The AVA Committee's petition originally proposed the viticultural area named "Paso Robles Canyon Ranch.

Nevertheless, the PRAVAC and the wine growers did not want to delay the processing of the eleven AVA petitions as result of the CR License's claim of impact to its Canyon Ranch brand.

Based on the common use of the term "Highlands" throughout the United States, the words "Paso Robles" and "District" were added as modifiers to the viticultural area name.

Paso Robles Canyon Ranch dates back to the early 1900s and to one of San Luis Obispo County's pioneering businessmen.

The vast tracts of land that comprise the Canyon Ranch property were acquired in 1905 and 1915 by Bernard Sinsheimer, a well-known merchant in 19th century San Louis Obispo County.

In 1876, Bernhard and Henry purchased from Bartolo Brizzolara his "stock of general merchandise including one iron safe, platform and counter scales, [and] lamps now used in my store located on Monterey St. in San Luis Obispo."

They acted as commissioners in beans and grain, ran cattle, developed land, and supplied farmers and ranchers with goods, equipment, and loans.

Customers resided in several counties up and down the Central Coast and east into the San Joaquin Valley, and a Santa Maria branch of the store was opened during the 1880s.

The 1880s were boom years for real estate promotion in California, and land development was important even in remote San Luis Obispo County.

This branch of the Sinsheimer family eventually changed its surname to Sinton due to anti-German sentiments during World War I.

Shell Creek Vineyards grows Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chenin Blanc, and Valdiguie (formerly known as Napa Gamay).

Another vineyard by this same name is planted in the San Juan Creek viticultural area, and is the location of one of the weather data stations referenced in that petition and others prepared by the AVA Committee.

The terrain in Highlands District viticultural area includes large expanses of open landscape and grasslands, high ridges with scattered coniferous trees, and low hills and terraces that are bisected by canyons and channels incised by intermittent streams.

The open spaces and broad vistas of the Highlands District viticultural area serve as a geologic transition zone between the valley floor to the north and the La Panza Range to the south.

The soil orders within the Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area include more weakly developed Entisols along the creeks, Inceptisols on the young alluvial fans, and Mollisols on the upslope, more stable surfaces.

The soils of the Paso Robles Highlands District viticultural area have low to moderate fertility, good near surface drainage, and limited rooting depth, all of which contribute to low-vigor vineyards.

After gathering data for several years regarding climate, soils, and water, they made an initial winegrape planting of 200 acres (81 ha) in 1973.

Since then, French Camp Vineyards has grown to over 1,700 acres (690 ha) of winegrapes, with more than twenty different red and white varietals.