Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA
The Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in Santa Barbara County, California. It was designated officially by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) in November 2009 and is the smallest AVA in Santa Barbara County when measured by land under vine, covering 37 square miles (23,941 acres) with 492 acres (199 ha) of planted vine. The area comprises canyon terrain, hills, and river and creek basins to the east and south of the San Rafael Mountains, northwest of Lake Cachuma and north of the Santa Ynez River. Elevations within the AVA range from 500 feet (150 m) in the southwest corner to 3,430 feet (1,050 m) in the northeast corner, in the foothills of the San Rafael Range. It is home to six major vineyards and one active winery.
| Wine region | |
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
|---|---|
| Year established | 2009 |
| Years of wine industry | Since 2001 |
| Country | United States |
| Part of | California, Central Coast AVA, Santa Barbara County, Santa Ynez Valley AVA |
| Other regions in California, Central Coast AVA, Santa Barbara County, Santa Ynez Valley AVA | Ballard Canyon AVA, Los Olivos District AVA, Sta. Rita Hills AVA |
| Climate region | Maritime |
| Soil conditions | shaly, silty and clay loams |
| Total area | 37 square miles (23,941 acres) |
| Size of planted vineyards | 492 acres (199 ha) |
| No. of vineyards | Cimarone, Grassini, Happy Canyon Vineyard, McGinley, Star Lane, Vogelzang Vineyards |
| Varietals produced | Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Rosé, Sangiovese, Sauvignon blanc, Syrah, Viognier |
| No. of wineries | 1 |
TTB received the petition from Wes Hagen, Vineyard Manager and Winemaker at Clos Pepe Vineyards, Lompoc, California, on behalf of Happy Canyon vintners and grape growers, proposing the establishment of the Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara American viticultural area.