Ben Lomond Mountain is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Santa Cruz County, California located on the coastal edge of the Santa Cruz Mountains. It was recognized on January 8, 1988 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after evaluating the petition submitted by Mr. Michael R. Holland to establish a viticultural area to be known as "Ben Lomond Mountain." It lies within the boundaries of the multi-county Central Coast and the Santa Cruz Mountains viticultural areas. Ben Lomond Mountain viticultural area encompasses approximately 38400 acre where nine separate vineyard operations were established with approximately 69.5 acre under vine. In addition, two other vineyards are in the development stages with a proposed planting of 330 acre.

History

Commercial winegrowing began in the Ben Lomond Mountain region in 1883 with the foundation of the Ben Lomond Wine Company by F.W. Billings. The Ben Lomond Wine Company, under the management of Billings' son-in-law, J.F. Coope, brought the Ben Lomond Mountain wines out of the obscurity of the remote mountain area to stand with other quality wines in California. In 1887, Coope wrote "Ben Lomond (Mountain) as a wine district is yet in its infancy and is struggling to establish a name for itself in that industry. The wine yield of 1886 for Ben Lomond Wine Company was 280,000 gallons, chiefly Riesling, part of which was grown (by the Ben Lomond Wine Company), while a part was purchased (from neighboring vineyards)." By 1891, approximately 400 acre of wine cultivation were on Ben Lomond Mountain. The Ben Lomond Mountain wine industry declined after the turn of the century. By the end of World War II, only the 75 acre Locatelli Ranch vineyard and the 40 acre Quistorff vineyard remained. Both had been abandoned by the mid-1960's.

Viticultural Renaissance

During the 1970's Ben Lomond Mountain experienced a viticultural renaissance in and around the town of Bonny Doon. In 1972, the University of California Agricultural Extension Service released a study of climatologically prime growing areas for several commercial crops, including wine grapes. This study, entitled "California's Central Coast: Its Terrain, Climate, and Agro-Climate. Implications," established Ben Lomond Mountain as being a prime growing region for wine grape production. This report stirred the interest of several individuals in the region. Since then, nine separate vineyard operations have been established within the Ben Lomond Mountain viticultural area. The mountainous terroir ranges in altitudes from 1300 to(-) above sea level, placing it above the fog that rolls in from the Pacific Ocean, ensuring long hours of sunlight and extended growing season.