Local Terroir
Santa Barbara County is located approximately 100 miles (161 km) north of Los Angeles and 300 miles (483 km) south of San Francisco. With southern and western borders that follow the coastline of the Pacific Ocean, the county is bordered on the north by San Luis Obispo County and by Ventura County to the east. Less than one percent (0.85) or 14,927 acres (6,041 ha) of the county’s 2,745 square miles (4,418 km), is bearing acreage planted to winegrapes.
The region’s climate is classified as cool Mediterranean (Köppen Csb) and is typically warm and dry in summer and cool and wet in winter. However, it is dramatically influenced by a combination of unique topography, the configuration of the coastline that forms the county’s southern and western borders, and the dynamic, cooling effect of the Pacific Ocean.
Meso-climates across the county vary, based on proximity to the ocean, altitude and soil types, but over-arching viticultural characteristics include low rainfall and a longer-than-average growing season.
- Coastal areas are classified as Winkler I or Winkler II -- cool maritime climates ideal for cool-climate varieties. Moving east across the county, temperatures increase and, on average, the thermometer can be tracked at a degree-Fahrenheit increase per mile.
- The Sierra Madre Mountains and San Rafael Ranges create a rain shadow that blocks precipitation from the north, while occasional storms from the south bring rain and warmer temperatures.
- Average annual precipitation ranges from a minimum of about eight inches in the Cuyama Valley to over 36 inches at the apex of the Santa Ynez Mountains. With 18.5 inches (20 cm) or less rain on average, Santa Barbara County’s vineyards experience an extremely long growing season, due to minimal pressure from rain, frost, and disease.
- Most of the county's rivers, creeks, and streams remain dry during the summer months.
Santa Barbara County’s defining geographical features are its transverse mountain ranges, which are responsible for a wide range of distinct meso-climates unique to California. Extending east-west, these are the only transverse ranges within the continental United States and the most significant from Alaska to Patagonia. Twenty million years ago, a shift in tectonic plates redirected the mountains running up the coast from a north-south trajectory to an east-west orientation.
The Sierra Madre Mountains dominate the eastern half of Santa Barbara County running diagonally from northwest to southeast. On their southern flanks, the San Rafael Range runs due east from the county’s mid-way point to its eastern border in the Los Padres National Forest. The county’s southern border is defined by the parallel, transverse Santa Ynez Mountains, extending east along the east-west coastline until they too merge with the San Rafael Range in the Los Padres National Forest.
The California coastline runs north-south until it hits the southeastern corner of Santa Barbara County where it makes a sharp left, jutting west to form the county’s entire southern border. This radical shift in the direction of the landmass, combined with the earth’s rotation forces, force deep Arctic and Antarctic currents to the surface where they hyper-cool the ocean air.
The convergence of these key factors defines the climate characteristics in each of Santa Barbara County’s seven AVAs. As inland temperatures rise, cold ocean air is pulled east through the funnel created by the transverse ranges, and with it westerly winds that begin at midday. When inland temperatures drop at night, fog reaches as far as the eastern side of the county. Where the hills resume a north-south orientation, notably in Ballard Canyon, there is another dramatic climatic shift.
Just as the maritime influence moves from west to east across the county, soils which are predominantly sedimentary follow a general pattern as well: sandier and less common soils near the coastline, gravels and cobbles along the numerous waterways and colluvial soils in the higher elevations.
In the region’s most-westerly Sta. Rita Hills AVA (2000), which is a sub-AVA of the larger Santa Ynez Valley AVA, soils are sedimentary and include weathered sandstone, limestone, clay loam and rare diatomaceous earth. Composed of diatoms, diatomaceous earth is high in calcium silicate (silica), a mineral with higher porosity than either chalk or limestone resulting in wines with intense concentration and laser-like focus. The famed white albariza soil of Jerez, Spain is also diatomaceous earth.
The northernmost Santa Maria AVA (1981) is divided by the Sisquoc and continuing Santa Maria Rivers, with sandy loams and silt in the western half of the AVA. Well-draining, gravelly loam and cobbles are found closer to the rivers, along with alluvial and colluvial soils in the Solomon Hills to the south. East of the rivers and moving to higher elevations in the San Rafael Range there are hillside plantings in Chamise clay loam and Chamise shale loam at lower elevations. The Santa Maria River channel is one of three river channels in the county that run 24.5 miles (39.5 km) to the interior coastal ranges terminating in what is known as “The Goldilocks Rhone Zone,” which is ideally suited to the production of ultra-premium Rhone varieties.
