Our Grape Varietals
Organically farmed on elevations ranging from 1325’ to about 1500’, we offer 13 different varieties on over 31 acres.
Bourbelenc
1 Acre
Bourboulenc is a golden-hued blending grape that requires a a lot of warmth and sun, ripens late, and adds strong citrus, floral and herbal characteristics to the wine. Grown mainly in southern France, Bourboulenc is an ancient white wine grape variety grown mainly in southern France in Languedoc, Provence, the Rhōne. On its own, Bourboulenc makes wines with citrus tones and a touch of smoky, spicy complexity. dry, low acidity, low alcohol, medium body, medium flavors lemon zest, grapefruit, and short finish.
Cabernet Sauvignon
4.71 Acres
A hybrid of the red Cabernet Franc and the white Sauvignon Blanc grape plants, Cabernet Sauvignon was first developed in France’s Bordeaux region, but became even more popular in California in the 1970s. One of America’s favorite grapes, the red varietal is known for its thick, durable skin and vine’s resistance to the elements. The healthy level of tannins allows the wine to evolve in the bottle for many years, producing a dark colored, full-bodied wine with a medium level of acidity and an alcoholic content over 13.5%. It does well in oak, which brings out more flavors and is best to drink with food due to the level of tannins, which makes it a dry wine.
Grenache
1.27 Acres
A red-wine grape with pale color and thin skin that thrives in hot, dry conditions, Grenache was prized by California wine makers in the 19th century for its high yields and drought resistance. The spicy grape ripens late and produces wines with a berry and cinnamon flavor and an alcohol content of 13.5-16%. With its low to medium acidity, low tannin, and almost translucent color, it has a tendency towards oxidation. It likely originated in Spain’s Aragon region, while in France it is most widely grown in the Southern Rhone Valley where it is famously part of the Chateauneuf-de-Pape blends.
Cinsault
1.23 Acres
A dark-skinned red grape that thrives in hot, windy weather, Cinsault ripens early and often provides prolific yields. With a natural, low level of tannin and acidity, it produces a medium-light bodied wine with an alcohol content of 11.5-13.5%. Used primarily as a blending grape due to its delivery of floral and berry flavors, it pairs well with Grenache, Syrah, Morvedre, and Zinfandel. Originally grown in France’s Languedoc-Roussillon region, Cinsault also thrives in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Lebanon. Although not many vineyards grow it in California, it has been in the state since the 1860s, when it was known as Black Malvoisie.
Grenache Blanc
1.88 Acres
The light-skinned variant of the Grenache or Grenache Noir grape, Grenache Blanc shares its resistance to drought and wind, as well as its high alcohol content. Its light golden, straw-colored juice offers green apple, mandarin orange and peach aromas with hints of nutmeg and cinnamon. Originating in Spain, it became a staple of France’s world-renowned Rhone blends and Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines. Grown widely in the San Luis Obispo region, Grenache Blanc was recognized as a separate variant by the BATF in 2002. Although it can stand on its own, this grape’s full-bodied texture makes it an excellent blending component.
Counoise
0.98 Acres
A dark purple or black skinned grape with large berries and thin skins, the Counoise is a late-ripening, low-yielding grape that blends well with Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre. As a peppery or spicy grape it delivers plum and wild berry notes with a hint of anise. Its low tannins and alcohol, combined with its high acidity which draws out more flavors in other grapes, make it ideal for rosé and red wine blends. Thought to be brought to France’s Chateauneuf-de-Pape from Spain in the mid-14th century, it has become increasingly trendy in California since the 1990s.
Mourvedre
2.97 Acres
The late ripening, darkly colored, thick skinned Mourvedre grape adds weight and structure to blends with Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault. With Spanish origins, the grape, which needs hot, dry, sunny climates, may have come from the Levante, possibly brought to Spain by the Phoeneicians as early as 500 BC. Long known in California as Mataro, it is gaining more popularity internationally as its blueberry, blackberry and plum aromas offer hints of black pepper, violet, rose, or even meat, to create a full-bodied, rustic flavor. One of the major Rhone grapes, it has an alcohol content between 12-15%, medium acidity and high tannins.
