[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 207 (Monday, October 27, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 55512-55516]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-28280]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
27 CFR Part 9
[TD ATF-392]
RIN 1512-AA07
Mendocino Ridge Viticultural Area (95R-017P)
AGENCY: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury.
ACTION: Treasury decision, final rule.
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SUMMARY: This Treasury decision establishes a viticultural area located
within the boundaries of Mendocino County, California to be known as
``Mendocino Ridge,'' under 27 CFR part 9. This viticultural area is the
result of a petition submitted by Mr. Steve Alden on behalf of the
Mendocino Ridge Quality Alliance. There are about 262,400 acres or
approximately 410 square miles within the outer boundaries of the
``Mendocino Ridge'' viticultural area, but the actual viticultural area
encompasses only the areas at or above 1200 feet in elevation. Because
of the 1200 foot elevation, this viticultural area is unique from other
coastal viticultural areas. Of the total 262,400 acres, less than one
third, or 87,466 acres, lies above 1200 feet elevation. Of these 87,466
acres, approximately 1500 to 2000 acres or 2% of the narrow timber
covered ridge-tops are suitable for grape production. There are
approximately 75 acres of grapes currently growing within the
boundaries of the viticultural area. The 75 acres of grapes are divided
among six wineries.
EFFECTIVE DATE: December 26, 1997.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David W. Brokaw, Wine, Beer and
Spirits Regulations Branch, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms,
650 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20226, (202) 927-8230.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On August 23, 1978, ATF published Treasury Decision ATF-53 (43 FR
37672, 54624) revising regulations in 27 CFR part 4. These regulations
allow the establishment of definitive viticultural areas. The
regulations allow the name of an approved viticultural area to be used
as an appellation of origin on wine labels and in wine advertisements.
On October 2, 1979, ATF published Treasury Decision ATF-60 [44 FR
56692] which added a new part 9 to 27 CFR, providing for the listing of
approved American viticultural areas, the names of which may be used as
appellations of origin.
Section 4.25a(e)(1), Title 27, CFR, defines an American
viticultural area as a delimited grape-growing region distinguishable
by geographic features, the boundaries of which have been delineated in
subpart C of part 9.
Section 4.25a(e)(2), Title 27, CFR, outlines the procedure for
proposing an American viticultural area. Any interested person may
petition ATF to establish a grape-growing region as a viticultural
area. The petition should include:
(a) Evidence that the name of the proposed viticultural area is
locally and/or nationally known as referring to the area specified in
the petition;
(b) Historical or current evidence that the boundaries of the
viticultural area are as specified in the petition;
(c) Evidence relating to the geographical characteristics (climate,
soil, elevation, physical features, etc.) which distinguish the
viticultural features of the proposed area from surrounding areas;
(d) A description of the specific boundaries of the viticultural
area, based on features which can be found on United States Geological
Survey (U.S.G.S.) maps of the largest applicable scale, and;
(e) A copy (or copies) of the appropriate U.S.G.S. map(s) with the
proposed boundaries prominently marked.
Petition
Mr. Steve Alden of Alden Ranch Vineyards petitioned ATF on behalf
of the Mendocino Ridge Quality Alliance for the establishment of a new
viticultural area located within the boundaries of Mendocino County,
California, to be known as ``Mendocino Ridge.'' There are currently six
producing vineyards in the ``Mendocino Ridge'' viticultural area.
Given the unusual nature of the area, ATF requested public comment
in Notice No. 848 on specific questions regarding the supporting
evidence. ATF pointed out that the viticultural area would include only
the land above a certain elevation within the boundaries described.
Thus, ATF wished to solicit public comment on the following questions
about the geographic
[[Page 55513]]
distinctiveness of the non-contiguous areas in the petition:
1. Do the non-contiguous sites in the proposed viticultural area
have such similar climate, soil, and other characteristics that they
can be considered as a single or common grape growing region?
2. Is the actual land included within the proposed viticultural
area at the 1200 foot (and above) elevation line reasonably
distinguishable from the adjacent land that is not included?
