Comment from Hagen, Wesley

August 12, 2008 I write you today in support of the Petition to Establish Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara American Viticultural Area. My name is Wes Hagen, a local winegrower in Santa Barbara County, CA with 14 years professional viticultural and winemaking experience. I authored the petition to establish the Santa Rita Hills AVA in 1997 and was asked to author the Petition to Establish the Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA in Spring of 2006. After six months of research, touring the boundaries, photographing the area and running soil and climate studies I came to the conclusion that the interior acreage of the Happy Canyon of SB AVA represent a very unique geology for growing winegrapes (especially of the Bordelais varietals), and the approval and use of the new AVA moniker will help consumers of wine to distinguish the wildly different climates contained within the large and unwieldy existing Santa Ynez Valley AVA, and the Happy Canyon area specifically. By virtue of the geological parent materials (chert and serpentine specifically), the unusual calcium/magnesium ratios, the high degree day summations and the premium prices paid for the winegrapes originating in this area, I truly believe that the Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA petition should be approved, used and celebrated. It will be a benefit to the local winegrowers and will help consumers around the country and the world to understand and celebrate this unique little winegrowing terroir. Thank you for your efforts in helping this process along, Wesley D. Hagen Winegrower, Vineyard Manager, Winemaker, AVA Consultant Lompoc, CA 93436