Rockpile

Located about 8 miles from the Pacific Ocean in western Sonoma County, the Rockpile appellation is a hill and mountain vineyard region spanning an elevation range from 800 to 2000 feet. The unique topography of this area includes hillsides that are steep and well-drained with shallow, rocky topsoil that limits the vigor of grapevines and produces a concentrated, uniform, and spicy crop of fruit. The climate is also unusual in that the days tend to be somewhat cooler than down in the surrounding valleys (often by as much as 10 degrees) and the nights do not cool down as dramatically- two factors which contribute to a long and mild growing season with few extremes in temperature. In fact, most of the vineyards out here are planted above the fog/inversion layer so grapevines get early morning sun throughout the season. Additionally, the proximity to the Pacific Ocean also provides frequent breezes across the hilltops which keep the grape clusters dry and reduces mildew and disease pressure.

We have long enjoyed wines from Rockpile but were not able to break into this small and exclusive appellation until our good friends John Carlisle and his family proposed a partnership in the production of this wine. We are grateful for the opportunity John provided us and appreciative of his faith and support of our winery- we raise our glasses in a toast to the Carlisle Family.

Alexander Valley

The Alexander Valley located in northern Sonoma County was first planted to grapes in the mid-1800’s. At that time grapevines shared the landscape with citrus, wheat, row crops, and stone fruits. The area rapidly became world-famous for its naturally occurring steam geysers and mercury or quicksilver mines and winemaking played only a minor role until the 1970’s. In 1984 the Alexander Valley was designated as an American Viticultural Appellation (AVA) in recognition of the unique and distinct soil and climate conditions in the valley. The Russian River winds its way down the middle of the valley bringing cool morning fog and the steep hillsides of the Mayacamas Range rise upwards to the east while gently rolling hills, or benchlands roll westward toward the Pacific Coast. Here in the northwestern section of the valley lies a lovely little Syrah Vineyard of only 3 acres. Within these three acres several different clones of Syrah are grown and each of these brings a particular character to the blend. The vineyard site has very limited water availability and the vines are gently stressed throughout the summer months as they work to mature their fruit. This mild state of stress leads to a beautiful concentration of berry flavor and great color development in the skins.

Contra Costa

The sleepy town of Oakley in eastern Contra Costa County was once home to many hundreds of acres of vineyards. In the late 1800’s Italian and Portuguese immigrants settled in this region to cultivate fruit and nut crops. The excellent, well-drained soils, moderate temperatures and nearby Sacramento River Delta influence made for superb growing conditions-especially for grapes. A thriving wine industry was born and soon Oakley vineyards were supplying grapes to winemakers throughout the state. Prohibition caused some vineyards to be pulled-out and new vineyard development around the country began to compete with Oakley vineyards. Contra Costa soon became a bedroom community for San Francisco and the Silicon Valley and the region became better known for its suburbs than its agriculture. Fortunately some grape growers persevered and continued farming. Today some of the original plantings survive and these ancient vines yield a small crop of aromatic and flavorful grapes. Here varieties such as Alicante Bouschet, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Palomino, and Zinfandel still trace their roots to the ancestors of local families and remind visitors of the role of winemaking in our country’s heritage. Rising land values and an ever-increasing population are putting pressure on the few remaining grape growers in the region to sell to housing developers. Our Zinfandel and Mourvèdre were produced from old vines cultivated by a Portuguese family that has lived in Oakley for several generations. We are pleased to share the taste and spirit of this unique region with you.