The data
- Appellation
- Santa Cruz Mountains
- Elevation
- 650 ft
- Acreage
- 0.4 acres
- Distance to ocean
- 18 mi
- Geology
- Franciscan Complex
- Soils
- Shale, chert and sandy loam
- Varieties
- Aligoté
- Clones
- Ascona massale selection
- Row orientation
- North to South
- Spacing
- 8 x 6
- Vine age
- 5 years
What this means in the wine
At 650 feet and 18 miles from the water, Hawks Feather ripens on its own schedule. Franciscan Complex underneath keeps the vines lean and the wines tight through the middle; the shale, chert and sandy loam holds just enough water to get through a dry September without stress.
Rows run north to south, planted 8 x 6. Vine age: 5 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.