Winemaking Philosophy

Gentle, terroir-driven winemaking reveals rich, aromatic wines and the complex varietal character of each distinctive small lot of wine.  Capturing the grape at optimal fruit ripeness comes at a perfect balance of sugar, acid, flavor and finesse.  This harmony along with showcasing nature’s most expressive sites is the hallmark of a great wine.

Wine quality begins with the grapes sourced from intensely farmed, low yield vineyards located in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties including Estate Pinot Noir from our Stone Corral Vineyard. All of our grapes are hand harvested under lights or in the coolest morning hours and brought back to the winery for processing.  Red grapes are destemmed with nearly 100% whole berries remaining and a 3-4 day cold soak ensues before the start of an average 14 day fermentation.  The wine is transferred to a methodical blend of new and neutral French Oak barrels for 16-18 months aging.  Chardonnay grapes are whole cluster pressed in the Europress, then fermented in both new french oak (30%) and climate controlled stainless steel tanks (70%). The barrel fermented portion of the blend undergoes battanage and is aged sur lie to develop a subtle creamy texture on the midpalate. Both Pinot Blanc and Rosé are fermented in climate controlled stainless steel tanks. All reds undergo a complete ML fermentation for stability and balance, and whites are vintage specific.