3. Does the totality of the geographic evidence regarding the
proposed viticultural area support the application of a reasonable
proximity rule to exclude widely scattered but otherwise similar
locations from being included within the proposed grape-growing region?
Comments
No comments were received in response to Notice No. 848.
Evidence That the Name of the Area Is Locally or Nationally Known
The name Mendocino Ridge has been chosen as the name of the
viticultural area because the area is widely known by that name. Many
books and magazines have historically referred to the viticultural area
as the Mendocino Ridge. For example, in 1988 the winery, Kendall-
Jackson, wrote:
* * * the vines in the Mariah vineyard are subject to the same
complicated climatic variables that have caused wine experts to hail
the Mendocino Coastal Ridge as one of the world's greatest Zinfandel
regions.''
More recently, in an article published in the February 1994 issue
of Gourmet Magazine, wine writer Gerald Asher wrote:
In Mendocino there's an equally wide divide between the tense
and concentrated Zinfandels produced from old vines planted by turn-
of-the-century Italian immigrants who settled the exposed, high
ridges between Anderson Valley and the Pacific and the subtly urbane
wines from vineyards almost as old but planted in milder and better-
protected sites around Ukiah and in the adjacent McDowell and
Redwood valleys. (Emphasis added)
Gerald Asher further stated that:
The revival of California Zinfandel as a serious varietal wine
began with the rediscovery of forgotten patches of old vines such as
those on the Mendocino Ridge, most of them tucked away among
hillside orchards. Jed Steele started to make wine from old
Mendocino Ridge Zinfandel vines at the Edmeades Vineyard & Winery in
Anderson Valley in the early 1970's.
The six vineyards within the ``Mendocino Ridge'' viticultural area
are known by locals and wine writers as the ``Mendocino Ridge''
vineyards. The area encompasses many named coastal ridges; i.e.,
McGuire Ridge, Zeni Ridge, Phelps Ridge, Signal Ridge, Campbell Ridge,
German Ridge, Hanes Ridge, Adams Ridge, Cliff Ridge, Greenwood Ridge,
McAllister Ridge, Brandt Ridge, Lambert Ridge, Mariah Ridge, Fleming
Ridge, Mikes Ridge, Yellow Hound Ridge, Johnny Woodin Ridge, Hog Ranch
Ridge, Hog Pen Ridge, Steve's Ridge, Ponds Ridge, Brytan Ridge, and
Pearly Ridge. The area also encompasses various ``mountain peaks;''
i.e., Cold Spring Mountain, Lookout Mountain, Bald Hill Dry Bridge
Mountain, Eureka Hill, Gualala Mountain, Red Rock Mountain, Snook
Mountain and Rockpile Peak. These ``mountain peaks'' are generally no
higher than points on the ridge. These ridges and peaks create the
water shed for the Gualala River, Garcia River, Alder Creek, Elk Creek,
Greenwood Creek, and the Navarro River. The ``Mendocino Ridge''
viticultural area encompasses only ridge-tops which reach an elevation
of 1200 feet or higher in the Coastal Zone of southwestern Mendocino
County. The boundary encompasses approximately 410 square miles or
about 262,400 acres which was necessary to include the numerous ridge-
tops comprising the grape growing areas. ATF is not aware of any grapes
being grown at the lower elevations in the area below the 1200 foot
coastal fog line.
Historical or Current Evidence That the Boundaries of the Viticultural
Area are as Specified in the Petition
Many articles have been written in wine periodicals and books over
the years about the unique and distinctive wines produced from grapes
grown within the ``Mendocino Ridge'' viticultural area. For example,
Making Sense of California Wine by Matt Kramer (1992, William Morrow
and Co., N.Y.) states:
There aren't many ridge vineyards but, as Spencer Tracy said in
Pat and Mike, `What's there is cherce.' Even more unexpected is the
grape variety: Zinfandel. Such ridge vineyards as Ciapusci Vineyard,
Mariah Vineyard, Zeni Vineyard, and DuPratt Vineyard create some of
the greatest Zinfandels in California. All are found between 1,400
feet and 2,400 feet in elevation. Jed Steele, the former winemaker
for Kendall-Jackson, sought out these grapes and demanded an
audience for them. The winery continues to issue named-vineyard
Zinfandels from several of these vineyards, all of them
extraordinary. (Id. at 218, emphasis added).
