Our vineyards range from the High Valley floor up to the surrounding volcanic ridges. The unique nature of this terrain’s microclimates makes for challenging growing, and the resulting wines are made to stand up to that challenge. From the two exposures of the Monte Sereno Vineyard to the top of Volcano Ridge, Brassfield Estate’s grapes are dynamic in their character and delicious in their flavor.
Our newest vineyard has been planted to Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. A great deal of thought went into optimizing every aspect of this vineyard, from the irrigation system to the clone and rootstock selections, and even the row orientation.
We’ve installed a state-of-the-art irrigation system featuring a controller that can be programmed and managed remotely. This allows us to achieve precise irrigation, especially when combined with our ET sensors and soil moisture probes. This technology enables us to practice precision farming in these blocks.
We strategically chose a specific location within this vineyard to cultivate grapes for our Reserve tier. We’ve also planted specific clone and rootstock combinations designed to achieve ideal anthocyanin levels, sugar content, and canopy management, all while strategically stressing the vines. The fruit from this vineyard is a key component for all of our Cabernet Programs .
Originally planted in 2003 and 2004, Volcano Ridge (created by hundreds of eruptions from the nearby Round Mountain Volcano) totals 85 acres devoted to all red varietals, with numerous clones of each (primarily 110R rootstock). At 1900 – 2200 ft. elevation, the volcanic sands and tephra (small, fused sand pebbles) of the Konocti Series make for excellent drainage. Vines struggle in these soils, and the intensity of that struggle is reflected in the layers of complexity and structure, in the concentrated fruit, and in the final expression of Volcano Ridge wines.
Planted in 2008 with clones of Syrah and Viognier, the Franciscan shale of Perspective Vineyard on our western-most ridge overlooks Clear Lake. Its 2,717 elevation ( Height of Burj Khalifa) makes for a rocky and well-drained vineyard. A windy site and lean location, along with the density of 5×3 spacing (2900 vines per acre) provide the desirable stress to perfect one of the best growing locations in the world for our Perspectives Syrah.
Planted in 2001, this valley floor ranges from 1,780 to 1,850 ft. in elevation. The cool temperatures here – among the coldest in the Lake County region – help to maintain good acidity and prolong the hang-time in the grapes over the course of an extended maturation. The gravelly, sandy-loam soils within our steep Wolf Creek, Lipoyama, and Manzanita Series vineyard sites provide exceptionally good drainage, while channeling the cool air from the coast along our High Valley floor. Once again, nature has created a remarkable set of conditions that help Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Noir to thrive here.
Block 14 is planted mainly to Cabernet Sauvignon on a bench of weathered Franciscan soil with minimal organic material. The vines here struggle to grow through the broken shale, which has low water-holding potential. As a result, these vines produce low tonnage annually, making this our lowest yielding vineyard every year.
In terms of wine quality, we consistently get very dark wines with excellent tannin, fruit character, and structure. These wines from this vineyard have great aging potential.
July 2018 Update on our Cabernet Sauvignon Vineyard
Conversation with Jonathan Walters, Director of Vineyard Operations
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