Yeah, those vines were “inherited” and they got to the point they didn’t make sense. I’d guess they only lasted so long because they were too busy expanding with new plantings and they needed fruit.
Thank you again for the information!!
I have always associated Storrs Winery & Vineyards with Santa Clara County, although the operation is a “Santa Cruz thing”. 
Nevertheless, Storrs has produced numerous wines from Santa Clara County’s remaining old vineyards, including Zinfandel, Petite Syrah, Carignan, Rhône-style blends, and even a Grand Noir.
Now, the winery has opened its own winery and tasting room in Corralitos:[/b]
Edible Monterey Bay
“Storrs Debut Long-Awaited Pleasant Valley Winery and Tasting Room”
By Laura Ness
July 10, 2018
"Pamela and Steve Storrs have labored long and hard to bring their dream of an organically-farmed vineyard and eco-friendly winery in bucolic Corralitos to fruition. Longtime winemakers, grape growers, land stewards and sheep herders, the couple met at UC Davis and worked at Domaine Chandon, Almaden and Felton-Empire (which later became Hallcrest) before striking out on their own and starting their brand in Santa Cruz in 1988.
"…The couple had always dreamed of owning land, and in 2001 purchased a 56-acre parcel that was primarily an abandoned apple orchard in the Pleasant Valley district of Corralitos. A few of the old apple trees, dating back to the 19th Century, still remain, including a rare winter banana apple. ‘Aromatic and short-lived,’ says Pam. ‘They get mealy really fast,’ says Steve. That’s ok, they were in it to farm grapes.
"Over the next seven years, they carefully prepared the land, which is a riparian corridor with seasonal springs, removing dead pines, working to restore the stream, adding nutrients back to the soil via years of cover cropping and eventually planting an organically-farmed vineyard in 2007. Fittingly, they named their new estate Hidden Springs.
"Here, there are two clones of Chardonnay–Clones 4 and 17 (also called the Robert Young selection), along with five clones of Pinot Noir, including the Dijon clones 115, 667, 828 as well as Clone 2A and Pommard. The vineyard benefits from the inputs of a flock of Olde English Babydoll sheep that graze during the winter months to promote a more balanced, self-sustaining system.
"…One look at the towering grey-blue barn—which serves as winery, barrel cellar and tasting room—and you know this is something special. Located on the site of a former quarry just off Pleasant Valley Road, the 6,800 square foot structure was built with 2-foot thick walls made of soy-based foam insulation, held in place with steel rebar and covered in concrete.
"…They plan to open the new tasting room on a regular basis in August. For now, though, they are focused on the ‘Taste of Community’ benefit this Saturday, July 14. It seems fitting that the two have been hard at work to make this particular event their premiere for the venue. They hope to shine a spotlight on all the ag workers behind this paradise of wine and food in our collective backyards. Raising funds for the Pajaro Valley Community Trust is very important to them, which is why the winemaking couple decided to go all out.
"…Pam is really excited to use the organically-farmed site as a teaching opportunity for home gardeners and small scale farmers—they plan to have a vegetable garden at some point. They already have helpful signage explaining the habitat and wildlife that make this place their home.
“The Storrs plan to retain the Old Sash Mill tasting room in Santa Cruz, and will be moving winery production equipment, barrels and some case goods to the Hidden Springs facility prior to harvest this year. This will give them room to finally expand that tiny spot…”[/i]
2012 Edible Monterey Bay article: “Storrs Winery’s Eco-Eden”
Thanks for posting this Drew. Steve and Pamela are some of the nicest people in the business and fly way under the radar considering the quality of the wine the have been making over the years. The tasting room is always a must stop for me when over the hill and am looking forward to finally visiting their new winery. ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
TomHill posted this article on another thread today, and I stole it for this one!
SF Gate
“Eden Rift in Hollister, the Vineyard that Unearthed a Hidden California History”
by Esther Mobley
August 3, 2018
"With just two vintages under its belt, Eden Rift Vineyards is technically a brand-new venture. But the Hollister estate’s owner, Christian Pillsbury, sees himself as the custodian of a very long and unique thread of California history.
"The 500-acre property in San Benito County’s Cienega Valley AVA has had vines planted on it since 1849, making it one of the state’s oldest continually producing vineyards. Not only that: The property had Pinot Noir here in 1849, an extremely rare sighting in an era when most California vineyards were planted to the Mission grape or to haphazard melanges of Zinfandel, Carignan and Alicante Bouschet. Twenty miles from the Pacific Ocean and mere yards from the San Andreas Fault, the Eden Rift property is seamed with limestone, dolomite and quartz — the kinds of soils any winegrower would kill for.
"…As Pietra Santa, the property had been planted to mostly Italian grape varieties. Pillsbury wanted to turn the focus to Pinot Noir — a hot commodity in California these days but also, conveniently, a nod to the land’s history.