Alisos Canyon AVA (2020) is sandwiched between the Santa Maria Valley AVA and the Santa Ynez Valley AVA, about 20 miles (32 km) east of the Pacific Ocean. Soils are predominantly variations of sand, sandstone and shale, with a rare limestone streak along the corridor.The San Antonio Creek channel terminates in “The Goldilocks Rhone Zone” of Alisos Canyon.
The Santa Ynez Valley AVA (1983) contains four sub-AVA’s: Sta. Rita Hills, Ballard Canyon, Los Olivos District, and Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara. It has an impressive collection of climates and soils, with among the most diverse winegrape plantings in the world in the 30 miles (48 km) from Lake Cachuma to Lompoc. Fourteen principal soil associations exist in northern Santa Barbara County, and about half of them are in the Santa Ynez Valley AVA.
Moving east from the Sta. Rita Hills, Ballard Canyon (2013) which runs north and south, has limestone, clay loam, and sandy soils planted predominately to Rhone varieties which excel when planted inland from the coast where the Santa Ynez River channel meets the interior ranges. The AVA refers to itself as “Syrah territory” and wines that are 100% Syrah are eligible to use a special bottle with “Ballard Canyon” debossed across the shoulder. Syrah in Ballard Canyon shows many savory characteristics typical of that grape in the Northern Rhône, but these California wines also exhibit riper fruit, fuller body, and tannins that are softer and more plentiful.
The lower elevation and flatter Los Olivos District AVA (2015) sits between Ballard Canyon and Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara and is a cool Winkler III region where Bordeaux, Rhone, Italian and Iberian varieties perform well. Los Olivos District expresses the “core” of the Santa Ynez Valley AVA. The District can be described as a fairly broad alluvial bench composed of the Positas-Ballard-Santa Ynez soil association of fine, sandy loam and clay subsoils.
At the easternmost end of the Santa Ynez Valley AVA, north and west of Lake Cachuma, is the region’s warmest meso climate, the Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA (2009). The area descends in elevation northeast to southwest, and is sheltered from the coastal influence by the north-south Sierra Madre Mountains. Soils are a complex mixture of loam and clay loam with red and yellow chert and serpentine cobbles. These low-vigor soils result in smaller vines and typically lower yields of concentrated fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, as well as Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec, can produce superlative results.
Location/Geography
Santa Barbara’s newest AVA approved in 2020, the Alisos Canyon runs the length of Alisos Canyon Road, an east/west corridor about three miles (5 km) south of Los Alamos off of Highway 101. Alisos Canyon connects Highway 101 to Foxen Canyon Road, and the AVA starts and ends about 1/2 mile(0.8 km) in from both cross points. It extends north and south from Alisos Canyon Road for about another 3/4 mile (1.2 km) in each direction. All vineyards and wineries inside the AVA are accessible directly from Alisos Canyon Road.
The 5,774-acre (2,335 ha) Alisos Canyon AVA is home to nine producing commercial vineyards located on a combined 238 planted acres (96 ha). It is part of the greater Central Coast AVA.
Name Background
Alisos is the Spanish word for the Alder tree.
Topography/Elevation/Water Sources/Geographic Features
Alisos Canyon experiences climate influences from the San Antonio Creek basin. The San Antonio Creek channel terminates in “The Goldilocks Rhone Zone” of Alisos Canyon.
Geology/Soil Composition
Soils are predominantly variations of sand, sandstone and shale, chalk, flint with a rare limestone streak along the corridor.
Climate
Influenced by a 25-mile (40 km) proximity to the Pacific Ocean that produces cool air and fog, Alisos Canyon’s climate combines the converging warmer inland climates to make for more moderate overall temperatures. This phenomenon, referred to as the “Goldilocks Rhone Zone,” is known to be an ideal environment for successfully growing wine varietals like Syrah and Grenache.
Main Grape Varieties
Rhone varieties with others being trialed including Tempranillo, Albariño, Gamay, Cabernet Franc, Barbera, Sangiovese and Nebbiolo.
Location/Geography
Ballard Canyon encompasses just 7,700 acres (3,116 ha), only 550 (222 ha) of which are planted to vineyards. The north-south oriented canyon accounts for only 10% of the Santa Ynez Valley AVA.
Winds are funneled into the Santa Ynez Valley from the Pacific Ocean via a gap between the Santa Rita Hills and the Purisima Hills, but the north-south orientation of Ballard Canyon shelters the vineyards from the worst effects of these maritime influences. Fogs flow in from the coast in the early hours of the morning before retreating in the afternoon. The vines in the south of Ballard Canyon are exposed to the fog for a longer period of time compared to those planted at higher elevations in the region's northern vineyards.
