|
Alta Mesa Vineyard - A good attitude and a high altitude
Located in eastern Santa Barbara County in the Cuyama Valley, Alta Mesa Vineyard sits perched above Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard (formerly Barnwood  Vineyards) at 3200 feet in elevation. Directly southwest of the vineyard is a close look of Cuyama Peak at 5300 feet in elevation, a feature of the Sierra Madre Mountain Range and part of the Los Padres National Forest. As the crow flies, Alta Mesa is approximately 30 miles over the hills from Santa Barbara.
A consultant for Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard, Dave Corey immediately connected with the “North Mesa” as soon as he saw it. Mainly, he was attracted to the varietals planted there, 17.5 acres planted to Mourvèdre and Grenache. A long-time freakish fan of Mourvèdre based wines from Southern France and several regions of Spain, Dave also recognized the unusual combination of high elevation, diverse soil types, topography and choice plant materials that were assembled there. With a one-track mind and infectious enthusiasm, Dave eventually worked out a long-term lease on the property with the owners of Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard.
Planted in 2000 to 8 X 5 spacing (1089 vines per acre), this vineyard is home to 8 acres of Mourvèdre (Tablas clone, 369, & 4 on 1103P & 101-14 rootstock) and 9.5 acres of Grenache (Tablas clone A on 1103P & 101-14 rootstock). The soils consist of decomposed granite and clay loam with large rocks of schist, quartzite, basalt, and gneiss. There is a massive swing of daily temperatures that is very beneficial to the growing of these grapes, most often a 40 -50° difference between day and night. Daytime high temperatures are lowered by the arrival of cooling breezes from the north at approximately 2:00 in the afternoon.
The philosophy of vineyard farming at Alta Mesa is centered on the principles of sustainable agriculture and the active participation of the people who are making the wine, bottling the wine, marketing the wine, selling the wine, delivering the wine……….now do you get the meaning of CORE? Depending on the time of year, Dave spends anywhere from 12-30 hours a week in the vineyard. With the exception of events like spraying, pruning and harvest, he’s able to do most of the vineyard work himself. While the vineyard is not certified organic, it is managed with organic guidelines in mind. Mildew sprays are minimal and involve the application of both sulfur and potassium bicarbonate. There is no fertilization used on the vines and the weeds have been controlled by mowing, cover crops and hand hoeing.
 During our first growing season in 2003, the vines were trained for bi-lateral cordon with one bud spurs, one shoot per spur with 1-2 clusters per shoot. This will yield an average of 1-1.5 tons/acre while the vines are still young. As the vines mature, the average yield will increase to 2-3 tons/acre.
There are four soil moisture monitors in the vineyard and seven temperature sensors. These devices play a vital role in the judicious use of water on the vines. Precise water management is important for warm climates in the thickening of grape skins, helping prevent dehydration during hot weather.
Contracted Grapes from Local Vineyards
Laetitia Located four miles from the Pacific Ocean, our estate vineyard is part of a distinct viticultural area whose unique topography makes it one of California's coolest grape growing regions. The western portion of the Arroyo Grande Valley AVA, where our estate vineyard is located, is considered a Region I (coolest region) on the U.C. Davis scale. When a group of French enologists and viticulturalists set out to plant the original vineyard in 1982, they carefully researched the terrain, planting vines in specific sites chosen for their soil profile, exposure and microclimate. This model was also used to plant new vines in the late 1990's and explains the somewhat staggered layout of vineyard blocks within our estate. The history of grapegrowing in the Arroyo Grande Valley dates back to the late 19th Century when homesteaders Henry and Rosita Ditmas planted Zinfandel and Muscat vines imported from France and Spain in the upper Arroyo Grande Valley. Laetitia's vineyards were among the first modern-era plantings begun in the early 1980's. In 1990, the Arroyo Grande Valley was recognized as an approved American Viticultural Appellation.
