VINEYARDS
"Vineyards are where a wine begins. They are the foundation, from the soil to the aspect, proximity to the sea and many more elements that shape the fruit. Once bottled, an expressive wine should tell the great story of its birthplace."
Sweet Lane Vineyard Petaluma Gap
Perhaps it was the very first moment when Johannes made a spontaneous detour, with a smirk and wild look in his eye, when we discovered Sweet Lane Vineyard, instantly captivated by its beauty, location and potential. As that fog began to blow off over the rugged terrain from the “wind tunnel” that travels from the Pacific Ocean and San Pablo Bay, the sun filtered through clouds down on the beautiful ripening fruit at the tail end of verasion and spotlighted renown neighboring vineyards, to the tune of Gap’s Crown and Robert’s Road.
We believe it’s the farmers and their fervor that make vineyards extraordinary and Ed Grossi is one of the hardest working growers we know. With a life dedicated to agriculture and deep family roots in the Petaluma Gap, we can taste that attention to detail no better than walking the vineyards right before harvest to determine ripeness of the exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Known for that cooling wind tunnel, the Gap’s vineyards enjoy a long and temperate growing season, and, along with well-draining, silty-gravel soil, drives a long and steady pursuit of balance. These attributes distinguish Petaluma Gap’s lower-yielding vineyards that reaches physiological ripeness later in the season with lower overall sugars, and the emerging wines that are mouthwatering and full of finesse and energy.
Leveroni Vineyards Sonoma
Leveroni Vineyards' Pat Stornetta originally introduced us to the opportunity with Sonoma Valley High, and she was and is still very involved in the project there, as well as a wonderful liaison and mentor.
It’s only natural that after the Sonoma Valley High project, we were able to partner with her to procure Sauvignon Blanc, the wine that started it all. Pat continues a four-generation tradition of farming and conservation that has preserved her family’s home vineyard and dairy ranch, located between Sonoma Creek and Arnold Drive, just southwest of the town of Sonoma, since 1886.
Cole Ranch Mendocino County
Planted in the early 1970s in Mendocino County’s Cole Ranch AVA, this historic monopole site rests at roughly 500 feet above sea level along a gently sloping ridgeline. Tucked within the Navarro River corridor, the vineyard draws in daily Pacific fog and cool marine air, creating a long, temperate growing season shaped by wind and light.
The steady coastal influence slows ripening naturally, allowing the Riesling to develop layered aromatics and full phenolic maturity without sacrificing precision. Marked diurnal shifts — warm afternoons followed by sharply cooler evenings — preserve the grape’s natural acidity, lending tension, clarity, and the vibrant energy that defines this site.