Open: Year-round
Our four estate vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands comprise more than 10 percent of the total acreage planted in the AVA. All of our meticulously planted, hillside sites are situated at elevation and overlook the Salinas Valley. Their southeastern slopes assure plentiful morning sun.
The setting of our vineyards is dramatic, with massive alluvial fans of decomposed, metamorphic rock curtaining in and out across the hillsides. These well-draining soils are one of the two main reasons for the intensity and complexity of our Pinot Noirs. The second is wind. As Salinas Valley heats up during the day, air rises and is replaced by the cool air over the deep and cold Monterey Bay, creating a wind tunnel.