The petitioner also cited from Coastal Ridge Zinfandel, by Jed
Steele Ridge Review, Volume V, No. 1 (1995, The Ridgetimes Press,
Mendocino, CA). On page 7 it states:
That certain grape varieties, grown in specific geographical
locations, produce distinctive wines that are sought after by
appreciators of fine wine is a given phenomenon in the world of
viticulture and enology. Illustrations of such situations are Pinot
Noir when grown in Burgundy, the White Riesling when grown in the
Mosel Valley of Germany, and the Cabernet Sauvignon when grown in
the Rutherford-Oakville region of the Napa Valley. Zinfandel, when
grown in the Coastal range of Mendocino County, roughly between the
points where the Navarro River and Gualala River empty into the
ocean, is in my mind such a classic match of grape variety with a
particular climate, one that leads to the ultimate in winemaking
fruit. (Emphasis added.)
The cultivation of vineyards in the Mendocino Ridge began with the
first Italian settlers, who came to the area in the late 1800's to peel
tan bark. These Italian immigrants brought with them their grapes of
choice: Zinfandel, Alicante-Bouschet, Carignane, Muscat, Palomino, and
Malvasia. At one time, before Prohibition, it has been estimated that
Greenwood Ridge had some 250 acres of vineyards and Fish Rock Road had
another 150 acres of vineyards. Italian immigrant families with names
like Luccinetti, Pearli, Gianoli, Ciapusci, Soldani, and Zeni
homesteaded and planted vines along Fish Rock Road as early as the
1860's. Other Italian immigrants with names like Frati, Tovani, Giusti,
Pronsolino, and Giovanetti homesteaded along Greenwood Ridge around the
same time. According to Matt Kramer in Making Sense of California Wine
(1992):
The planting of these higher-elevation vineyards is due entirely
to an influx of Italian immigrants * * * in the 1890's * * * In
Italy, as elsewhere in Europe, grapes were found to perform better
on hillsides than on valley floors. Considering their grapes of
choice--Zinfandel, Alicante-Bouschet, Carignan, Muscat, Palomino,
and Malvasia--they were right. None of these sun-loving varieties
could have prospered in the cool, frost-prone Anderson Valley floor.
But once above the fog, the sunshine is uninterrupted. The ridge
sites rarely see the spring frosts. (Id. at 218.)
Prohibition came and many of these vineyards were removed. Of these
original vineyards planted by the Italian immigrants, three have
survived and still produce award winning wines to this day. Both the
Ciapusci and Zeni vineyards are still tended and owned by the original
families on Fish Rock Road. On Greenwood Ridge Road, the DuPratt
vineyard planted in 1916 is producing Zinfandel. In addition, the
Zenis, Ciapuscis, and DuPratts all had wineries
[[Page 55514]]
at their vineyards. Part of the Ciapusci's winery is still standing and
parts of an old wine press can be found at the DuPratt vineyard site.
Tunnels used for storing wine can be found burrowed into the mountain
at the Zeni Vineyard. Three other vineyards, Mariah Vineyards,
Greenwood Ridge Vineyards, and Alden Ranch Vineyards, have been planted
in the past 25 years.
Evidence Relating to the Geographical Features (Climate, Soil,
Elevation, Physical Features, etc.) Which Distinguish the Viticultural
Features of the Area From Surrounding Areas
The ``Mendocino Ridge'' viticultural area is shaped like a bulging
triangle with its northern apex less than a mile wide at the mouth of
the Navarro River. The southern base of the triangle is approximately
15 miles wide as it runs along the Mendocino/Sonoma County line. From
north to south the area is 36 miles long. A small segment of the
viticultural area overlaps the Anderson Valley viticultural area along
its northeastern boundary. This segment has been included in the
``Mendocino Ridge'' viticultural area because it is climatically,
geologically and enologically the same as the ``Mendocino Ridge'' area.
Again, Matt Kramer in Making Sense of California Wine (1992) states on
page 218:
Actually, the Anderson Valley is more complicated yet.
Everything so far described applies to what might be called Anderson
Valley bas. There's also an Anderson Valley haut. The AVA really
contains another, hidden appellation. Although not recognized as an
AVA, it should be. This ``hidden'' appellation is the vineyards
above the fog line, locally known as the ``ridge vineyards.'' The
name is apt: They are found on ridgelines above fourteen hundred
feet in elevation. Technically, these vineyards are Anderson Valley
AVA. In reality, they are their own world: more sun, no fog, yet
subject to the cooling temperatures that come with higher elevation.
(Emphasis added).
The grape growing region of the viticultural area encompasses the
coastal ridge above the 1200 foot elevation entirely within the Coastal
Zone in the southwest corner of Mendocino County, California. Less than
one third of the entire area, or 87,466 acres, lies above 1200 feet
elevation. Of these 87,466 acres, approximately 1500 to 2000 acres or
2% of the narrow timber covered ridge-tops are suitable for grape
production. There are approximately 75 acres of grapes currently
growing within the boundaries of the viticultural area. These 75 acres
are located in isolated pockets carved out of dense redwood and douglas
fir forest along the ridge-tops above the coastal fog line. Summer
mornings are characterized by ``lakes of fog'' with the ridge-tops
protruding like ``small islands'' soaking up the cool morning sun.
Topography
The ``Mendocino Ridge'' area is characterized by narrow irregular
ridges that have a high elevation point of 2736 feet at Cold Spring
Mountain. The side-slopes are steep and timber covered, with slopes
often exceeding 70%, making these areas unplantable. Because of the
steepness and narrowness of the ridge-tops, farmable acreage is at a
premium. Rarely in the viticultural area, does a ridge-top vineyard
exceed 30 acres in one continuous block.
The ``Mendocino Ridge'' terrain can be sharply contrasted with the
surrounding areas. To the west is the Pacific Ocean. To the northeast
is the valley lowlands of the Anderson Valley viticultural area. The
grapes grown in this area are planted in the fertile alluvial soils
along the Navarro River. To the southeast are the long, sloping
hillsides of the Yorkville benchland area. Grapes grown in this area
have been traditionally planted on the bottom lands and on the hillside
benches to the east of Highway 128. To the south is the Sonoma/
Mendocino County line and the Sonoma Coast viticultural area.
Soils
The soils are unique to this triangle of rugged, timber-covered
ridge-top area and have been shown to be distinct from the surrounding
area's soils. Climatically, this area sits entirely within the Coastal
Zone and receives the cooling influences of the Pacific Ocean which
surround these ridges and peaks with fog, making these ridges into what
the petitioner calls ``cool, sun-soaked islands in the sky.'' The
``Mendocino Ridge'' viticultural area also receives a significantly
greater amount of annual rainfall than the surrounding areas.
The soils within the ``Mendocino Ridge'' viticultural area have
been identified by the Soil Conservation Service in a National
Cooperative Soil Survey, a joint effort of the United States Department
of Agriculture and other Federal agencies, State agencies including the
Agricultural Experiment Stations and local agencies.
The area is dominated by timber type soils and is clearly separated
from surrounding soils at the ``Mendocino Ridge'' boundary. To the west
is the Pacific Ocean. To the northeast are the fertile alluvial valley
soils of the Anderson Valley and to the southeast are the upland grass
range soils of the Yorkville area. To the south is the county line and
the Sonoma Coast Appellation.
Moreover, the ``Mendocino Ridge'' viticultural area is dominated by
soils that fall into the general soil category of Ustic-isomesic type
soils. These soils lie mainly between 500 feet and 2000 feet elevation
within the zone of coastal influence. The soil does receive some
moisture added by the tree canopy which causes water to precipitate
from the fog. However, the fog influence is less pronounced at the
upper elevations. It is less dense and does not blanket this zone as
frequently as at the lower elevations. The soils are dry for part of
the summer and there is little variation between summer and winter soil
temperatures at 20 inches of depth. Redwood is the most reliable
indicator of this zone. Redwood can often comprise 15 to 50 percent of
the tree canopy with douglas fir, tanoak, and Pacific madrone being the
other dominant species. The understory vegetation is often a dense
thicket of California huckleberry and tanoak.
