Steve meticulously farms his remote vineyard on the Mendocino Coast located 7 miles in from the Pacific Ocean. The Perli Vineyard is one of the most ruggedly beautiful sites in Northern California. At an elevation of almost 1800 feet, well above the coastal fog line, owner Steve Alden redefines extreme farming: treacherous slopes with grades approaching 60%, soils that contain more rock than dirt, damp, cool growing conditions - and we haven’t even mentioned the local bear population that has taken a liking to his fruit.
Simply put Kent Ritchie is an icon. Since the early 1970’s few vineyard sites in California have produced such consistently profound and distinct wines as the Ritchie Vineyard. Through tireless farming and uncompromising standards Kent has developed a devout following of winemakers and consumer alike. The Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay is one of our most sought after bottlings for very good reason.
Paul and Amy Mononi live on and farm their Pinot Noir vineyard located just off of Olivet Road on the eastern edge of the Russian River Valley. Planted in 1998, the approximately 4-acre site is north facing and sits atop a soil type known as Goldridge, ideally suited for Pinot Noir. Paul a 3rd generation Sonoma County farmer and Vineyard Manager by trade, farms his estate with extreme attention to detail, and works hand-in-hand with our winemaking team to ensure that quality remains our primary goal. This unique vineyard site tends to produce wines that have noted depth and softness on the palate. And, if the beautiful vineyard and great fruit weren’t reason enough to visit the site, it’s always fun to walk the rows and toss a ball to Paul and Amy’s beloved dog, Beau!
Joe and Mary Toboni have been our friends and growers since our first vintage in 2003. The Toboni Vineyard is located just off of Olivet Lane, home to some of the oldest and most prized vineyards in the Russian River Valley. Their passion and commitment to growing world class Pinot Noir is evidenced by their pristine site and uncompromising standards. Ulises Valdez oversees the day-to-day vineyard management.
Mark and Kim Dempster are stewards of one of the most historic vineyard sites in Sonoma County. Their 15-acre Banfield Vineyard, located in the chilly and fog drenched Green Valley of the Russian River Valley, is home to Chardonnay planted in 1980 and Pinot Noir planted in 1990. The Pinot Noir from the Banfield Vineyard is used for our Rosé of Pinot Noir wine as the vineyard conditions are cool from the coastal influence and perfect for making Rosé.
Arista’s U.V. Lucky Well Vineyard Pinot Noir and U.V. El Diablo Chardonnay were both planted and farmed by Ulises Valdez. After his tragic and sudden passing in the harvest of 2018, the Valdez Family and their team carry on his legacy with passion and meticulous farming practices of these two vineyards along with several of our other vineyard sources. The U.V. El Diablo Vineyard Chardonnay and U.V. Lucky Well Vineyard Pinot Noir are both stunning examples of the Valdez Family’s commitment to excellence in vineyard farming and management.