Santa Lucia Highlands

One of the most exciting Pinot Noir appellations in the world, this slender hillside growing area extends roughly 18 miles northwest to southeast in Monterey County. Cooled by wind from the Pacific ocean just a mountain chain to the west and gaining ripening sun from its elevated exposures, the Santa Lucia Highlands is home to some of the most profound Pinots now being made. La Rochelle works with a number of vineyards spanning the entire length of the appellation. Each wine we produce has its own special site-driven notes. They all share, however, the passion of the people who farm them.

SLEEPY HOLLOW VINEYARD

This 450-acre hillside vineyard has been part of La Rochelle’s portfolio for several years. Managed by Sam Balderas (who was a winemaker at Mirassou Vineyards) and owned by the Talbott family, we have gotten consistently beautiful fruit from one of the more northerly-located vineyards in the appellation.

Block A, planted to the Martini  and a variety of Dijon clones, is located at the upper edge of the vineyard 448 feet above sea level, 108 miles south of the Winery. Block A, like Garys’ Vineyard, is planted on Arroyo Seco gravelly loam soil, which allows for excellent root penetration and enables vines to pick up subsoil minerals that increase flavor complexity. Since 2006 we have been using both Martini and Dijon clone 113 in the Sleepy Hollow and Santa Lucia Highlands releases. One of the older sites in our portfolio, Sleepy Hollow was planted on its own roots more than 30 years ago. N36^o 29’ 09.7” Latitude W121^o 30’ 23.5” Longitude.

GARYS' VINEYARD

Owned by boyhood friends, Gary Pisoni and Gary Franscioni, this acclaimed vineyard was planted to the Pisoni clone in 1997. Comprised of 50 acres, 42 planted to Pinot Noir, Garys’ sits at 300 feet above sea level and rises at a 10% grade to 500 feet. This vineyard is fairly densely planted (6’ x 8’ and 5’ x 8’) and is trellised in the Vertical Shoot Position to maximize ripeness and sunlight on its open canopy. Planted in a north-south configuration, Arroyo Seco sandy loam is the predominant soil type.

La Rochelle Winery began purchasing fruit from this spectacular site in 2003. Our 2006 Pinot Noir, Garys' Vineyard will be released in April 2009, and reviews for our 2005 vintage can be found here. N36^o 26’ 30.7” Latitude W121^o 26’ 27.9” Longitude.

PARAISO VINEYARD

Paraiso Vineyard is owned by Rich Smith, one of the pioneer wine growers in the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation, the Paraiso Vineyard is the most southerly-located vineyard in the appellation from which we source fruit. Comprised of seven blocks of Pinot Noir, covering nearly 80 acres and planted to the Martini and several Dijon clones, this site sits 119 miles south of the Winery.

Paraiso Vineyard, which was planted in 1973 on decomposed granite and Arroyo Seco loam, one of the predominant soil type in SLH, uses Vertical Shoot Position and California sprawl trellising. Yields vary by block but average about four tons per acre. Situated at more than 500 feet above sea level, this site receives plenty of sunshine during the day before cool ocean breezes drop temperatures later in the day. N36^o 22' 04.2" Latitude W121^o 21' 15.0' Longitude.

SARMENTO VINEYARD

Composed of granitic loam soils and home to both the Pommard clone and Dijon clones such as 667 (both of which are part of our Sarmento Vineyard offering) this site offers stunning view of the much of Valley floor all the way east to the Chalone appellation. Because of their elevation, vineyards such as Sarmento receive plenty of late-morning sunlight, being above the fog-line, and are then cooled significantly in the evening by the ocean breezes that crest the Santa Lucia range.

Planted in 2000, this young vineyard is just now beginning to show the quality of fruit is capable of producing. Trellised in the Vertical Shoot Position mode and averaging yields of about 4 tons per acre, this vineyard's fruit is made into a Pinot Noir made exclusively for our Pinot Noir Program wine club. N36^o 25' 03.9" Latitude W121^o 25' 13.0' Longitude
 

TONDRE GRAPEFIELD

A couple miles further north and very close to Garys’ and Rosella’s vineyards, is another new site in 2009: Tondre Grapefield. Managed by Joe Allarid, this site’s reputation for producing top-quality fruit is growing rapidly. We purchased a couple of tons of two different Dijon clones including one we have never used before but which has great potential…943.

WHITE SAGE VINEYARD

The first vintage of fruit from White Sage Vineyard, owned by sixth generation Mirassou family-member— Mark Mirassou— came into the winery in 2009. Mark’s vineyard is planted exclusively to Pinot Noir and is located just south of Hahn winery on River road just south of the center of the appellation. Dramatically narrow and tucked into a small valley cleaving the lower hillsides of the Highlands, White Sage Vineyard provided Dijon and classic clones to us. The plan is to buy more fruit from this site as San Vicente Vineyard is taken off-line.