Wine Growing Area in Santa Barbara California USA

Date: September 20, 2010

About Wines from California and other wine regions of U S A
Best wine supplier in Philippines discusses wine related topics

Five Unique Winegrowing Areas
The unique, transverse nature of the valley’s of Santa Barbara Wine Country provides a patchwork quilt of microclimates and terrains, resulting in one of the most diverse grapegrowing regions in the country. The valleys in the Pacific coastline actually run east-west rather than north-south, and both the coastal Santa Ynez Mountain range and the more interior San Rafael range are transverse too. Because of this geologic oddity, the ocean breezes sweep eastward, channeled by the hills and mountains that ring the region. Heading east into the foothills, the temperatures are warm during the day and very cool during the night, whereas the vineyards that lie westward toward the ocean enjoy a mild and moderate climate. Coupled with soils that run the gamut from ancient beach and diatomaceous earth to chirt and limestone, there is a near perfect place for a wide variety of winegrape varietals.
Learn about the Santa Maria Valley, Los Alamos Valley, Santa Ynez Valley, Sta. Rita Hills, and Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara and then taste the terroir!
“One of California’s most beautiful and exciting viticultural regions lies … just 90 minutes north of the seemingly
endless urban sprawl of Los Angeles. Santa Barbara … is making some of the most thrilling wines in America. …
From ocean-cooled valleys to stark mountain vineyards; from racy syrah to velvety pinot noir to the prospect of great cabernet;
from rustic ranchers to reclusive celebrities – if any wine region can have it all, it’s Santa Barbara.”
from “Under the Boardwalk”
Anthony Dias Blue
There are currently four federally sanctioned American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) within Santa Barbara County; the Santa Maria Valley, Santa Ynez Valley, Sta. Rita Hills and Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara appellations. As grapegrowers continue to advance their understanding of the best places to plant particular winegrape varietals, the Los Alamos region, the Los Olivos District, and the Santa Maria Bench are also showing distinct characteristics that may one day lead to AVA status.
The Vintners’ Association also publshes two detailed maps of the vineyards in Santa Barbara Wine Country, the appellations of Santa Maria Valley, Santa Ynez Valley and Sta. Rita Hills.
Santa Maria Valley
The often foggy and windswept Santa Maria Valley is the northern most appellation in Santa Barbara County. The region’s first officially approved American Viticultural Area (AVA) enjoys extremely complex soil conditions and diverse microclimates. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are two varietals which especially benefit from the ocean’s influence, and are the flagship wines of this appellation.
“No viticultural region in America has demonstrated as much progress in quality and potential for greatness as… the Santa Barbara region, where the Burgundian varietals Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are planted in its cooler climates.”
Robert Parker Jr.
Food & Wine
The quality of Santa Maria Valley grapes is so widely recognized that the fruit is not just used in winemaking at wineries in the appellation. Santa Maria Valley grapes are also used by wineries throughout Santa Barbara County and at many wineries outside of the county. So don’t be suprised when you see the Santa Maria Valley name on labels from wineries that are based far away from the Santa Barbara County sunshine. The Santa Maria Valley appellation is bounded by the San Rafael Mountains and the Los Padres National Forest to the east, and by the Solomon Hills and the city of Santa Maria to the west.
Santa Ynez Valley
Santa Ynez Valley is a long, east-west corridor with very cool temperatures on the coast that become progressively warmer inland. Consequently, several varietals do well, from Pinot Noir in the west to Cabernet and Merlot in the east. Several Rhône and Italian grape varietals have also gained acclaim in this versatile Santa Barbara County AVA.
The largest concentration of wineries is in the Santa Ynez Valley appellation. From one-person labors of love to multi-thousand case operations, each has a dedication to producing wine that truly reflects the high quality and broad diversity of local grapes.
For more information visit the Santa Ynez Wine Country website.
Sta. Rita Hills
Sta Rita Hills is actually within the Santa Ynez Valley appellation, although its unique soils and climate distingush the grapes grown there from the ones in the warmer vineyards to the east. A typical day in Sta Rita Hills starts with marine layer clouds and fog, which burn off by 10am; there is then two or three hours of calm sunshine until the on-shore winds pick up, cooling things down again. This maritime influence, combined with the sedimentary soils with patches of limestone is the perfect place to grow the appellation’s hallmark Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The region continues to innovate with progressive farming techniques, supplying fruit used to produce highly stylized and structured wines.
The Sta. Rita Hills appellation includes about 1700 planted acres within a 10 square mile area. Located between the towns of Buellton and Lompoc, the region is bounded by the La Purisima Hills to the north and the Santa Rosa Hills to the south, and intersected by the Santa Ynez River.
For more information visit the Sta. Rita Hills Winegrowers Alliance website.
Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara
Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara is a relatively new winegrowing region that has recently become its own AVA. Located in the far eastern edge of the Santa Ynez Valley AVA, it delves into the San Rafael Mountains just northwest of Lake Cachuma. Its inland position means a significantly warmer climate that ensures complete maturation for later ripening varieties. The rolling terrain, high slopes and varied soils of this region are best suited for growing Bordeaux varieties Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Sauvignon Blanc, creating rich, concentrated wines. Syrah and other Rhone varieties also flourish here.
For more information visit the Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA website.
Los Alamos Valley
Los Alamos Valley lies between Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. With warm days and very cold nights, the fruit from this region achieves incredible concentration and balance. Its slight, well drained soils and a wide range of microclimates allows for a diversity of varietals. Because Los Alamos Valley is not an official appellation, you won’t see it on a wine label – “Santa Barbara County” is used instead. But you should not be surprised to see Los Alamos Valley vineyard names specified on the label.
Los Alamos, which means “The Cottonwoods” in Spanish, is a town just off the 101 freeway between the Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley appellations. The area around Los Alamos has a temperate climate all its own – ten degrees cooler than Santa Ynez Valley to the south and ten degrees warmer than Santa Maria Valley to the north-east. Los Alamos Valley is bounded to the north by Solomon Hills and to the south by La Purisima Hills.
“Los Alamos Valley has as much right to wine legitimacy as Santa Maria Valley and Santa Rita Hills,
which it resembles in its comparable coolness. Like those two AVAs,
Los Alamos Valley also grows thousands of acres of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir,
as well as smaller experimental acres of Italian varieties”
Matt Kramer
New California Wine

Source: http://www.sbcountywines.com/SBC/appellations.html

Clark Wine Center is more than a wine shop to people living in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone. Clark’s wine shop is also a popular venue for parties and family gatherings. Conveniently located on the main highway of Clark Philippines, it is accessible to guests from Manila, Subic, Pampanga, Angeles City and of course those who live and work in Clark. Aside from the 2-storey wine shop which also has a nice roof deck lawn for small party of up to 80 people as well as an indoor wine tasting room which accommodates up to 60 comfortably, this wine store called Clark Wine Center also has one hectare of picnic grounds surrounding it.

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This Manila Wine Shop is the largest wine shop in Philippines. This is the wine shop to go for fine vintage wines, not just the big names like Lafite, Latour, Petrus, Cristal, Krug, Grange, Vega Sicilia and Sassicaia. This wine shop in Manila offers many excellent vintage wine for under p4,000, even for some that are 20-30 year old from St. Emilion and Pomerol.

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http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay