Russian River

Russian River Appellation

Amber Ridge Vineyard

Appellation: Russian River Valley
Planted: 2000
Total Acreage: 30 acres
Clones: 115, 667 (2 blocks) and 777
Rootstock: 101-14
Trellising: Bi-lateral Vertical
Owner: Nickel & Nickel Winery
Managed by: Glenn Alexander, Bacchus Vineyard Management

Amber Ridge Vineyard is located on Starr Road in Windsor, which is the upper part of the Russian River Valley's middle reach. We were so impressed by the fruit and the vineyard that we decided to bottle a small amount of Amber Ridge as a single vineyard in the 2004 vintage, while blending the remaining barrels into our 2004 Russian River Pinot Noir.

The Amber Ridge Vineyard lies next to Gary Farrell's famous Starr Ridge Vineyard in the upper part of the Russian River Valley's middle reach. The vineyards sit on rolling hills in an area characterized by early morning fog that burns off mid-to-late morning when the warm afternoon sun and cool winds arrive. The warm afternoon temperatures give way to very cool overnight temperatures that allow the grapes to achieve perfect ripeness and leads to a wine that exhibits traditional Russian River Pinot Noir characteristics. Frank Darien, the vineyard owner, along with Glenn Alexander of Bacchus Vineyard Management, is on to something special with this vineyard.

Cohn Vineyard (recently renamed Benovia Ranch)

Appellation: Russian River Valley
Vine Age: 39+ years
Total Acreage: 14.5 acres (6.5 acres of Pinot Noir, 8 acres of Zinfandel)
Clones: Mixture of old Dijon clones
Trellising: California Sprawl
Owner: Joe Anderson
Managed by: Small Vine Viticulture

Our first commercial Pinot Noir, the 2000 Cohn Vineyard Pinot Noir, was produced from grapes from the Cohn Vineyard. The vineyard is located at the northern most tip of the Russian River Valley on the top of rocky, sloped hill. In addition to being a single vineyard Pinot Noir from the 2000-2004 vintages, Cohn Vineyard has been a large part (along with the Amber Ridge and Koplen Vineyards) of our Russian River Pinot Noir the last few vintages. 2004 is our last single vineyard bottling from the Cohn Vineyard.

The Cohn Vineyard is situated on top of hill at the northern most tip of the Russian River Valley - almost into the Dry Creek appellation. A warmer site than Keefer Ranch and our Sonoma Coast vineyards, Cohn is unique due to its very rocky soil and near 40 year-old Pinot vines which are some of the oldest Pinot Noir vines in California. The vineyard produces deeply concentrated, layered and complex Pinot Noirs. We look forward to the Pinot Noirs Joe Anderson and his team (including former Hartford Family winemaker Mike Sullivan) will be making from the fruit.

Keefer Ranch Vineyard

Appellation: Green Valley
Vine Age: 10 years (26 acres) & 3 years (4 acres)
Total Acreage: 30 acres (Pinot)
Rootstock: 5C & SO4
Clones: Pommard 4 & 5, 114, 115, 23, 2A, 777, Swan & Calera
Trellising: Cordon pruned on VSP
Soils: Gold Ridge Sandy Loams
Owner: Marcy Keefer
Managed by: Marcy Keefer and Craig Strehlow

We have long sought to produce a Pinot Noir from Keefer Ranch fruit and when Marcy called us late in the 2005 harvest and offered fruit, well we couldn't turn her down. We happily brought in 3 tons of fruit - 1 ton each of Dijon clones 777, Pommard 5, and 1 ton of Swiss clone 23. The clones were vinified separately and the small amount of wine we have tastes extraordinary. Keefer Ranch is becoming a mainstay in our lineup and we hope to get close to 10 tons of fruit for the 2006 harvest.

Keefer Ranch is located in the Green Valley appellation in the southwestern corner of the Russian River Valley. The 30 acre vineyard is located on gently rolling hills in an area known to have some of the coolest weather in the Russian River Valley. Morning and evening fog, gentle afternoon breezes, cool overnight temperatures and the warm afternoon sun produce grapes with terrific natural acidity combined with a combination of elegance and intensity of fruit. Marcy and her son Craig Strehlow grow some of the best Pinot Noir grapes in Sonoma County and we are proud to continue our association with them and their vineyard.

