Sta. Rita Hills AVA
| Wine region | |
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
|---|---|
| Year established | 2001 2006 Abbrev: 2016 Expansion: |
| Country | United States |
| Part of | California, Central Coast AVA, Santa Ynez Valley AVA |
| Other regions in California, Central Coast AVA, Santa Ynez Valley AVA | Ballard Canyon AVA, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA, Los Olivos District AVA |
| Total area | 30,720 acres (48 sq mi) 2,296 acres (4 sq mi) |
| Size of planted vineyards | 2,700 acres (1,093 ha) |
| No. of vineyards | over 59 |
| Grapes produced | Barbera, Chardonnay, Dolcetto, Dornfelder, Grenache, Mission, Pinot blanc, Pinot gris, Pinot noir, Riesling, Sauvignon blanc, Syrah, Viognier, Zinfandel |
| No. of wineries | 54 |
| Comments | As of 2020 |
Sta. Rita Hills is an American Viticultural Area located in Santa Barbara County, California within the vast Santa Ynez Valley. The approximately 30,720 acres (48 sq mi) area was established on May 31, 2001 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Department of the Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by J. Richard Sanford (Sanford Winery) and drafted by Wesley D. Hagen (Vineyard Manager of Clos Pepe Vineyards), on behalf of viticulturists and vintners working in Santa Barbara County. The petition was signed by 22 people, 14 of whom are local wine grape growers, to establish a viticultural area encompassed by, but separate from, the Santa Ynez Valley AVA to be named "Santa Rita Hills."
From its creation in 2001 through 2005, the appellation was officially named Santa Rita Hills AVA. The formal name change was the result of a protest by and subsequent negotiations with Vina Santa Rita, a very large Chilean wine producer that was concerned about the AVA name diluting its international brand value. The name change took effect on January 5, 2006, with a yearlong period for producers in the AVA to change their wine labels.
In 2016, The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) expanded the approximately 33,380 acres (52 sq mi) “Sta. Rita Hills” viticultural area by approximately 2,296 acres (4 sq mi).