"He’s not the first to identify Hollister as prime Pinot Noir land: Just a mile south of Eden Rift lies Calera Wine Co., whose founder, Josh Jensen, a onetime ‘Chronicle Winemaker of the Year’, zeroed in on Hollister because it holds some of California’s few bands of limestone soils.
"Luckily, some of the Eden Rift site was already being converted from grapes like Sangiovese to Pinot Noir under the direction of winemaker Cory Waller, who stayed on board after Pillsbury bought the property. Some of the vineyard’s other, less lucrative remnants — a block of century-old, head-trained Zinfandel vines; Pinot Gris planted on terraces — Pillsbury decided to keep. ‘We’re pretty sure this is the only California Pinot Gris on terraces,’ Pillsbury says, with a laugh. The fruit is extremely low-yielding and expensive to farm, which the $32 bottle price probably doesn’t justify. But he likes the wine, so the vines remain.
"Pillsbury takes advantage of every opportunity to emphasize his intention to guard this property’s history. When asked why he wanted to buy a vineyard in the first place, he brings up the string of family-owned wine estates that have sold to larger companies in recent years. ‘Homogeneity is coming and it’s not healthy,’ he says. ‘I just wanted to make sure that one of these places stayed iconoclastic for the next generation.’
"He couldn’t have known when he bought the land that Calera, Eden Rift’s neighbor and geological sibling, would be the next one to sell.
"…If a winery from this area — the no-man’s-land of San Benito County, a forgettable pause between Silicon Valley and Monterey — was to become famous, Pillsbury says, ‘it had to become famous in its own right,’ as Calera did. Pillsbury is trying to shift that. ‘We’re trying to embrace where we are,’ he says, elevating not just Eden Rift but its surrounds, too.
"In fact, San Benito seems poised to be having a moment. Randall Grahm’s experimental vineyard, ‘Popelouchum’, is generating some attention in San Juan Bautista, the next town over. More young winemakers are working with the ‘Wirz Vineyard’ here in the Cienega Valley, one of California’s great parcels of old-vine Riesling. And few vineyards in California right now are as hot a commodity as ‘Enz’, the source of some stellar old-vine Mourvedres from Sandlands, I. Brand and Dirty & Rowdy.
It seems fitting, then, that Eden Rift’s winemaker is a Hollister native. Waller knew about the Eden Rift property before San Benito was cool. ‘My brother and I had always been eyeing this place,’ Waller says. His brother Mike is the winemaker at Calera.
"So far the Eden Rift wines are promising, though they still feel like a work in progress. Waller has a serious Pinot Noir pedigree, having previously worked at Bergstrom, Soter and Etude. His 2017 Pinot lots — tasted from barrel, not yet blended or bottled — are spicy and generous, some showing red fruit and baking spices, while others emphasize fresh herbs. The most complete, so far, is the Q Block Pinot, from a terraced section, which tastes textured and quite tannic, earthy and blue-fruited.
"But I suspect the Eden Rift star will not be Pinot Noir at all. It’s the property’s Chardonnay that is, so far, its most intriguing output. The 2016, already released, is rich and butterscotchy but taut, restrained. (Waller made the 2016s from start to finish, but Pillsbury had not yet purchased the property at the time the grapes were harvested.) And 2017 barrel samples are even better, especially a selection from the old Wente clone, marked by lemon verbena and bright, pithy acidity.
“If Pillsbury’s interpretation of the Eden Rift story is not yet fully formed, that’s probably as it should be. After all, he’s been here just a year and a half. The simple fact that a place like Eden Rift exists — a historical site that somehow, in the year 2018, remains a kind of blank slate — is a comfort in today’s California, where it can often feel as if our wine rules have been prematurely written.…”[/i]
Eden Rift Vineyards website: https://www.edenrift.com
Personally, I take issue with the author’s statement that this area is a “blank slate”, especially after spending a considerable amount of time illustrating the historical significance of the region.
“Iconoclastic” Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, as well as the Italianate vibe of the estate’s former tenure under the Gimelli family’s destination/winery hardly sound like tributes to the legacy of San Benito wine grape-growing. 
Like Chalone, it’s quite warm for PN and Chard. That said, soil usually trumps that. Look at Calera. The highs are quite high, but there’s also the occasional vintage that shows the heat. Razor’s edge. Vista Verde is some of my Williams-Selyem friends’ favorite bottling from them.
Basically, that’s an argument to hedge more on the plantings. More true legacy varieties would make their tasting room more compelling. (What they grow to sell is a different equation.) Speaking for myself - not exactly a typical consumer - I went straight to their website the moment I heard about them. When I saw what they were doing my interest dropped to zero.
Gilroy Dispatch
“Wildfire Contained Off Hecker Pass Road”
by Bryce Stoepfel
August 6, 2018
"A late afternoon eight-acre wildfire on both sides of Watsonville Road that threatened vineyards and homes west of Gilroy was reported approximately 60 percent contained within an hour.