The specific soil types that dominate the ``Mendocino Ridge''
viticultural area are identified as follows:
1. Zeni
This soil is moderately deep and well-drained fine-loamy type soil.
Typically, the loam surface layer is underlain by a loam subsoil. Soft
sandstone is at a depth of 20 to 40 inches. Slopes range from 9 to 75
percent. The vegetation is mainly Douglas fir and redwood. Average pH
is 5.7.
2. Yellowhound
This soil is deep and well-drained. Typically, the gravelly loam
surface is underlain by an extremely gravelly loam subsoil. Hard
sandstone is at a depth of 40 to 60 inches. Slopes range from 9 to 100
percent. The vegetation is mainly Douglas fir and redwood. Average pH
is 5.6.
3. Ornbaun
This subsoil is deep and well-drained, with little or no seasonal
fluctuation in soil temperature. Typically, the loam surface layer is
underlain by a loam and clay loam subsoil. Soft sandstone is found
underneath at a depth of 40 to 60 inches. This soil occurs on hilly and
mountainous uplands with slopes of 9 to 75 percent. The vegetation is
mainly Douglas fir and redwood. Average pH is not available.
4. Gube
This soil is moderately deep, well-drained soil formed in material
weathered from sandstone. Gube soils
[[Page 55515]]
are on mountains and have slopes of 30 to 75 percent. The vegetation is
mainly Douglas fir and redwood. Average pH is 5.4.
5. Fish Rock
This soil is a shallow, well-drained soil formed in material
weathered from sandstone or mudstone. Fish Rock soils are on ridgetops
and upper sideslopes of coastal hills and mountains and have slopes of
2 to 30 percent. The vegetation is mainly Douglas fir and redwood.
Average pH is 4.8.
6. Snook Series
This soil is a very shallow, somewhat excessively drained soil
formed in material weathered from sandstone and shale. Snook soils are
on mountains and have slopes of 30 to 75 percent. The vegetation is
mainly Douglas fir and redwood. Average pH is 5.6.
7. Kibesillah
This soil is moderately deep and well-drained and was formed in
material weathered from sandstone. Kibesillah soils are on hills and
mountains and have slopes of 9 to 100 percent. The vegetation is mainly
Douglas fir and redwood. Average pH is 5.5
The above soils contrast with the soils to the northeast and
southeast of the ``Mendocino Ridge'' viticultural area. Along the
northeast border of the ``Mendocino Ridge'' viticultural area are the
deep alluvial soils of the Anderson Valley and Mendocino viticultural
area bottom land. These fertile soils were identified by the USDA soil
conservation service of the Mendocino County bottom lands completed in
1973. These soils are: CeB, Cole Clay Loam Wet; JaF, Jesephine Loam;
TaC, Talmadge; Gravelly Sandy Loam; SeB, San Ysidro Loam; EdA, Esparto
Silt Loam, Wet; PbC, Pinole Gravelly Loam; MdB, Maywood Sandy Loam,
occasionally flooded, and; FcA, Fluvents, frequently flooded. Along the
southeast border of the ``Mendocino Ridge'' viticultural area are the
Xeric-mesic soils of the Yorkville corridor east of Highway 128 along
the sweeping, grassy, oak studded slopes. These soils are grass, oak,
and brush covered. The Yorkville soils are subject to little or no
coastal influence, unlike the soils in the ``Mendocino Ridge''
viticultural area which are dominated by the coastal influence. Soils
are usually dry from early June to October. The soil temperature at 20
inches in depth varies by more than 9 degrees between summer and winter
unlike the Ustic-isomestic soils of the ``Mendocino Ridge''
viticultural area which do not vary. The vegetation types commonly
found on Xeric-mesic soils are interior live oak, California black oak,
Oregon white oak, Eastwood manzanita, toyon rose, bedstraw and annual
bromes. The specific Xeric-mesic type soils of the Yorkville upland
area contrast with the soils in the ``Mendocino Ridge'' viticultural
area.
