Santa Barbara County is large sub-region at the southern end of California's Central Coast region of the United States. The region has a history of winemaking and wine grape growing reaching back more than 200 years. The modern history of Santa Barbara has started after the Prohibition in the 60s. It is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean to the south and west, and the region's topography consist primarily of coastal hills and river valleys. The county is divided into six AVAs (American Viticultural Area) including the cool climate Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley and warmer Santa Rita Hills, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara, Ballard Canyon and Los Olivos District. The climate is generally coastal and cooler which results in higher acidity, balancing the mature flavours of the grapes and increasing their ageing potential. The soil types are various with a predominance of sandy silt and clay loams with some limestone. The most planted grapes in the cooled area are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, and in the warmer are Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Grenache. Overall the region is known for its high quality and unique styled Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, already internationally recognised.