We are proud to partner with farmers who share our vision.
Tenbrink Vineyards, Solano County
• Farmed ORGANICALLY
Never underestimate the human element in farming. Steve and Linda Tenbrink have farming in their blood. They have been studiously farming five acres of PET, much of it organically. Their fruit is simply beautiful, in no small part to the stellar work over the past 22 years from their vineyard stewards Enrique and Leandro.
The vines are perfectly balanced, the clusters ripen evenly, are medium-sized, and healthy. The resulting wines have a unique spicy red/ pomegranate signature character—which I find to be atypical for PET. A unique expression of Petite Sirah’s flavor range.
On a personal note, I am forever grateful to Steve and Linda for taking a chance on me as my first vineyard source and allowing me to share in their life’s work and joy. I wish them much joy and success in life.
Golden Vineyards, Mendocino County
• Farmed BIODYNAMICALLY
Julie and Joe Golden preside over their magnificent Biodynamically® farmed Heart Arrow Ranch vineyard in the hills above Redwood Valley in Mendocino County. Seasoned vineyard manager Jerry Yates, an organic vineyard pioneer, thoughtfully oversees the 40 hillside acres (elevations from 1,200 feet) imbued with the energy of the Pomo Indians who once lived here and now with the respect for nature inherent to Biodynamic® principles.
The growing season here is a bit longer and the vineyard teems with life on its red vine soil; clusters carry smaller-sized berries. Cooling breezes flow from Reeves Canyon. The signature of the resulting wines includes a focused and pure core of purple and blue fruit, with fine-grained tannins—unusual for its elevation.
York Creek Vineyards, Spring Mountain District
• OLD VINE
Some of the hallmark wines that thrust me onto my current path were the PET wines from Paul Draper of Ridge, which were made here in the 1970′s. I enjoyed them 20-30 years into their lives and I was intoxicated by their sophistication, complexity, and longevity. I am so proud to be making wine from the same old-vine block that those wines arose from so long ago.
Since 1968, Fritz Maytag and Vineyard Manager Ed Ewing have presided over their spectacular 125 acres high above the Napa and Sonoma Valleys on Spring Mountain. The unique climate of this AVA, mountain gravelly loam soil, and old-vines lead to grapes with phenomenal character. The head trained old-vines within the Lower Lake block (originally planted 1950), which is the source of our PET, have extremely low yields, ripen very unevenly, and require lots-and-lots of hand sorting on the vine through the extended growing season. The tarweed and sage that grows throughout the block provides an unmistakable, and now comforting, note in the air and wine.
The resulting wines are the most sophisticated that I make because of the additional non-fruit nature of their character, complexity, and structure. I can only hope that they age with a modicum of the grace that the wines from Paul Draper and his team exhibit. We are grateful to have the opportunity to show that ours will.
Wolff Vineyards, Edna Valley
• SIP CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE
Edna Valley AVA, known for colder climate varietals, is an unusual place to grow PET. That didn’t stop Jean-Pierre Wolff, conscientious steward of his inspiring 125 acres, from being the first. Not unusual for this thoughtful grower, winemaker, and pioneer who has received well-deserved recognition for his sustainable farming practices, including receiving the rigorous SIP® certification, which covers farmworker benefits, water usage, and pollution, among other requirements.
The PET comes from a rocky, sloping block. Vines additionally struggle due to climate and water needs. I had originally imagined Northern Rhone Syrahs, but the comparison is not fair. Despite the cold climate, wind, and proximity to the ocean, this is still California. Canopy, clusters, and grapes are fairly small in size, and the growing season is extended. Resulting wine has a pure bright, peppery red fruit character, balanced structure, smooth tannins, and marries particularly well with oak.
Cosol Vineyards
• Farmed ORGANICALLY
Former restaurant owner Mike Bailey moved across the country to pursue one of his long-time passions. He purchased a mangy, organically farmed vineyard at 2,300 ft elevation in the Fiddletown AVA of the Sierra Foothills. There he enthusiastically tended to Roussanne, Syrah, and 20 year old Mourvedre vines on granite/ clay soil. We were fortunate enough to have cut our teeth on those varietals with the fruit of his labor.