In summary, the soils of the ``Mendocino Ridge'' viticultural area
are dominated by ``timber'' type soils with redwood, Douglas fir,
tanoak, and Pacific madrone being the dominant vegetation. These soils
are well drained and have little or no summer to winter soil
temperature variations. In contrast, the soils of the surrounding areas
are the deep alluvial Anderson Valley soils to the northeast and the
upland rangeland soils of the Yorkville area to the southwest.
Climate
The ``Mendocino Ridge'' viticultural area lies entirely within the
Coastal Climate Zone as defined by The Climate Of Mendocino County, a
booklet published by the Mendocino County Farm and Home Advisors
Office. The Coastal Climate Zone is cooled by the ocean influence of
the Pacific. This Zone is continuous from north to south along the
``Mendocino Ridge'' viticultural area boundary and is commonly referred
to as the redwood belt. The area is dominated by the influence of the
Pacific Ocean at its western border throughout the year, unlike the
area to the east of the ``Mendocino Ridge'' viticultural area which is
within the Transitional Climate Zone. ``Transitional'' means the area's
climate is subject to both the ocean's cooling influences and the
warmth of the interior areas at different times of the year.
The ``Mendocino Ridge'' viticultural area is unique from other
coastal viticultural areas because of its elevation of 1200 feet or
higher. The elevation line being at approximately the fog line means
that while the valleys may be full of coastal fog, the vineyards are
fully exposed to the sun while receiving the cooling influences of the
fog.
The ``Mendocino Ridge'' area has both a rainy and dry season of
moderate temperature. The rainy season occurs from November through
May. The average annual temperature for the area is about 53 degrees
Fahrenheit, and the average annual precipitation is 75+ inches a year.
Because of the area's coastal influence the average length of the
growing season is from 275 to 300 days.
The climate in the adjacent growing regions is strikingly
different. In the Yorkville Area, east of Highway 128, long, sweeping
slopes lie within the Transitional Climatic Zone, receiving much more
sun and inland weather influences. These inland weather influences mean
the Yorkville area's average temperatures are cooler in the winter and
hotter in the summer and the growing season is shorter, averaging
between 250 and 275 days in length. The average annual precipitation is
only 49.46 inches a year. Source: The Climate of Mendocino County,
Mendocino County Farm and Home Advisors Office, page 10. With regard to
Anderson Valley, it lies under the fog layer, receiving fewer sunlight
hours than the ``Mendocino Ridge,'' grape growing areas which are
entirely above the fogline. The average annual precipitation is only
40.68 inches a year. Source: The Climate of Mendocino County, Mendocino
County Farm and Home Advisors Office, page 10.
Boundaries
The boundary lines of the ``Mendocino Ridge'' viticultural area
closely follow the line of Coastal Zone influence, above 1200 feet
elevation in the southwest corner of Mendocino County, California. The
boundaries of the area may be found on the following U.S. Department of
Interior Geological Survey 15 minute series Quadrangle maps:
(1) Ornbaun Valley Quadrangle, California, 1960
(2) Navarro Quadrangle, California, 1961.
(3) Point Arena Quadrangle, California, 1960.
(4) Boonville Quadrangle, California, 1959.
Paperwork Reduction Act
The provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C.
Chapter 35, and its implementing regulations, 5 CFR Part 1320, do not
apply to this notice because no requirement to collect information is
proposed.
Regulatory Flexibility Act
It is hereby certified that this regulation will not have a
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
The establishment of a viticultural area is neither an endorsement nor
approval by ATF of the quality of wine produced in the area, but rather
an identification of an area that is distinct from surrounding areas.
ATF believes that the establishment of viticultural areas merely allows
wineries to more accurately describe the origin of their wines to
consumers, and helps
[[Page 55516]]
consumers identify the wines they purchase. Thus, any benefit derived
from the use of a viticultural area name is the result of the
proprietor's own efforts and consumer acceptance of wines from that
region. No new requirements are proposed. Accordingly, a regulatory
flexibility analysis is not required.
