OUR ESTATE VINEYARD

"We planted Alta Colina Vineyard off Adelaida Road in the Coast Range in an area noted for producing premium wine grapes. Our property varies in elevation from 1600 to 1780 feet, with steep North and South facing slopes. Soils are shallow, well drained loam with a high concentration of fractured shale throughout the growth horizon. Alta Colina lies on the hilltops of a 130 acre ranch, with 31 acres planted to vineyard. There are 15 blocks—each carefully matched with the optimum rootstock, variety, spacing, trellis, and orientation for the soil in that particular block. At minimum, we make 4 passes through the vineyard each season. In March, we prune the vines to set up the canopy and to determine the maximum fruit load for the coming year. Later in the spring, we go back through to thin shoots, removing pesky buds that have pushed in undesired locations. During the summer, we make a pass to drop fruit clusters above the quantity we deem appropriate for top wine quality. And finally, we hand harvest in the fall and take our crop to the winery!" 

"The history of Bien Nacido can be traced back to the year 1837, when a Spanish land grant of some two square leagues was secured by Tomas Olivera from Juan Bautista Alvarado, then Gobernador of Alta California. In 1969, the Millers, a fifth-generation California farming family purchased a stretch of land in California’s then-nascent Santa Maria Valley wine country. By the early 1970’s, the Miller Family had planted the vineyard land, and christened it Bien Nacido Vineyards. Since that time, winemakers throughout California coveted the fruit from this singular piece of land. Heavily influenced by the nearby Pacific Ocean, pinot noir, chardonnay, and syrah have found great expression here. The terroir of Bien Nacido Vineyards is a combination of the rocky soils, cool climate and good people that work the vineyard on a daily basis."

"This property was part of the original Rancho Santa Rita land grant that was given in 1845 by Governor Pio Pico to José Ramón Malo. In 1870, John Wise purchased our portion of the Rancho Santa Rita. Wise was a partner in Christy & Wise, which was the largest wool merchant on the pacific coast. My brother and I purchased the 514 acre property in 2015. By 2016, we were able to plant 37 acres of vines, a third of which was own-rooted (meaning without grafting any rootstock). We selected Syrah, Grenache and graciano for the wind tolerance and my favorite wines. Pinot noir for is market popularity. Chardonnay since it’s my wife’s favorite and Viognier to co-ferment with Syrah. This vineyard was planted to minimize inputs, particularly labor and water. We researched winegrowing and farming methods from the late 19th and early 20th centuries in California and Europe and combined them with latest research to grow high quality winegrapes efficiently and with limited environmental impact.
We have been practicing biodynamic methods since we purchased it and received our Demeter Biodynamic® certification in 2019. We believe that working with nature is far more productive and efficient in producing grapes with exceptional characteristics."

"Ron Denner finally found exactly what he was looking for in the far western reaches of Paso Robles in 1997. He began planting the first few acres in 1999, which has now grown to a total of 130-acres, consisting of 20 different grape varieties and counting. Our 156 acres press up against the Santa Lucia Range, giving the site great diversity of elevation, aspect and soil. Previously dry farmed barley, the estate is nestled into the Templeton Gap, an East/West corridor where the marine layer can reach the inland valleys. As a result we receive large diurnal temperature swings without high moisture pressure, giving us a near perfect growing climate."

"Family owned and organically farmed, Donnachadh Vineyard is located on Santa Rosa Road, in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA of Santa Barbara County.  The property is 285 acres with approximately 40 acres under vine.  We grow Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah and a little bit of Gamay Noir. The climate of the Santa Rita Hills is dominated by the Pacific Ocean, which lies about 9 miles from the vineyard.  Morning fog cools the grapes and consistent afternoon ocean breezes keep heat from building up over the course of the day." 

"Fulldraw began in 2012 when Connor McMahon jumped on the opportunity to acquire a 100-acre vineyard site in the Templeton Gap of west side Paso Robles. With six years of winemaking and farming experience at adjacent property, Booker Vineyard, he understood that with its limestone soils and cooling maritime influences, this was a place where the Rhone varieties he loved would thrive. Connor works closely with crew members following organic farming practices in order to best take advantage of the site's demanding soil and extreme exposures"

"Nestled into the rolling hills of the northwest corner of Edna Valley, Jespersen lies four miles from the Pacific Ocean, and derives much of its personality from the coastal influence. The growing season is long and cool with average daytime temperatures in the 70s balanced by early morning fog and mid-afternoon ocean breezes. The soils at Jespersen are very different from Paso Robles with dark, organic clay topsoil and a sandy subsoil. The result is well-drained vigorous soils where the challenge in growing high quality grapes is controlling abundant vigor. This vineyard was designed from the beginning for high quality viticulture with high density plantings, shallow rooting rootstock and a diversity of clones."

"John Sebastiano is a newer vineyard on the eastern side of Sta. Rita Hills with a variety of microclimates, planted in 2007, it's named for the vineyards two proprietors, John Wagner and Sebastian Sterpa. The vineyard has 150 acres planted, of which 104 acres are Pinot Noir composed of 48 distinct and unique situations. John Sebastiano Vineyard is located on the extreme Eastern edge of the Santa Rita Hills appellation, as such, it is in a warmer part of the valley. Soils here are clay-loam underlaid by limestone, and vary greatly in depth due to the nature of the slopes and swales. Situated on steep slopes that face directly west and into the winds that blow in off the Pacific Ocean limits yields resulting in concentrated flavors."

"This steep, hilly region with limestone soil and a maritime cooling influence keep it 10 to 15 degrees cooler than the town of Paso Robles to the east. To date, we own over 180 acres of planted vineyard on the West side of Paso Robles located in 3 of Paso Robles' 11 Viticulture districts. The climate on the west side is very extreme. It is common during the growing season for the temperature on the west side to drop from 90 degrees at 3 pm, to 65 degrees by 6 pm, and then to 40 degrees at night. We believe this area of limited water, shallow, rugged, rocky, calcareous soil produce some of the finest wines in Paso Robles, and among the finest in California."

"Located on the eastern end of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA on Santa Rosa Road, Peake Ranch is a 105-acre parcel with 50 acres of vines. The plantings include seven different clones of Pinot Noir, three clones of Chardonnay and two each of Syrah and Grenache. The plantings are all along a hill that covers most of the ranch, exposing the vines to the cool air that comes off the Pacific and into the Santa Ynez Valley. The combination of North, South, East and West facing slopes coupled with the exposure to varying degrees of the cool wind give the vineyard a diversity of fruit flavor profiles that is unique for a ranch of our size."

"Planted in 2005, the vineyard totals 39 acres with 22 acres of Syrah, 7 acres of Grenache, 3 acres each of Pinot Noir  and Albarino, 2 acres of Tempranillo and a little over an acre each of Marsanne and Viognier. The Rhône varieties have done very well in our area. The site consists of 3 rolling hills and a meadow with a variety of slopes, orientations and soils. The vine spacing is 9 feet between rows and 5 feet between vines while the row directions vary according to the slope. Wind has an impact on the western slopes of the vineyard."