Petite Syrah
1.03 Acres
Named for the small size of its berries, Petite Syrah (or Petite Sirah) produces a powerful, fruity, dense and tannic wine with high levels of acidity allowing it to age well. The American name for the Durif grape, it is a cross between Syrah and Peloursin created by Dr. Francois Durif. Californians began planting it as early as 1884 and several wine producers now make wines that are 100% Petite Syrah, while others blend it with Zinfandel, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. These grapes produce dark purplish wines that offer flavors of black pepper, blackberries, blueberries, spice and licorice.
Vaccarese
1.0 Acres
Fairly rare due to its planting sparsity, the Vaccarese grape, also known as Brun Argent for its brown skin hue and silver leaves, has medium to large berries and grows in medium to large bunches. Blended with Grenache in Cotes du Rhone rose wines, it produces a light-bodied red juice and adds a spicy, peppery, tannic quality. One of the 13 allowable grapes in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, this Rhone grape is often compared to Cinsault and is relatively new to California.
Picpoul Blanc
2.02 Acres
“Pique poul” in French, this grape was named “lip stinger” for its bright acidity, minerality and lemony flavor. Thought to be native to France’s Languedoc region, the picpoul blanc is high-yielding, grows well in sandy soil, and ripens late, usually just before the last of the reds. In California, the wine manifests a tropical lushness, featuring a buttery pineapple and orange taste with a nose of pear, pineapple, and spice. Its light body, low tannins, and alcohol content of 11.5-13.5%, complement Roussanne and Grenache Blanc. A pale yellow-green color, Picpoul Blanc is best served young, though California vineyards have found that it can age better than noted in other regions.
Vermentino
1.53 Acres
The large Vermentino grapes have often been used as table grapes due to their tasty balance of sugar and acidity, but they also make a delicious, round standalone wine. Depending on the process, the wine can be light or medium-bodied with flavors of lime, grapefruit, and green apple. An Italian vintage often grown near the ocean, including on the islands of Sardinia and Corsica, Vermentino wines are known for their salty, mineral aftertaste. The vine grows vigorously thanks to its drought resistance and ripens toward the middle of the cycle. Relatively low in alcohol the wine has a pale straw color with a good richness and higher level of phenols that can make it subtly bitter at first taste. In California since the early 1990s, Vermentino continues to gain in worldwide popularity.
Syrah
2.1 Acres
The dark-skinned offspring of the dark-skinned Dureza and light-skinned Mondeuse Blanche, Syrah, or Shiraz, as the Australians call it, is renowned for how well it ages. The small, thick-skinned berry grows in little bunches and ripens best in dry climates that allow for deep root penetration. Traditionally blended with Grenache and Mourvedre, the fruit offers blackberry, blueberry, and boysenberry flavors with secondary hints of olive, pepper, clove, bacon, licorice and mint. The only red wine grape grown in the Northern Rhone, it is popular in the Rhone Valley and has a history that goes back as far as Pliny the Elder of the Roman Empire. Introduced to the Napa Valley in 1848, Syrah continues to gain in popularity in California. Traditionally blended with Grenache and Mourvedre, the Syrah’s high acidity and high tannins make it a popular source of antioxidants as well.
Zinfandel
11.35 Acres
This black and blue-skinned fruit is notorious for its uneven ripening, which means bunches have to be left on the vine where they sweeten, leading to wines with a coveted high alcohol content. Originating in Croatia, the Zinfandel vine was likely brought to the U.S. in the early 1800s and to California during the Gold Rush, when it went from being a table grape to one of America’s most popular wines. A lush, concentrated wine, Red Zinfandel is relatively light-bodied, but expresses big with flavors of raspberry, cranberry, and plum, plus hints of black pepper and coffee. It is thin-skinned, but small, tending to higher tannins and performs well in warm, sunny regions. The red Zinfandel grape is also the base for the lighter, easy drinking, uncomplicated white Zinfandel wines.
