Small Sonoma County Vineyards, Lasting Impression
The Barbers lease and farm smaller vineyards around Petaluma. They grow all their fruit organically. They are believers in the single vineyard model of winemaking: that each wine should come from individual vineyard sites and express the uniqueness of that particular vineyard and soil. The name of each vineyard is printed on the label.
The Gray Haven
Petaluma Gap – Pinot Noir
3 different Dijon clones of pinot noir grow here on a ruggedly steep hill of sandy clay loam soils in the middle of a stark valley just west of Petaluma. The olive trees of the Mcevoy ranch keep watch on the ridge tops above, while morning fog and coastal wind keeps the valley consistently cool. This beautiful place is exactly where pinot noir wants to be: just enough sun to ripen, but with unyielding cool breezes and fog to keep the grape sugars low and the acidity in balance.
Sleeping Dog
Sonoma Mountain – Zinfandel
Planted in 1975, the Sleeping Dog vineyard is east of Petaluma on Sonoma Mountain at an elevation just under 2000 ft. It is an organic, dry farmed field blend vineyard with alicante bouschet and petite sirah planted alongside the zinfandel. Tucked away into a remote, east facing sight on a steep mountain slope, the vineyard is not easy to farm but benefits from its cool surroundings and volcanic/clay loam soils, yielding grapes of balance and finesse.
Santo Giordano
Carneros – Sangiovese
Just outside of Petaluma and in the southern most part of the Carneros appellation, this vineyard has fantastic views across the bay of San Francisco and Berkeley on a clear day. Planted in 1999 on clay and thin rocky loam, the persistent breeze from the bay cools the Italian varietals on the property and delays ripening. The sangiovese from the property offers a truly elegant, old-world expression of the grape.
Laughing Raven
Alexander Valley – Sauvignon Blanc
Laughing Raven vineyard is as far as we go from Petaluma for fruit, but when the opportunity rose to take the entire vineyard we had to jump on it. It is located in Alexander Valley, northern Sonoma County, and is entirely sandy, alluvial soils. Planted and farmed sustainably by Jose Zero since 2002, the small 1.5 acre vineyard is entirely sauvignon blanc and yields fruit of intense tropical fruit flavors. Tucked up against the eastern hills of Cloverdale, the vineyard gets less sun per day than the rest of the valley which really helps the intensity and brightness of the sauvignon blanc.