Acreage
Our estate is comprised of 1,888 acres, with 620 acres currently planted to grape vines. Pinot Noir is the most widely planted varietal, with 450 acres under cultivation. Chardonnay is the next largest planting, with 85 acres, followed by Pinot Blanc (64 acres), Tempranillo (27 acres), Syrah (26 acres), Pinot Gris (20 acres), and a small amount of White Riesling.
Terroir
While the soils of our estate vineyard manifest many variations on a common theme, the primary soil type consists of a loamy clay overlying decomposed volcanic tuft and limestone shale. These calcareous based soils help control vine vigor, which results in wines of great typicity and singularity. The vineyards are planted to a series of south facing hillsides, which protect the vines from the wind and fog rushing in from the nearby ocean. The unique character of our site provides sunny days with moderate temperatures, fostering a long, cool growing season. Our vineyard’s rocky hillsides allow for excellent drainage, which is essential for controlling vine vigor. The average harvest yields roughly 4.5 pounds of grapes per vine (2.5 tons per acre), or the equivalent of 2 bottles of wine per vine.
Laetitia Vineyard & Winery
453 Laetitia Vinyard Drive
Arroyo Grande, CA 93420
805.481.1772
www.laetitiawine.com
Camp 4 
Predominant Plantings
Syrah - 130 acres
Viognier - 25 acres
Grenache - 25 acres
Roussanne - 15 acres
Mourvedre - 10 acres
The newest acquisition of the family, this 1,400-acre parcel of land was purchased in the spring of 1999. The initial 250-acre block was completed and produced its first crop in harvest 2003. Located slightly Southwest from the winery in the Santa Ynez Valley, the warmer climates and loam soils of this site shows great potential for producing fully ripened, mature fruit.
Camp Four Vineyard
Fess Parker Winery
6200 Foxen Canyon Road
Los Olivos, CA 93441
805.688.1545
www.fessparker.com
Rodney's
Predominant Plantings Syrah - 38 acres
Viognier - 27 acres
Chardonnay - 16 acres
Grenache - 10 acres
Petite Syrah - 8 acres
The estate vineyard, named in honor of Fess' late son in-law, was the first vineyard developed and it surrounds the winery. With a total of 118 acres planted - approximately 31 acres on the valley floor and the balance on the expansive upper mesa behind the winery - this vineyard provides the foundation of our Rhone wine program and has already produced several award winning Syrah and Viognier bottlings. Rodney’s Vineyard
Fess Parker Winery
6200 Foxen Canyon Road
Los Olivos, CA 93441
805.688.1545
www.fessparker.com
French Camp Located just north of the Temblor Mountains at the southeastern corner of the Paso Robles AVA, French Camp Vineyards has one of the more unique terroirs (combination of rainfall, temperature, and soils) for growing grapes in California. The 5,600 acres that comprise the French Camp parcel lay in the rain shadow of Black Mountain. This results in the vineyard receiving less than 11 inches of rainfall in an average year. This low rainfall produces far less incidents of rot and mildew in the fruit. Fortunately, the vineyard overlays a large aquifer that supplies the water needed for irrigation to make up for this low rainfall. Because of its proximity to the mountain range and the cool air drainage that comes from them, together with cool ocean breezes that come in the late afternoons during the summer, night temperatures are cool enough to preserve the acids in the grapes, while the warm temperatures during the day assure the full maturity of the fruit. On the average, during the growing season, French Camp enjoys almost a 50-degree diurnal drop between the high temperate of the day and the cool of the night. The soils at French Camp are typically found on a dissected flood plain. At least three times during its history, the 5,600 acres has been at the bottom of an inland sea or large lake. Many areas are mixed with fossils. Over the centuries, the land has partially eroded, leaving a number of different topsoils, gently rolling hills, flat mesas, and wide valley floors. These differences give the vineyard a diversity of sites for planting varieties that have differing needs for more or more or less sun exposure, vigor of topsoil, or soil depth. This unique terroir produces the highly desirable grapes for which French Camp Vineyards has become known. French Camp Vineyards
3555 Camatta Creek Road
Santa Margarita, CA 93453
805.238.5811
www.frenchcampvineyards.com
|