Koplen

Appellation: Russian River Valley
Vine Age: 6 years
Total Acreage: 5 acres
Rootstock: SO4
Clones: 667
Trellising: Bi-lateral Cordon
Owner: Dennis & Lynn Koplen
Managed by: Dennis & Lynn Koplen

Some say you can gauge a vineyard's quality potential from the quality of its first vintage. The first vintage from Koplen was out of this world. Our first crop of fruit from the Koplen Vineyard was in 2002 - we harvested a whopping 1 1/2 tons of fruit from this 5 acre vineyard. The fruit all went into the 2002 Russian River Pinot Noir. We became so enamored with the early potential of this vineyard's quality (and the dedication and passion to which owner/vineyard manager Dennis Koplen has to growing the best Pinot Noir grapes) that we decided early to produce a vineyard designate wine. Dennis refers to the vines as his girls and it is evident in the care he takes nurturing these vines.

The Koplen Vineyard is a 5 acre vineyard, planted all to Dijon clone 667, in the middle of the Russian River Valley AVA. The vineyard is located on the east side of Olivet Lane on a fairly low lying area. The vineyard is probably our warmest vineyard location and produces a deeply concentrated and complex Pinot Noir with classic Russian River characteristics of dark cherry and cola.

Castaldi Vineyard

Appellation: Russian River Valley
Vine Age: 6 years
Total Acreage: 3 acres
Rootstock: 101-14
Clones: 777,115 & 828
Trellising: Bi-lateral Cordon
Owner: Carmen and Perry Castaldi
Managed by: Bacchus Vineyard Management

We started sourcing fruit from this vineyard in 2004 when it was owned by the Lafranchi Family. In 2006, Carmen and Perry Castaldi, who were looking for a new home, fell in love with the property and then purchased it. Perry Castaldi works directly with Glenn Alexander of Bacchus Vineyard Management in managing the vineyard. Carmen is also involved in the wine business as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Rodney Strong Vineyards.

Castaldi Vineyard is three acres and is planted to Dijon Clones 777, 115 and 828. The vineyard lies in the Russian River Valley appellation's Santa Rosa Plain at the west end of Piner Road just past Olivet Road - a great area for Pinot Noir. The vineyard typically ripens early and contributes bright cherry and deep spice notes to our Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.

Nonella Vineyard

Appellation: Russian River Valley
Vine Age: 7 years
Total Acreage: 8 acres
Rootstock: 101-14
Clones: 777
Trellising: Cane
Owner: Mike and Julie Nonella
Managed by: Mike Nonella and Chenoweth Vineyard Management

We got to know Mike Nonella in 2006 when we started planning our new winery. Nonella Construction, who managed the project, is owned by Mike Nonella, who asked if we might be interested in purchasing Pinot Noir from his vineyard. We took a look at the site and became really excited by the prospect. The Nonella Family has owned this property since 1989, and the vineyard was planted shortly thereafter. They started farming in Sonoma and Mendocino County around 1895.

Nonella Vineyard is on Hall Road in Santa Rosa and is planted to Dijon clone 777. It is pruned to two canes, which promote a well-balanced canopy and fruit zone. The Nonellas also have three acres of Chardonnay.

O'Neel Vineyard

Appellation: Russian River Valley
Vine Age: 9 years
Total Acreage: 25 acres
Rootstock: 101-14
Clones: 777, 115 & Pommard
Trellising: Bi-lateral Cordon
Owner: Rob & Tatiana O'Neel
Managed by: McMinn Vineyards

We have sourced Pinot Noir from the O'Neel Vineyard in 2006 and 2007. O'Neel Vineyard is owned by Rob and Tatiana O'Neel and managed by Jim McMinn of McMinn Vineyards. Rob's parents live on the property and have been in residential real estate development from the mid-sixties through the late eighties. Located on Hall Road in Santa Rosa, the vineyard is 25 acres and planted to Pommard and Dijon clones 115 and 777. This vineyard fits well into our Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, adding depth of structure and deep red fruit qualities.