Name Background
The town of Ballard was founded in 1880 at the location of a Wells Fargo stage line station, then managed by George Lewis who named the location for William Ballard, the former proprietor, who ran the station from 1862 to 1870.
Topography/Elevation/Water Sources/Geographic Features
Average altitude is 800 feet (244 m) ranging from 560 feet (171 m) to 1,165 feet (355 m). Average temperatures during the growing season are high 50s (10°C and up) to low 60s (16°C), with lows below 50°F (less than 10°C) and highs approaching 80°F (27°C).
Geology/Soil Composition
Relatively uniform and predominantly clay limestone, clay loam and sandy soils.
Climate
Sandwiched between the Sta. Rita Hills AVA to the west and Los Olivos District AVA to the east, Ballard Canyon has a mixed climate and experiences cold nights and short periods of day-time heat. The diurnal swing approaches 40°F (4.5°C) and it is typical to have daytime highs over 90°F (32°C) and lows around 50°F (10°C) during the growing season.
Ballard Canyon’s southern vineyards receive the most time in the cool fog, which burns off earlier in the northern, higher elevations of the AVA. The highest elevations can also be the warmest, often bathing in an inversion layer above the fog-line.
Main Grape Varieties
Over half of the AVA’s planted acreage is Syrah, with an additional 30% of acres planted to other Rhone varieties, including Grenache, Viognier, and Roussanne. Total plantings: Rhone Varietals: 76%; Bordeaux: 14%; Italian: 8%; California “Heritage:” 2%
Location/Geography
The Happy Canyon of the Santa Barbara AVA is where the east-west running Santa Ynez mountain range intersects with the north-south San Rafael mountain range. Happy Canyon is the smallest AVA in Santa Barbara County. It lies north and west of Lake Cachuma at its southern border and is home to six major vineyards and three active wineries. Of the AVAs 25,782 acres (10,433 ha), 1.6 percent (403 acres/163 ha) are planted to winegrapes.
Name Background
During Prohibition a simple alcohol was produced in Happy Canyon. Legend has it that folks would “take a trip up Happy Canyon” to purchase the beverage and the name stuck.
Topography/Elevation/Water Sources/Geographic Features
Average elevation is 820 feet (250 m), ranging from 660 feet (201 m) to 1,013 feet (309 m) in elevation. Average temperatures during the growing season are 65°F (18°C) with lows below 50°F (10°C) and highs in the low 80s (27°C). High winds, high altitude, and diurnal shifts of up to 50°F (10°C) are moderating influences. Several creeks run through the north eastern part of the AVA.
Geology/Soil Composition
Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara is the furthest east of the growing regions and, well separated from the ocean by both distance and multiple hills. As a result, it experiences relatively little fog. Soils are a mixture of loam and clay loam with interspersed cobbles and high in mineral levels while low in nutrients.
Climate
While Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara sits as little as 12 miles (19 km) to the north of the Pacific Ocean as the crow flies, the west-to-east running mountain range protects the vineyards from direct oceanic influence and also traps the heat of the Santa Ynez Valley during the day.
Cooling breezes and a fog-rich marine layer also roll through the canyon in the late afternoon and early morning, creating a wide temperature swing between daytime highs and nighttime lows. Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA has been compared to Napa Valley’s Oak Knoll AVA, albeit with an additional 700 feet (213 m) in elevation.
Main Grape Varieties
Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara’s warm microclimate is the perfect home for Syrah, along with Bordeaux varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.
Location/Geography
The Los Olivos District is entirely within the Santa Ynez Valley AVA, sharing a common boundary with Ballard Canyon AVA on the west side, and a common boundary with the Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara to the east. The northern boundary incorporates for the most part a 1,000-foot (305 m) elevation line, separating the topographically rugged foothills of the San Rafael mountains to the north from the gentle rolling hills to the south. This 1,000-foot (305-m) line also marks the northern boundary limit of the Positas-Ballard-Santa Ynez soil series, the dominant soil type of the Los Olivos District. The southern boundary is defined by the Santa Ynez River, which marks a change in geology and principal soil type.
Name Background
Sometime around 1880, on prime farmland located on a bluff overlooking Alamo Pintado Creek, just north of the town of Ballard, a two-story house was built, with a wide, covered front porch and neatly symmetrical arched windows in the center gable. It became the property of 22-year-old Alden March Boyd, of Albany, New York, when he paid $8,000 for "157 acres (64 ha), more or less, together with the dwelling house," in 1885. He planted five thousand olive trees and called it Rancho De Los Olivos. The 1880s were a boom time for California. On November 16, 1887, the Pacific Coast Railway line extension from Los Alamos was completed. The developers of the narrow-gauge railway first named their town El Olivar, then El Olivos, and finally Los Olivos, after Boyd's nearby ranch.
