Our first Pinot Noir vineyard, the South Hill, was initially planted in 1975, but in the 1990s, phylloxera began to weaken the roots. We chose to delay replanting until we had sufficient experience with the newly released Dijon clones planted in our upper vineyards. In 2002, we removed vines from the upper section of the South Hill and replanted with clone 777 on phylloxera-resistant rootstock. Then, in 2014, we proceeded to replant the lower section with clones 115 and 667. The vineyard is located at an elevation of 280 to 320 feet; the upper section has thinner soils and the vines struggle for water as the season progresses.
![[above]](/images/buttons/arrow_up.gif)
Pigeage is a minimalist winemaking approach that yields distinctive wines which reflect the character of each vineyard site.
Leaf removal in the South Hill prior to harvest. ![[below]](/images/buttons/arrow_down.gif)
This was the first of our replanted vineyards outfitted with multiple crossarms and wires to help train the canopy into an umbrella shape that protects the fruit from direct sunlight during the heat of the day.
This bottling is exclusively produced from the older 777 vines located in the upper section and features bold black cherry-plum flavors, hints of lavender, vanilla, Asian spices and licorice with a rich, fruit-driven midpalate.
