Comment from Higgins, Roger W. (Three Creek Vineyard)

Document ID: TTB-2008-0008-0003
Document Type: Public Submission
Agency: Alcohol And Tobacco Tax And Trade Bureau
Received Date: August 15 2008, at 04:41 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Date Posted: August 19 2008, at 12:00 AM Eastern Standard Time
Comment Start Date:
Comment Due Date: October 14 2008, at 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time
Tracking Number: 806c6ca7
View Document:

This is comment on Proposed Rule

Notice No. 89, Proposed Establishment of the Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara Viticultural Area (2007R-311P)

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My family and I farm Three Creek Vineyard within the proposed Happy Canyon AVA, and make wine under the Cimarone label. Santa Ynez is an up-and-coming viticultural area, with a target of low levels of tourism exploitation. The topology and weather conditions of the Valley enable a wide spectrum of grape varietals to be grown. As a consequence the public has difficulty in associating Santa Ynez with a specific type of wine. Here in the Eastern section of Santa Ynez we have a well-defined terroir suitable for growing Bordeaux wines, which the vineyards in the proposed AVA are executing with substantial success. However these wines tend to get lost in the Santa Ynez overall shuffle. Approval of the Happy Canyon AVA will provide the core impetus to enable us to expand the market and knowledge of the excellent Bordeaux wines we produce in the region. Thanks for all you help, Roger W. Higgins