Our Northern Hilltop Vineyard.
The vines are planted in obsidian laden soil that drains well and absorbs heat during the day and expends it at night, enhancing the ripening process. The soil is very pour and rocky. The vines must struggle mightily to produce the meager amount of grapes we grow.
Grapes from our 2004 Harvest
The vines eked out only a about a ton and a half of grapes per acre. Many winegrowers will try to maximize the quantity of grapes to harvest because they are selling them by the ton to other wineries. Since we are making the wine, we choose to maximize the quality. In these soils it's going to be tough to try to get even two tons per acre. (Most vineyards in the area are producing four or five tons per acre.)
As you can see by the map, if you continue up Highway 29 through the Napa Valley, you will pass through Calistoga then up over Mt.
St. Helena. By this time you have gone from near sea level to 1,600'. Continue through Lower Lake and you start to climb again. Our vineyards are situated at 2,200'. You hear winemakers in Napa brag about getting the "mountain grapes" from vineyards located at 600'. We are talking about an elevation that is nearly four times that of Napa's highest vineyards.
