a viticultural area in portions of San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz Counties, California, to be named "Santa Cruz Mountains."[12] In response to this petition, ATF published a notice of proposed rulemaking, Notice No. 360, in the Federal Register on December 15, 1980 (45 FR 82275), proposing the establishment of the Santa Cruz Mountains as a viticultural area.[18] The petitioner claimed the "Santa Cruz Mountains" possesses a soil type, climate, and protective setting which provides a singular viticultural identity. The petitioner stated that the "Santa Cruz Mountains" is characterized by a climate which is greatly influenced in the western portion by the Pacific Ocean breezes and fog movements, and in the eastern portion by the moderating influences of the San Francisco Bay. These two influences tend to produce weather which is generally cool during the growing season. Temperatures in the slopes of the hillsides where most of the vineyards are located appear to vary from that at the lower elevations. This is caused by the marine influence coming off the Pacific Ocean which cools the mountains at night much more than the valley floor. The area is characterized by a growing season in excess of 300 days.[12]
This is apparently due to cool air coming down the mountains forcing warmer air upward, thereby lengthening the season in which the necessary conditions for grape-growing are present. Moreover, while the climate, in terms of temperature can be characterized as mild, the "Santa Cruz Mountains" has an average rainfall much greater than the surrounding areas. The soils in the proposed area were identified as Franciscan shale which is unique to this particular area south of San Francisco. The soil is basically residual material from the decomposition of bedrock and the soil types in the area differ depending on the type of underlying bedrock. Generally, these residual soils tend to be thin and stony, and somewhat excessively drained. They were characterized as impoverished. making it extremely difficult to grow grapes. This contrasts greatly with the soil of the surrounding area which is primarily alluvium and is more fertile. Based on this evidence, ATF has determined that the Santa Cruz Mountains is viticulturally distinguishable from the surrounding areas. This is based upon the evidence presented regarding the rainfall, soil, and general climate. The Santa Cruz Mountains can be seen as a defined area exhibiting features and characteristics unique to its boundaries when compared to the surrounding area.[12]

County Viticultural Areas (as of 2025)

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See also

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References

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  1. 1 2 3 "Santa Cruz County: Appellation Profile". Appellation America. 2007. Archived from the original on January 23, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Frost Dates for Boulder Creek, CA". Almanac.com. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  3. 1 2 "Ben Lomond Mountain Viticultural Area" (27 CFR Part 9 [T.D. ATF-264; Re: Notice No. 629] Final Rule). Federal Register. 52 (236). Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury: 46589–46592. December 9, 1987.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. Cite error: The named reference "Ben_Lomond_Establish" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  4. ↑ "Santa Cruz County, CA". NACo. National Association of Counties. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Wine Grape Acreage by County". Github.gov. California Grape Acreage Report. 2024. Retrieved July 11, 2026.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  6. ↑ "The TTB Story". TTB.gov. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, Treasury. 2002.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  7. ↑ "Outdoor Activities". Things To Do in Santa Cruz. December 12, 2011. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Establishment Of Santa Cruz Mountains Viticultural-Area, California" (27 CFR 9 [T.D. ATF-98; Ref. Notice No. 360] Final rule). Federal Register. 46 (223). Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury: 59239–59241. December 4, 1981.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  9. ↑ Mobley, Esther (March 23, 2017). "Mission revival: State's first wine grape, circa 1760, rides again". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on March 10, 2023.
  10. ↑ "The Santa Cruz Mountains" (CALIFORNIA WINE COUNTRY, VERSION 1.0 . . .). Savannah-Chanelle Vineyards. 2026. Retrieved August 5, 2026.
  11. ↑ Holland, Michael R. (April 27, 1987). "Petition to Establish Ben Lomond Mountain Viticultural Area" (PDF). TTB.gov.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "Petition to Establish Santa Cruz Mountains Viticultural Area" (PDF). TTB.gov. Santa Cruz Mountains Vintners. July 4, 1979.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  13. ↑ Peterson, Thane (May 8, 2001). "The Day California Wines Came of Age". Business Week. Archived from the original (Movable Feast) on October 18, 2007. Retrieved July 19, 2006.
  14. ↑ Taber, George M. (September 13, 2005). The Judgment of Paris: California vs France and the Historic 1976 Paris Tasting That Revolutionized Wine. Scribner. pp. 218, 238, 276. ISBN 978-0-7432-4751-1.
  15. ↑ Taber 2005, pp. 306–308
  16. ↑ Murphy, Linda (May 25, 2006). "California wines beat the French – again / Even after 30 years of aging, state's Cabernets still tops" (Chronicle wine editor). San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved April 27, 2012.
  17. ↑ "Title 27 Chapter I Subchapter A" (Section 4.25a(e)(2)). Federal Register. 50 (206). Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury. July 26, 2026.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  18. ↑ "Santa Maria Valley, Santa Cruz Mountains, Los Carneros, Sonoma Valley, and North Coast Viticultural Areas" (27 CFR Part 9 [Notice No. 360] Proposed). Federal Register. 45 (241). Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury: 82470–82472. December 4, 1981.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  19. ↑ "Establishment of Central Coast Viticultural Area" (27 CFR Part 9 [ATF-216; Re: Notice No. 532] Final Rule). Federal Register. 50 (206). Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury: 43128–43131. October 24, 1985.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  20. 1 2 "Establishment of the San Francisco Bay Viticultural Area and the Realignment of the Boundary of the Central Coast Viticultural Area (97- 242)" (27 CFR Part 9 RIN 1512–AA07 [T.D. ATF–407; Ref Notice No. 856] Final Rule). Federal Register. 64 (12). Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury: 3015–3026. January 20, 1999.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  21. 1 2 "Expansion of San Francisco Bay and Central Coast Viticultural Areas (2002R–202P)" (27 CFR Part 9 [T.D. TTB–48; Re: Notice No. 44] RIN 1513–AA55 Final Rule). Federal Register. 71 (115). Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Treasury: 34522–34525. June 15, 2006.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
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37°02′47″N 122°08′57″W / 37.0464086°N 122.1490541°W / 37.0464086; -122.1490541

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