Topography/Elevation/Water Sources/Geographic Features
Situated between the Purisima Hills above Solvang and the western flank of the Happy Canyon area, the Los Olivos District enjoys a relatively uniform topography in the form of an expansive south-facing alluvial terrace plain, and the only broad alluvial plain along the entire Santa Ynez River Valley. Elevations range from 1,000 feet (305 m) along the base of the foothills of the San Rafael Mountains to approximately 400 feet (122 m) along the Santa Ynez River. This range in elevations corresponds with the elevations in which the Positas-Ballard-Santa Ynez soil association is found.
Geology/Soil Composition
One of the most distinguishing features of the Los Olivos District, relative to other California AVAs, is the uniformity of its geology and soils. There are 14 principal soil associations found in Northern Santa Barbara County, with about half located in the Santa Ynez Valley AVA. The Los Olivos District is quite uniform in its soil profile, with over 95% of the area consisting of the Positas-Ballard-Santa Ynez soil association, and directly linked to the underlying geology. The Positas series consists of well-drained fine sandy loams that have a clay subsoil. These soils are in the upper Santa Ynez Valley on smooth, bench-like terraces that are broken by narrow, steep-sided drainage-ways, with elevations ranging from 400 (122 m) to 900 feet (274 m). The Ballard series consists of well-drained fine sandy loams and gravelly fine sandy loams formed in alluvium derived from acid shale and sandstone. These soils are located on remnants of old terraces that have been somewhat dissected by drainage-ways, with elevations ranging from 500 to 1,000 feet (152-305 m). The Santa Ynez series consists of moderately well-drained gravelly fine sandy loams, underlain by gravelly clay sub-soils that developed on terraces with elevations ranging from 600 to 800 feet (183-244 m).
Climate
The climate of the Los Olivos District, relative to other wine regions around the world, is considered moderately warm, with an average heat summation well-suited to the cultivation of Bordeaux varieties (approximately 450 acres/182 ha planted) and Rhone varietals (approximately 400 acres/162 ha planted). The Los Olivos area is slightly warmer than its western neighbor, Ballard Canyon, and cooler than its eastern neighbor, Happy Canyon. However, its open valley topography allows for more intrusion of coastal fog that moderates the large swings in day-night temperatures. This moderate diurnal temperature range is a key element in the climate of the Los Olivos area, allowing full physiological maturity to be reached at lower sugars.
Main Grape Varieties
Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Rhone varietals take prominence, although the AVA also includes Spanish and Italian varietals.
Location/Geography
The Santa Maria Valley occupies the northern perimeter of Santa Barbara County on California’s Central Coast. Encompassing 2,696 vineyard acres (1,091 ha), it is bordered on the north by San Luis Obispo County and to the east by Ventura County. Its southern and western boundaries follow the coastline of the Pacific Ocean.
Name Background
Santa Maria was chosen from the name Juan Pacifico Ontiveros had given to his property. Originally named Central City, the name was changed to Santa Maria on February 18, 1885, since mail was often being sent by mistake to Central City in Colorado. Streets named after the four original settlers now form a six-block square centered at Broadway and Main Street, the center of town.
Topography/Elevation/Water Sources/Geographic Features
The Santa Maria Valley boasts a rare “transverse” geography, an east-west orientation that channels cool ocean air directly into the valley. The result is a Mediterranean climate that produces one of California’s longest growing seasons. Grapes in the region are either grown on the Santa Maria Bench or off the Bench, each resulting in grapes with completely different and unique flavor profiles. In 2011, the AVA was expanded by 18,790 acres (7,604 ha) and the addition of nine vineyards. A small section of the appellation lies north of the Santa Maria River in San Luis Obispo County. Elevations range from 200 to 3,200 feet (61 to 975 m), with vineyards planted between 200 and 1,600 feet (61-488 m).
Geology/Soil Composition
With its geological oddity and natural funnel-shape, the Santa Maria Valley AVA is bounded by the San Rafael Mountains and Los Padres National Forest to the east and by the Solomon Hills and the city of Santa Maria to the West. Soils vary by elevation, with sandy loams and silt in the western half of the AVA. Well-draining, gravelly loam and cobbles are found closer to the rivers, along with alluvial and colluvial soils in the Solomon Hills to the south. East of the rivers and moving to higher elevations in the San Rafael Range there are hillside plantings in Chamise clay loam and Chamise shale loam at lower elevations.
