Meadowridge

The data

Appellation

Santa Cruz Mountains

Elevation

500 ft

Acreage

3 acres

Distance to ocean

6.2 mi

Geology

Aromas sand

Soils

Fine silt loam

Varieties

Pinot Noir

Clones

667, 777, 115

Row orientation

North to South

Spacing

8 x 6

Vine age

25 years

What this means in the wine

At 500 feet and 6.2 miles from the water, Meadowridge ripens on its own schedule. Aromas sand underneath keeps the vines lean and the wines tight through the middle; the fine silt loam holds just enough water to get through a dry September without stress.

Rows run north to south, planted 8 x 6. Vine age: 25 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.