The data
- Appellation
- Santa Cruz Mountains
- Elevation
- 2,050 ft
- Acreage
- 3 acres
- Distance to ocean
- 15.8 mi
- Geology
- Franciscan Complex
- Soils
- Jurassic sandstone with black schist, limestone and chert
- Varieties
- Pinot Noir
- Clones
- Massale selection from David Bruce
- Row orientation
- East to West
- Spacing
- 8 x 6
- Vine age
- 33 years
What this means in the wine
At 2,050 feet and 15.8 miles from the water, Chamise ripens on its own schedule. Franciscan Complex underneath keeps the vines lean and the wines tight through the middle; the jurassic sandstone with black schist, limestone and chert holds just enough water to get through a dry September without stress.
Rows run east to west, planted 8 x 6. Vine age: 33 years. Older wood here gives smaller clusters and more concentrated, more savoury fruit than the young blocks, which is why we keep the lots separate in the cellar and usually bottle them that way too.