Our Fruits
Our carefully selected fruit, and our relationships with our growers, are at the heart of our wines. We work with small growers and value long-term relationships. We are particularly drawn to the many expressions of Sonoma County, from the cool, windy, fog-bound areas of the Petaluma Gap, Sebastopol Hills, Green Valley, and Sonoma Coast AVAs, to the relatively warmer temperatures and rich soils of the Russian River valley south west of Healdsburg.
While we do work with some folks opportunistically from vintage to vintage, we particularly value our long-term relationships with the following growers:
Devoto Garden Vineyard
Sebastopol, California
The Devoto Garden Vineyard is a ridge-top site on Gold Ridge road near Sebastopol, in the Green Valley of Russian River Valley AVA. Stan Devoto has been farming this site for over 25 years, primarily for apples and cut flowers, and now Pinot Noir since 2006.
Green Valley is recognized as the foggiest and coolest part of Russian River and is reknowned for its well-drained Goldridge soil. Devoto Garden is certainly representative: bright cool days, fog-bound evenings, and with three carefully managed blocks of Pinot Noir planted in well-drained Goldridge sandy loam. Stan planted approximately 3 acres in 2006 with Dijon clone 828. An additional 3+ acres dedicated to Dijon clones 115 and 667 were planted in 2007. Working and learning with Stan and his daughter Jolie from vintage to vintage is one of the true pleasures of this business.
Inspiration Vineyard
Santa Rosa, California
Inspiration Vineyard is a small, well-tended site along acclaimed Olivet Road in the Russian River AVA. Jon Phillips owns and carefully farms 3.5 acres of clone #4 Chardonnay, most of which he dedicates to his own wines. His stewardship of the vineyard and his flexibility and generosity in dealing with us are the real backbone to our delicious Chardonnay.
This area of the valley is renowned for its fog-bound nights and mornings, leading to impressive acid retention and beautiful flavors of green apple and orange rind from these mature vines. We pick from the northern side of the block, walking west from Olivet Road.
Los Amigos Vineyard
Healdsburg, California
Los Amigos Vineyard is a collection of blocks of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sangiovese on the east side of highway 101 in the rolling hills south of Healdsburg, farmed by the folks at Hook and Ladder — long-time growers in the Russian River still led by Cecil DeLoach. Working with vineyard man Lew Peterson and the folks at Hook and Ladder is a true pleasure, always very straightforward and down to earth.
Our Cabernet Franc comes from a select few rows which they’ve had the graciousness to let me thin as I like as harvest approaches. These mature vines produce a ripe, luxurious Cabernet Franc with dark dusty blueberry flavors, grip on the palate, and just the right amount of pyrazine.