Hames Valley
The following excerpt from www.winelaw.org gives a description of the ranch John Hames owned, although he didn't grow grapes, but, rather, sheep.
[Federal Register: March 25, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
27 CFR Part 9
[T.D. ATF-356; RE: Notice No. 783]
RIN 1512-AA07
The Hames Valley Viticultural Area (93F-009P)
AGENCY: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury.
ACTION: Final rule, Treasury decision.
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SUMMARY: This final rule establishes a viticultural area in southern Monterey County, California, to be known as ``Hames Valley.'' The petition was submitted by Mr. Barry C. Jackson of the Harmony Wine Company on behalf of Valley Farm Management, Soledad, California, and Mr. Bob Denney & Associates, Visalia, California. The establishment of viticultural areas and the subsequent use of viticultural area names as appellations of origin in wine labeling and advertising will help consumers better identify the wines they may purchase, and will help
winemakers distinguish their products from wines made in other areas.
EFFECTIVE DATE: April 25, 1994.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert White, Wine and Beer Branch, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, 650 Massachusetts Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20226 (202-927-8230).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Petition
ATF received a petition from Mr. Barry C. Jackson of the Harmony Wine Company to establish a viticultural area in southern Monterey County, California, to be known as ``Hames Valley.'' Mr. Jackson submitted the petition on behalf of Valley Farm Management, Soledad,California, and Mr. Bob Denney & Associates, Visalia, California. The Hames Valley viticultural area is located approximately three miles west of the town of Bradley and some seven miles north of Lake Nacimiento. It is located totally within the larger and previously established Monterey viticultural area. As stated in the original petition and letter from the petitioner dated April 27, 1993, there are several existing vineyards within the area that comprise approximately 630 acres planted to grapes. No wineries are currently located within the Hames Valley area. The size of the area is about sixteen square miles or approximately 10,240 acres.
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
In response to Mr. Jackson's petition, ATF published a notice of proposed rulemaking, Notice No. 783, in the Federal Register on October 27, 1993 (58 FR 57764), proposing the establishment of the Hames Valley viticultural area. The notice requested comments from all interested persons by December 27, 1993.
Comments to Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
One comment was received in response to the notice of proposed
rulemaking (Notice No. 783). The comment was from Mr. Robert H. Denney and Ms. Shelley B. Denney of Robert Denney & Associates, one of the petitioners for the establishment of the Hames Valley viticultural area. This commenter states that the existing Monterey viticultural area covers a vast geographic and climatic area, from the cool Salinas Valley floor area close to Monterey Bay to inland valleys and foothills
seventy miles to the south. According to Mr. and Ms. Denney, these southern valleys exhibit vastly different coastal influences and growing conditions. As a result, the varieties grown, their yields, quality characteristics and flavor components vary widely from Soledad on the north to Hames Valley on the south. Mr. and Ms. Denney state that, as growers and small business people, it is important to their economic well being to be able to differentiate the wine grapes they grow in Hames Valley from those produced in the cooler regions of the Monterey viticultural area. They further state that by being able to differentiate their grapes and, ultimately through their own efforts, the wineries that purchase their
grapes, as well as the consumer, can identify and seek out their product for its unique character.
Evidence That Viticultural Area Name Is Widely Known
The name Hames Valley has been associated with this area since the latter part of the nineteenth century. The petitioner cites Donald T. Clark, Monterey County Place Names, p. 201 (1991), which states that the valley was named for John Hames who had extensive land holdings in the area. In addition, the name Hames Valley appears on the U.S.G.S. Bradley Quadrangle, 15 minute series, map of Bradley, California, and also appears on the U.S.G.S. 7.5 minute series map entitled Hames Valley. Additionally, the petitioner notes that there is a creek which
runs through the valley named Hames Creek.
Evidence of Boundaries
Hames Valley is located in the eastern foothills of the Santa Lucia Range, west of the confluence of the Salinas, San Antonio, and Nacimiento Rivers. The watershed of Hames Creek is the defining feature of the appellation. Hames Valley is located wholly within the larger, previously approved Monterey viticultural area. A portion of the boundaries of the Monterey viticultural area form the northern and western boundaries of Hames Valley. Swain Valley and the Salinas River form part of the eastern boundary. The ridgeline that separates Hames
Valley from the San Antonio River forms the balance of the eastern and southern boundaries.
Geographical Features
Hames Valley is a small east-west oriented valley, west of the
generally north-south orientation of the meandering Salinas River. Formed by the watershed of Hames Creek, Hames Valley thrusts its way seven miles into the eastern flank of the Santa Lucia Mountains. Hames Creek empties into the Salinas River approximately two miles downstream from the confluence of the San Antonio and Salinas Rivers. Hames Valley is separated from the San Antonio River by a ridge averaging 1,500 feet in elevation, the highest peak at 1,984 feet. A similar ridgeline forms the northern boundary and separates Hames Valley from the Salinas River. The general topography within the valley consists of gently sloping alluvial fans and associated terraces. Drainages are generally well defined.
