Viticulture

1 a: the cultivation or culture of grapes especially for winemaking b: the science, art , or process of cultivating grapes

If I was a chef, I would frequent all the local farmer’s markets and farms to gather my ingredients for the week. As a winemaker, I do the same thing and feel so inspired to gather my grapes from the most amazing and dynamic vineyards in the world that happen to be in my own backyard.

There have been three occasions in the last 22 years where I could have purchased a vineyard and gone in the direction of having estate wine, each time I chose another direction with my funds because giving up the opportunity to make wine from each of these regions would have been a total loss to our winemaking program.

Santa Ynez Valley

The Santa Ynez Valley is the longest transverse valley (east to west) found in the western hemisphere. This special growing region that I am lucky enough to call home, is diverse, gorgeous and produces the most phenomenal wine.

Sta. Rita Hills

Our winery sits just outside the Sta. Rita Hills. We source all of our Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and occasionally (if we are lucky) some Syrah from this area. The soil is a combination limestone, diatomaceous earth (DE) and rich clay loam. Some of the vineyards we source from are Zotovich Vineyard, Lafond Vineyard, Evan’s Ranch, Kessler Haak, and La Encantada… just to name a few.

The Sta. Rita Hills, which run from Buellton (east) to Lompoc (west) and is between the Purisima Hills (North) and the Sta. Rita Hills (South), is a growing region incredibly close to the Pacific Ocean. The grapes enjoy cool and foggy mornings almost all year long and have a long ripening season from June to October.

Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara

The warmest among the sub-AVAs is Happy Canyon which lies east of Highway 154 and the town of Santa Ynez. This area is known for Bordeaux varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. For years, we have used Grenache grapes grown at Vogelzang Vineyard to make our Rosé. Happy Canyon Vineyard and Grimms Bluff are two other beautiful sites that we are lucky to source fruit from.

Ballard Canyon

Another incredible growing region is Ballard Canyon where we source most of our Syrah and Grenache. Ballard Canyon sits between Buellton (west) and Los Olivos (east). The rolling hills, which are blessed with sunshine almost all year long, are filled with chalk and very rich soil that helps thirsty vines thrive. Over the years, we have worked with Larner, Harrison Clarke, Rancho Ysidro, and Boa Vista Vineyards.

Los Olivos District

Another area that totally needs to be mentioned is the Los Olivos District along Alamo Pintado Road between Solvang (west) and Los Olivos (east). We make some fantastic wines from Adobe Canyon Vineyard such as Sangiovese, Tempranillo, and Sauvignon Blanc.

Los Alamos/Alisos Canyon

Los Alamos, which is pending approval for its own AVA called Alisos Canyon, is home to perhaps one of our favorite places to spend the day: Thompson Vineyard. Thompson Vineyard is an iconic place where Rhône varietals thrive and nature is both preserved and cultivated.