We are CCOF Certified Organic. We take special pride in caring for the environment in which our grapes are grown. Each season we add organic matter to the soil with cover crops. Insectary plants have been seeded around the vineyard and in select rows to provide a healthy population of predatory insects. We provide nest boxes and perching poles for hawks and owls. This past year we developed a small wetland fed by a year-around spring to enhance the natural habitat. Weed control is done using a custom made five foot offset mower pulled by a wheel tractor.
Our Merlot is the award winning Inglenook clone 3, known for consistantly producing berries with fruity, complex flavors.
Located 'up valley' at an elevation of 450 feet, we are in an ideal location to grow Merlot. 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 to insure that every vine receives adequate water to keep it healthy but also the correct amount to provide a bit of stress to produce flavorful fruit.
| BLOCK | CLONE | ROOTSTOCK | SPACING | NUMBER OF VINES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 3 | 3309 | 8' x 11' | 685 |
| #2 | 3 | 3309 | 8' x 11' | 420 |
| #3 | 3 | 5C | 8' x 11' | 375 |
| #4 | 3 | 110R | 6' x 11' | 510 |
| #5 | 3 | 110R | 6' x 11' | 518 |
| TOTAL | 2518 | |||
Our grapes presently go to DeerField Ranch Winery and Sky Saddle Wines, makers of fine wines from organically grown grapes. We have also sold grapes to Kenwood Winery.