Executive Order 12866
It has been determined that this regulation is not a significant
regulatory action as defined by Executive Order 12866. Accordingly,
this final rule is not subject to the analysis required by this
Executive Order.
Drafting Information
The principal author of this document is David W. Brokaw, Wine,
Beer, and Spirits Regulations Branch, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and
Firearms.
List of Subjects in 27 CFR Part 9
Administrative practices and procedures, Consumer protection,
Viticultural areas, Wine.
Authority and Issuance
Title 27, Code of Federal Regulations, part 9, American
Viticultural Areas, is amended as follows:
PART 9--AMERICAN VITICULTURAL AREAS
1. The authority citation for part 9 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 27 U.S.C. 205.
Subpart C--Approved American Viticultural Areas
Par. 2. Subpart C is amended by adding Sec. 9.158 to read as
follows:
* * * * *
Sec. 9.152 Mendocino Ridge.
(a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this
section is ``Mendocino Ridge.''
(b) Approved maps. The appropriate maps for determining the
boundary of the Mendocino Ridge viticultural area are four 1:62,500
scale U.S.G.S. topographical maps. They are titled:
(1) Ornbaun Valley Quadrangle, California, 15 minute series
topographic map, 1960.
(2) Navarro Quadrangle, California, 15 minute series topographic
map, 1961.
(3) Point Arena Quadrangle, California, 15 minute series
topographic map, 1960.
(4) Boonville Quadrangle, California, 15 minute series topographic
map, 1959.
(c) Boundary. The Mendocino Ridge viticultural area is located
within Mendocino County, California. Within the boundary description
that follows, the viticultural area starts at the 1200 foot elevation
(contour line) and encompasses all areas at or above the 1200 foot
elevation line. The boundaries of the Mendocino Ridge viticultural
area, using landmarks and points of reference found on appropriate
U.S.G.S. maps, follow.
(1) Beginning at the Mendocino/Sonoma County line at the mouth of
the Gualala River, where the Gualala River empties into the Pacific
Ocean, in section 27 of Township 11 North (T11N), Range 5 West (R5W),
located in the southeastern portion of U.S.G.S. 15 minute series map,
``Point Arena, California;''
(2) Then following the Mendocino/Sonoma County line eastward to the
southeast corner of section 8 in T11N/R13W, on the U.S.G.S. 15 minute
map, ``Ornbaun Valley, California;''
(3) Then from the southeast corner of section 8 in T11N/R13W
directly north approximately 3+ miles to the southwest corner of
section 9 in T12N/R13W;
(4) Then proceeding in a straight line in a northwesterly direction
to the southwestern corner of section 14 in T13N/R14W;
(5) Then directly north along the western line of section 14 in
T13N/R14W to a point on the western line of section 14 approximately
\1/4\ from the top where the Anderson Valley viticultural area boundary
intersects the western line of section 14 in T13N/R14W;
(6) Then in a straight line, in a northwesterly direction, to the
intersection of an unnamed creek and the south section line of section
14, T14N/R15W, on the U.S.G.S. 15 minute series map, ``Boonville,
California;''
(7) Then in a westerly direction along the south section lines of
sections 14 and 15 in T14N/R15W to the southwest corner of section 15,
T14N/R15W, on the U.S.G.S. 15 minute series map, ``Navarro,
California;''
(8) Then in a northerly direction along the western section lines
of sections 15, 10, and 3 in T14N/R15W in a straight line to the
intersection of the Navarro River on the western section line of
section 3 in T14N/R15W;
(9) Then in a northwesterly direction along the Navarro River to
the mouth of the river where it meets the Pacific Ocean in section 5 of
T15N/R17W;
(10) Then in a southern direction along the Mendocino County
coastline to the Mendocino/Sonoma County line to the beginning point at
the mouth of the Gualala River in section 27 of T11N/R15W, on the
U.S.G.S. 15 minute series map, ``Point Arena, California.''
Signed: September 3, 1997.
John W. Magaw,
Director.
Approved: September 24, 1997.
John P. Simpson,
Deputy Assistant Secretary (Regulatory, Tariff and Trade Enforcement).
[FR Doc. 97-28280 Filed 10-24-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-31-P