Climate
Classified as Winkler I and II, average lows during the growing season range from the low 50’s to the high 40’s (10°-4°C)and average highs rarely exceed 75°F (23°C). Cooling winds start very early in the day.
Main Grape Varieties
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah
Location/Geography
The valley is formed by the Purisima Hills and San Rafael Mountains to the north and the Santa Ynez Mountains to the south. 2.3 percent of the area or 4,190 acres (1,696 ha) are planted to grape vines.
Name Background
The river and mountains took the name of Mission Santa Inés (also spelled "Ynés" or "Ynéz" in New Spain), which was established in 1804 (named for Saint Agnes of Rome, Virgin and Martyr).
Topography/Elevation/Water Sources/Geographic Features
The AVA has an average elevation of 600 feet (183 m) ranging from 220 feet (67 m) to 1,430 feet (436 m). The Santa Ynez River is one of the largest rivers on the Central Coast of California. It is 92 miles (148 km) long, flowing from east to west through the Santa Ynez Valley. Lake Cachuma, the largest reservoir on the river, is in the eastern end of the valley and approximately five miles in length. Several tributaries join the Santa Ynez River in Lake Cachuma, including Santa Cruz Creek and Cachuma Creek from the north and a number of smaller streams from the south.
Geology/Soil Composition
The Santa Ynez Valley AVA (1983) contains four sub-AVAs: Sta. Rita Hills, Ballard Canyon, Los Olivos District and Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara. It boasts an impressive collection of climates and soils, and among the most diverse collection of winegrape plantings in the world in the 30 miles (48 km) from Lake Cachuma to Lompoc. There are 14 principal soil associations found in northern Santa Barbara County, and about half of them are in the Santa Ynez Valley AVA. They include limestone, fine, sandy loam, and a complex mixture of loam and clay loam with red and yellow chert and serpentine cobbles.
Climate
Because the AVA has a large east-west span with a series of north-south hills in between, it experiences a great deal of climatic variation. The Santa Ynez Valley is Region I close to the coast, and Region III in the east. In general, it’s a bit warmer than the Santa Maria AVA at similar distances from the ocean. Average annual rainfall ranges from 10 to 17 inches (25-43 cm).
Main Grape Varieties
Several varieties do well, from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the west to Cabernet, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc in the east. Rhone varieties such as Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Roussanne, and Viognier also thrive in the Ballard Canyon sub-AVA.
Location/Geography
With a total area of 30,720 acres (12,432 ha), the Sta. Rita Hills AVA has 2,700 planted acres. The boundaries of the Sta. Rita Hills appellation were chosen carefully to include all locales between the Santa Rosa Hills and the Purisima Hills. One of the smaller AVAs in California, the eastern edge of Sta. Rita Hills is about four miles (6.5 km) west of Highway 101 in Buellton and continues to the western boundary, about two miles (3.2 km) east of Highway 1 in Lompoc. The southern boundary is the north side of the Santa Rosa Hills, with the northern boundary the south side of the Purisima Hills.
Name Background
Saint Rita de Cascia is the Patron Saint of the Impossible. The hills that form the spine of the AVA were named for her. The odd use of “Sta.” instead of “Santa” is because Chile’s Viña Santa Rita objected to the geographically legitimate spelling under trademark law.
Topography/Elevation/Water Sources/Geographic Features
The miracle of the region’s microclimate began about 20 million years ago during the Miocene Epoch, as marine sediment was deposited deep under the Pacific Ocean. Due to tectonic plate movements, mountains rose out of the ocean in a north-south orientation. Over the span of 12 million years, the mountains broke from the plate and rotated clockwise, creating the most clearly delineated transverse range, from Alaska to Chile, on the Pacific Coast.
Topographically, the AVA features three transverse sets of hills. There are vineyards in both valleys formed by the hills, situated on flats and slopes alike, from 200 feet (61 m) in elevation all the way to 1,700 (518 m).
Geology/Soil Composition
Sedimentary, marine-based soils with elevated calcium including limestone, rare diatomaceous earth, chalk, chert and sandy loam.
Climate
Classified as warm-summer Mediterranean. For every mile (1.6 km) moving east away from the ocean, the temperature rises about one degree Fahrenheit (-17°C). But even at the eastern edge, Sta. Rita Hills AVA is still Winkler Region I.
Main Grape Varieties
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah and cool climate winegrape varieties.