Sarah's Vineyard

Terroir
Key Personnel

2007 California State Fair

DOUBLE GOLD
2004 Zinfandel, Besson

GOLD
2005 Chardonnay, Estate

2007 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

GOLD
2005 Roussanne, Besson
2005 Chardonnay, Reserve
2005 FiftyFifty Blend

2007 San Francisco International Wine Competition

SILVER
2003 Merlot “des Grands Hommes”

2007 Orange County Fair

GOLD
2004 Reserve Pinot Noir

Climate and Terroir

Driven by the same vast forces that wreathe the Golden Gate Bridge in summer fog, the microclimate of Sarah’s Vineyard reflects the dynamic weather patterns of the Northern California coast. Located just east of the Santa Cruz mountain chain, a mountain pass funnels cool ocean air down across the vineyard.  The typical summer day has a foggy morning, a hot sunny day moderated by a strong ocean breeze, and brisk nighttime temperatures in the 50s. Grapevines love the strong sun and warmth of the day, giving them the energy to thrive; while the chilly nights preserve the subtle fruit flavors of the grapes.

The physical layout of the estate has a strong influence on the grapes as well.  Spread out over a long, shallow south-facing slope, the grapes mature at different rates depending on their elevation due to the strength of the ocean breeze. The rocky clay soil is made up of many different layers over a deep sandy base, and the color and character of this soil changes every few hundred feet across the vineyard.

Estate Vineyard

Along with the climate and the earth, the character of our estate grapes is influenced by the age of the vines and the clonal selections planted. The original vineyard was planted in 1978 with Chardonnay, supplemented in 1989 with additional plantings of “Proprietary” clones of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  After purchasing the property in 2001, the Proprietor has planted several additional test plots of Pinot Noir, Viognier and Roussanne. These test plots have proved so successful that in 2006, another 5 acres of Pinot Noir was planted, using a double-secret blend of 115, 667, 777 and “Proprietary” clones. 2 more acres were dedicated to Roussanne, Vionier and Grenache.  The Proprietor is very interested in the subtle differences between the various clones of Pinot Noir, and has designed the newer vineyards with combinations of clones that allow detailed investigation of their characteristics. Additional expansion is planned using cuttings from our “Proprietary” 1989 Pinot clones, which express a marvelous earthy, mushroom character.

Local Vineyards

The cool, foggy microclimate of Sarah’s Vineyard is well suited to producing wonderful Pinot Noir and Chardonnay; while the warmer areas nearby, sheltered from the ocean breeze, work well for grapes like Syrah, Grenache, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Zinfandel.

We use locally grown grapes when we don’t grow the grapes ourselves, and we work closely with the growers to insure that the grapes are grown the same way we grow them on our estate. We are just a few hundred yards from the Santa Cruz mountains, so our local vineyards encompass both the Santa Cruz Mountain and Santa Clara Valley appellations.  The complexity of the local microclimates and soils lead to large differences in grape flavor expressions over very short distances.

The area around Sarah’s Vineyard has a long history of grape growing.  For instance, nearby Uvas Creek is named with the Spanish word for “grapes”. Visitors to Sarah’s Vineyard will find a Grenache vineyard 100 years old less than a mile away, and our Old Vine Zinfandel is made with grapes from gnarled vines planted just a few miles down the road, back in 1922.