Soils
The petitioner submitted a composite map of the Hames Valley area compiled from the Soil Survey of Monterey County, California, U.S.D.A.
Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Forestry Service, University of
California Agricultural Experiment Station (1972). According to this map, the principal soils in the area are gravelly sandy loams of the Lockwood series. These comprise approximately 75 percent of the soil types present. Lesser amounts of Chamise shaly loams and Nacimiento silty clay loams are also present. All current viticulture takes place in the Lockwood series soils. Soils in the surrounding areas are also silty and shaly loams, but are located on 30 to 50 percent slopes and are of different compositions. The preponderance of the Lockwood shaly
clay loam and the geomorphology (flat, well defined valley floor) set the Hames Valley apart from the surrounding mountainous areas.
Climate
With regard to climate, the petitioner submitted a study by A.N. Kasimatis, Extension Viticulturist, University of California, Davis (August 7, 1970). The study shows that heat summation for the Hames Valley-Bradley area is generally in the 3200 to 3500 degree-day range. This corresponds to a warm region III, similar to the King City and Paso Robles areas. This differs from the generally cooler climate (region I/II) for the Gonzales, Soledad, and Greenfield area, farther
north. Regarding other climatic factors, the petitioner stated that rainfall in the Hames Valley area averages 10 to 12 inches annually.
The petitioner further stated that the east-west axis of the Hames Valley relative to the north-south orientation of the Salinas Valley results in a reduced wind stress factor in the Hames Valley area. Windspeed builds up later in the day and at reduced velocities relative to the ``wind-tunnel'' effect in the Gonzales-Soledad-Greenfield area. This results in shorter overall exposure to wind stress, from both a time and wind velocity standpoint.
In sum, the following factors differentiate the Hames Valley from the adjacent Salinas Valley:
(a) An east-west axis relative to the general north-south
orientation of the Salinas Valley.
(b) A generally warmer microclimate: Region III vs. region I/II.
(c) Higher overall elevation: 500 to 800 feet for Hames Valley, 100 to 500 feet for the Salinas Valley.
(d) Later daily windspeed build-up and duration of wind.
(e) More homogeneous soil profile: Hames Valley with one principal soil type; Salinas Valley, over 70 soil types.
(f) Geographically distinct and separate from the Salinas River
Valley.
Viticultural Area Boundary
The boundary of the Hames Valley viticultural area may be found on one United States Geological Survey map, entitled Bradley Quadrangle, 15 minute series, with a scale of 1:62,500. The boundary is described in Sec. 9.147.
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Sec. 9.147 Hames Valley.
(a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this
section is ``Hames Valley.''
(b) Approved maps. The appropriate map for determining the boundary of the Hames Valley viticultural area is one U.S.G.S. 15 minute series topographical map, titled Bradley Quadrangle, California, edition of 1961, with a scale of 1:62,500.
(c) Boundary. The Hames Valley viticultural area is located in
southern Monterey County in the State of California. The boundary is as follows:
(1) Beginning at the southeast corner of section 26, T. 23 S., R. 10 E., which coincides with the point where the 640 foot contour line crosses the Swain Valley drainage, the boundary proceeds in a straight line across section 26 to the northwest corner of section 26, T. 23 S.,
R. 10 E.;
(2) Then west northwest in a straight line across sections 22, 21, 20, and 19, T. 23 S., R. 10 E., to the northwest corner of section 24, T. 23 S., R. 9 E.;
(3) Then southeast in a straight line across sections 24, 25, 30, 31, and 32, to the southeast corner of section 5, T. 24 S., R. 10 E.;
(4) Then east southeast in a straight line across section 9 to the southeast corner of section 10, T. 24 S., R. 10 E.;
(5) Then east southeast in a straight line for approximately 2.25 miles to Hill 704, located in section 18, T. 24 S., R. 11 E.;
(6) Then north northwest in a straight line for approximately 1.35 miles to Hill 801, located near the northwest corner of section 7, T. 24 S., R. 11 E., and then continue in a straight line to the northwest corner of section 6, T. 24 S., R. 11 E.;
(7) Then in a generally northwesterly direction along the Salinas River for approximately 1 mile to where the Swain Valley drainage enters the Salinas River about .11 mile south of the northern boundary line of section 36, T. 23 S., R. 10 E.;
(8) Then in a westerly direction for approximately .75 mile along the Swain Valley drainage to the southeast corner of section 26, T. 23 S., R. 10 E., the point of beginning.
Signed: February 9, 1994.
Daniel R. Black,
Acting Director.
Approved: March 15, 1994.
John P. Simpson,
Deputy Assistant Secretary (Regulatory, Tariff and Trade Enforcement).
[FR Doc. 94-7066 Filed 3-24-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-31-U