Marsanne
Alder Springs Vineyard
MendocinoLocated over three hours north of San Francisco, Alder Springs relies on elevations as high as 2700 feet for a cooling effect. There's so much to say about this vineyard, but even more to say about the owner Stu Bewley – smart, nice and passionate about what he does. The vines are planted on steep hillsides of decomposing sandstone with a combination of Scott Henry and Smart Dyson trellising systems with vine density as much as 3300 vines per acre. The cooler temperatures allow the fruit to hang longer without sacrificing the naturally vibrant acidity levels. It's hard to contain our excitement about this vineyard because it represents a combination of people, site, viticulture practices and a track record with wineries we're honored to be sharing fruit with.
Saralee's Vineyard
Russian River ValleyTwo white varietals of France's northern Rhône, Marsanne and Roussanne have found surging popularity in California. Given the high demand for Rhône whites, it's extremely difficult to find top-quality fruit. The moderate temperatures and precision farming at this Russian River site make for a perfect match for these varietals. Planted in 2002 in well draining sandy-loam soils, Saralee's is a high density site, with vines spread just 4 feet apart. They're cropped to a single cluster per shoot, the same aggressive viticulture practices we use for the Russian River Viognier. For extra aromatics, we can blend in a bit of Viognier.
