Planted in 1993 our 3 acres of Merlot is clone 3 known for consistantly producing berries with fruity, complex flavors, and 1 acre of Cabernet Sauvignon clone 8.
Located 'up valley' at an elevation of 450 feet, we are in an ideal location to grow Bordeaux reds. The cooling effect of the Pacific Ocean produces day/night temperature swings of 40 degrees or more. Our thin, rocky soil is on a south slope which provides plenty of summer heat and excellent air drainage. We never worry about frost damage or underripe fruit. To optimize our location, we planted the vineyard with north/south rows. Vines are spur pruned on a quadrilateral cordon system with a vertical shoot position trellis. Cordon separation starts at three feet at the fruiting wire and spreads to four feet at the top foliage wires. Eleven foot row spacing ensures adequate sunlight into the vine canopy.
The vineyard is divided into five blocks with different rootstocks chosen to take advantage of the vineyard's varying soil conditions. Each block has its own irrigation schedule that we closely monitor for the health of the vines as well as the quality of the fruit.
| BLOCK | CLONE | ROOTSTOCK | SPACING | NUMBER OF VINES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Merlot clone 3 | 1103P | 8' x 11' | 700 |
| #2 | Merlot clone 3 | 3309 | 8' x 11' | 425 |
| #3 | Merlot clone 3 | 5C | 8' x 11' | 375 |
| #4 | Merlot clone 3 | 110R | 6' x 11' | 500 |
| #5 | Cabernet Sauvignon clone 8 | 110R | 6' x 11' | 500 |
| TOTAL | 2500 | |||
For the past twenty years we have provided quality fruit to several Sonoma Valley wineries including Kenwood and Deerfield. Currently our grapes go exclusively to The Hobo Wine company in Santa Rosa.