Paso or Politico?

I was under the impression that an appellation was designated based on unique and anomalous qualities present in the soil of a region, that were also visible in the wine produced. The debate, detailed on Appellation America by Laura Ness, that has come about in the Paso Robles region of California over the drawing of sub-appellate lines is at least worrisome. The core of the debate rests inside of a proposed Westside AVA. This proposal has nothing to do with soil composition but everything to do with marketing. It was echoed by proponents of the measure:

Justin Baldwin and Doug Beckett agree on one fundamental issue: this is all about “my grapes are better than yours.” It’s an Eastside vs. Westside battle of pride. Notes Baldwin, “Only 10 percent of all the grapes in Paso Robles are grown on the Westside. Let’s not miss the main theme of the plot here. It’s not where the lines are: it’s all about the quality issue.” Doug Beckett couldn't agree more. “In fairness to everyone, what is behind this? Soils? Bunk. There’s a lot more to this issue than people realize.”

This is where my dots are disconnected: We are talking specifically about an issue that pertains to soil, and the subsequent wines produced; and somehow, the above mentioned grape growers have found accessory meaning to the concept of appellate boundaries. This brings me to an analogy:

Grape growers in Paso Robles' "Westside" are to appellation consciousness, as the medieval Church was to the spherical nature of the Earth. Staring at your feet, it is very easy to assert that the Earth is flat. Equally, it is very easy to set self-motivated terms, under the banner of tradition when it is your backyard in question. You cannot effectively gauge a situation that you are in too close a proximity to.

What the grape growers in Paso need to figure out is whether or not they are comfortable with the idea that sub-dividing the appellation may have positive and negative consequences. Napa made the mistake as defining their appellation as a marketing device, proven over and over by the currant of over homogenized, median priced cabernets sauvignon that flood the market. Regional distinctiveness suggests a quality that is chosen by a wine maker, not imparted by one.
In the same regards, wine makers that can buy regional distinctiveness have no need to produce great wines if they can pass them off as produced in a region that makes great wine.

The appellate designation should be held as an immovable constant, not a flexible marketing tool. The moment it is bought, it becomes worthless. If the TTB were concerned, they would contract geologists and an unbiased tasting panel to look for distinctive qualities in the wines of Paso Robles. Until then, we have a pissing contest. Wine makers, please take care not to taint the wines.