Tim Gorham, M.S., will be presenting:
The eastern, inland area of the Santa Ynez Valley is called the Happy Canyon AVA (American Viticulture Area). This growing area has the warmest climate in the valley and is known for growing quality Cabernet Sauvignon and other red varietals. The east-west oriented basin is distinctive among North American basins, which are aligned more north-south. The basin is bounded to the north by the San Raphel Mountains and to the south by the younger Santa Ynez Mountains. The basin orientation is due to the “big bend” in the San Andreas Fault. The east-west orientation allows cool Pacific Ocean air to flow eastward creating many different microclimates where a variety of grape types are grown.
Happy Canyon soils are composed of high magnesium clays with pebbles and cobbles of Franciscan Formation metamorphic rocks and lesser amounts of clasts of Monterey shale shed from the San Raphael Mountains to the north and east. Soil plays a minor influence on the flavor of wine, which is more a result of the climate during the ripening season.
The Happy Canyon AVA lies in an ideal climate zone of between 35 degrees and 45 degrees north and south latitudes, like other quality Cabernet growing regions.
Average summertime high temperatures (July and August) are 92 degrees Fahrenheit. This can result in ripper grapes which produce higher alcohol and fruit forward wines. Rainfall averages 14-16 inches/year but is highly variable and falls in the winter and spring, requiring irrigation in the long warm summers. Seasonal variations in weather result in different qualities of grapes making the “vintage” an important determinant of grape quality and resulting wine.
Tim is a geologic consultant in the Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County. He has done geologic consulting work for private vineyard owners in the Santa Ynez Valley as well as presenting field forums on geology and viticulture for the Santa Ynez Valley Natural History Society. Tim is also a current member of the Citizen Advisory Committee for the Eastern Management Area of SGMA (Sustainable Groundwater Management Agency of the Santa Ynez Valley). He has also been active on other private water boards in the area.
Tim and his wife live in the Happy Canyon area of the eastern Santa Ynez Valley and farm an acre of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Verdot vineyard planted on their property in 2006.
Tim grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico and has a geology degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder (B.A., 1974) and a Master of Science degree in geology from the University of New Mexico (M.S., 1979). After graduate school he spent 15 years working as a petroleum geologist with the Exxon/Mobil Corporation and then managed his own energy company in Houston, Texas for the next 15 years before moving to the Santa Ynez Valley in 2003.
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