The Vineyards Cool-Climate sites from the West Sonoma Coast and Beyond

Cleary Freestone Ranch encompasses the 14 acres of Ernest’s vines in foggy Freestone Valley. Only 7 miles from the Pacific, it is one of the coldest areas in all of west Sonoma Coast with the marine layer lingering well into mid-day and returning late afternoon. Goldridge soil with clay peppering closer to Salmon Creek. The extremely cool climate allows for extended hang time before harvest delivering deep complexity.

An incredible 3-acre property we've just added to the Ernest family. The Joyce Vineyard is the coldest site we've encountered in the West Sonoma Coast and one day will be an incredible source for sparkling wine.

On Hahn Lane in West Sonoma County, the father/daughter team of Ted Klopp and Lauren Klopp Williams developed a vineyard devoted entirely to four clones of Chardonnay. The Sebastopol Hills location, at 250ft in elevation, delivers cool, coastal fog and the finest Goldridge sandy loam soil.

Wind dictates everything at this 15-acre vineyard in Sonoma County. The parcel sits in the mouth of the Petaluma Gap, where a blend of unique terroir, cool climate, and consistent wind yields long hang times that allow flavors to mature slowly and steadily. The majority of the vineyard is Pinot Noir with clones of Pommard 4, Dijon 113, and 667. In his book, A New California Wine, Jon Bonne describes the vineyard as “perhaps the most challenging vineyards [in all of California].” Considering the intense flavors of the grapes from this location, we’re happy to take on the challenge of working with grapes farmed from here.

Sourced from the 18-acre Henry David Vineyard in Sonoma County’s Bennett Valley appellation, this small planting of Aligoté, less than one acre, is known to be perhaps only the third after Josh Jensen’s Mt. Harlan Vineyard.

Located on the top of the Eastern slope of the Sonoma ridge overlooking the town of Sonoma, Fallenleaf Vineyard is an 8-acre gem planted to Old Wente Chardonnay. Owner Harry Cohn works tirelessly with Atlas Vineyard Management to methodically produce a stellar crop year after year. Established before today's modern skinny tractors, the low yields of wide rows are compensated for with a unique double trunk / mid-wire cordon system that can only work in a well-ventilated, cool hillside site like this one.