The 21,300 acres (33.3 sq mi) viticultural area extends south between U.S. 101 and communities of Templeton to the west and Creston in the east, and to its southern boundary outlined by SR-41.

Its name originally dates back to the early 1900s and continues to be widely used by local residents, realtors, wineries, grape growers, and others.

Its name derives from the Latin word "pomum" meaning "edible fruit," which tells the fascinating story of agricultural evolution, from historic almond orchards to world-class vineyards.

The Santa Ysabel Land Grant and the subdivision of Eureka Rancho, both of which are generally located within the locale, have historically been associated with the El Pomar District.

In 1886, Gerd Klintworth planted a vineyard on a property that is now named Red Head Ranch, near Cripple Creek Road at the eastern edge of the El Pomar District viticultural area.

[2] In 1926, the Paso Robles Press reported:The planting of grapes have been taken up by some of the ranchers, with the result that while the vineyards are not to be counted among the largest, their quality is considered with the best.

[9]The El Pomar District viticultural area sits at the base of the La Panza Range’s foothills, and old river terraces and alluvial fans on intermediate elevations dominate the landscape.

[4] At TTB's request, the El Pomar District viticultural area's northwestern corner was adjusted westward in order to follow a road and other more easily located features rather than the now hard-to-locate former city limit line of Paso Robles.

This ridgeline, which is located along the northeastern portion of the boundary, serves as a partial barrier to marine air flowing eastward from the Pacific Ocean.

[4] Its moderate Region II climate with airflow through and across Templeton Gap area are part of the growing season, higher and older terraces east of the Salinas River, with geology Tertiary to Quaternary Paso Robles Formation and more recent alluvial deposits of Huerhuero Creek and Salinas River, grassland soils with well developed surface horizons as Mollisols, with bedrock at shallow depths in some areas covered by alluvium, oak savanna vegetation.

The hillsides and hilltop vineyards within the El Pomar District viticultural area are exposed to the cooling marine air during the growing season.

However, the growing conditions in El Pomar also allow for grapes that thrive in the cooler weather that travels in from the Templeton Gap, like Grenache or Cabernet Franc.