Vineyards

Morro View Vineyard | MarFarm Vineyard | Plummer Vineyard | Pomar Junction Vineyard | Spanish Springs Vineyard

 

The Central Coast of California

From a viticultural perspective, the Central Coast is inherently unique due to its diurnal temperature swing. During the growing season, it is not unusual to witness a 50 degree difference in daytime high and nighttime low. This swing helps our fruit’s acidity stay in check. When nighttime lows are above 65F, respiration in the plant continues, only being fueled by malic acid consumption which can greatly decrease the total acidity at harvest. Cold nights cause respiration to cease, as the plant no longer needs to cool itself. In addition, the soils throughout the coastal areas are well drained and from a marine parent material. This morphology helps increase the concentration of flavor, aroma, and other phenolics.

 

Choosing the Right Vineyard

Wine quality begins in the vineyard. As we are diligent in the cellar with our winemaking practices, we are even more exacting in the vineyard. Grower selection begins with the program of our wine. We first select areas within our appellation that have the right soil, exposure, and varietals planted for that mesoclimate. 

Once the regions are selected we form a bond with our growers. The grower and the winemaker must have aligned philosophy with growing practices. This begins with pre-plant, row orientation, rootstock selection, and soil ecosystem management. The major strategies in the vineyard are pruning, crop load, canopy management, fertility, and harvest dates. We work very closely with our growers, visiting each block several times per month during the growing season to ensure farming goals are met. We are especially involved with the timing of the canopy management and crop adjustments. 

We believe this diligence and care are key to great wine.

 

Bee Sweet Vineyard