The scenic drive to our historic estate vineyard reveals a lot about the wines of Saucelito Canyon. Five miles east of coastal Arroyo Grande, the road winds around Lopez Lake, then curls into the upper valley for another several miles.

Civilization recedes into the rear-view mirror as you take a dirt road even deeper into the canyon, where you finally encounter the historic vineyard tucked gently into the chaparral, as it has been for more than a century.

This dry-farmed vineyard is clearly a place apart, exhibiting a natural individuality that is ultimately captured in the wines. Here, “terroir” isn’t a buzzword, but rather something very real and ultimately unavoidable. The subtle gravelly character, brambly fruit and cardamom spice nuances of our Zinfandel are native to this place, a vivid reflection of the vineyard and its surrounding ecosystem.

Appellation

The upper Arroyo Grande Valley occupies its own distinct geography, where the gentler coastal terrain of the lower valley yields to the rugged wilderness of the Santa Lucia mountain range and Los Padres National Forest. The rippled terrain and surrounding mountains were forged by a geologic mashing and fracturing that uplifted the ancient Pacific sea bed, leaving behind the oyster and scallop fossils that are found in the soil today. Only a handful of vineyards and wineries can call this place home.

Terroir

The estate vineyard lies at 800 feet above sea level, yet just 16 miles from the Pacific Ocean, enabling the Zinfandel grape to achieve exquisite balance amid inland warmth that yields daily to the prevailing coastal breezes. The vines are dry farmed on deep, sandy well-drained soils composed of marine and alluvial deposits, as well as organic materials eroded from the surrounding chaparral ecosystem. Together, the vineyard’s microclimate and soil converge to yield a naturally elegant Zinfandel with structure and complexity.

Vineyard

Our Zinfandel vineyard is comprised of four dry-farmed blocks totaling nine acres. Each of these blocks exhibits its own personality, bringing fullness and complexity to our wines. The cornerstone of the estate is the three-acre block of head-pruned old vines planted in 1880 and carefully restored by Bill Greenough starting in 1974. The grapes from the 1880 Block offer layered black fruit flavors with firm natural acidity and remarkable complexity. Cuttings from the 1880 Block were among a select group chosen by UC Davis for its Heritage Zinfandel Vineyard