Harvard Buying Santa Barbara Vineyard Land

Harvard University is investing in the future of Santa Barbara County grapevines, as last month its endowment managers spent $10.1 million for a 7,622-acre cattle ranch in the Cuyama Valley. The property is located at the corner of Highway 166 an Cottonwood Canyon Road, extending east toward New Cuyama until School House Canyon. The purchase was made through Brodiaea Inc., according to a report by the Farmland Investor Center, and follows $61 million being spent by Brodiaea for another 10,176 acres in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. The purchases are being managed by a group called Grapevine Capital Partners, a 2012 company owned by James Ontiveros and Matt Turrentine.