OUR VINEYARDs

People ask why we decided to get into the wine business. Our answer is simple. We wanted to keep the land agricultural in general and organic in particular. Because this project honors the land, when choosing what grapes to plant, we listened to what the land and the climate wanted. The Folded Hills vineyards are the closest to the ocean and no one on the Central Coast had planted this far south. We were in virgin territory. We tested the soil and found limestone. We tested temperatures and found that the area was cooler than Happy Canyon and warmer than Santa Rita Hills. We tested the aspect to the sun and fog patterns to discover which grapes would flourish on this land. The answer was Rhône varieties. This decision has paid off in a healthy and thriving vineyard which produces a large amount of highest quality fruit. 

This unique terroir combined with the soils and climate allow for us to be able to hang fruit longer on the vine giving greater complexity to the wines while maintaining higher acidity and lower alcohol - both factors making the wines more food friendly and approachable.  

Folded Hills grapes are grown organically following the biodynamic calendar. We use sustainable, old world practices in the vineyards. Organic cover crops feed vital nutrients back into the soil. Sheep graze between the vines eating the cover crop and fertilizing the vines. Natural lady bugs arrive from the mountains every February to act as beneficials to the crops. We irrigate with crystal clear underground artesian well water, only when absolutely necessary.

All our vines and grapes are hand tended hand harvested, and many of the whole clusters are foot-tread throughout fermentation.

The quality of the grapes is so outstanding that we are able to make our small batch wines with a hands-off approach and very little intervention.

This means cleaner wines for you! 

VIEW VINEYARD TECHNICAL NOTES