"Fast-acting fire crews reported the blaze between two Hecker Pass vineyards was 60 percent contained as of 5:45pm Monday.
“‘We have multiple units here,’ said Santa Clara County Fire Chief Derek Witmer. ‘It’s been on both sides of Watsonville Road, and it’s been spotted multiple times on Honeycomb Lane and out to Hecker Pass.’
"…Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at 4:45pm. Four air tankers, two helicopters and multiple crews and equipment from Gilroy, CalFire, Watsonville and Santa Clara County departments battled the blaze in windy conditions. They carved a dozer line around the fire to aid containment and protect nearby homes and vineyards.
"Because of dry grass and winds, firefighters worked to contain spot fires sporadically ignited by falling embers.
“…‘It’s a little too close for comfort,’ said Jill Fortino of the fire near Fortino Winery, immediately west and south of the blaze. Sarah’s Vineyard is just east of the fire location.”
I found this unexpected picture on the Bedrock Wine Company website…
Sky Vineyards 2017 “Wirz Vineyard” Riesling Cienega Valley
Ryan of STiRM Winery is offering to mailing list members two new San Benito wines among the 2018 Fall Release. I strongly recommend that lovers of “Wirz Vineyard” and San Benito County wines sign up for the email list!
"…We are also debuting two wines from San Benito County; a 2016 field blend red and a 2017 Rosé. The Rosé, that is more focused on structure, and is a blend of both Zinfandel and Riesling from the dry-farmed ‘Wirz Vineyard’, also a 2017 wine. The red, from Los Chuchaquis (one of our other projects), from the Lime Kiln Valley, and is a blend of 6 varieties (Mataro, Carignan, Mission, Cabernet Pfeffer, Muscat, Palomino), picked together and fermented whole cluster from the 2016 vintage. Named ‘Tiburcio Vazquez’ after a famous bandito who looted a store in Paicines, the town closest to this vineyard.
"2017 Cienega Valley Rosé
"Vintage Summary
The 2017 growing season was characterized by our El Nino condiions, better than average winter rainfall returning to the Cienega Valley. This resulted in a recovery year for the vines, with stronger growth, and a decent yield increase. A fairly cool spring and summer was brought to a halt with erratic heat spikes starting in the beginning of September. The rest of the month had great ripening conditions. The grapes were harvested on September 9th and 10th.
"Winemaking
The grapes were picked by hand. At the winery the grapes were given 4 hours of whole cluster maceration to extract tannins, aroma, and flavor compounds in the skins, followed by pressing the grapes. No sulfur was added to allow the juice to oxidize. After a 36 hour cold settle in tank, the clean juice was racked off the solids to another tank for spontaneous fermentation. The wine was sulfured post completion of secondary fermentation with elevage in tank on fine lees. Racked off fine lees a month prior to bottling. Unfined and unfiltered. The only addition we ever use is sulfur. Bottled July 5th, 2018. 53 cases produced.
“WINE STATS
Varietal Composition: Zinfandel (55%), Riesling (40%), Mission (5%)
Brix at harvest: 21.0
Titratable Acidity: 6.9 g/L
pH: 3.19
Residual Sugar: 0.0 g/L
Alcohol: 13.0%”
"2016 Los Chuchaquis ‘Tiburcio Vazquez’ Lime Kiln Valley Red Wine
"Vintage Summary
The 2016 growing season was characterized by better than average winter rainfall returning to the Lime Kiln Valley, because of the persistent El Nino conditions. This resulted in a recovery year for the vines, with stronger growth, but no yield increase. Cool nights were the norm throughout August, with a heat spike in early September to finish off ripening. The grapes were harvested on September 26th.
"Winemaking
The grapes were picked by hand, sorted in the field. At the winery the grapes were hand sorted into a 2 ton fermenters, one 100% whole cluster, one 100% destemmed. Pumped over once daily, pressed after a 10 day fermentation. Elevage in old (10 years) barriques for 18 months. Racked to stainless for four months prior to bottling. Unfined, unfiltered. Bottled July 5, 2018. 94 cases produced.
“Wine Stats
Brix at harvest: 23.0
Titratable Acidity: 7.9 g/L
pH: 3.56
Residual Sugar: 0.0 g/L
Alcohol: 13.8%”
The STiRM/Los Chuchaquis “Tiburcio Vazquez” Red Wine is made up of Mataro, Carignan, Mission, Cabernet Pfeffer, Muscat, and Palomino.
STiRM Winery website: https://www.stirmwine.com
Though the article is part of a promotion for a few bottles of wine (since sold-out), I learned a little extra about Ryan Stirm of STiRM and Graham Tatomer of Tatomer Wines. The piece is worth a quick read:
Viticole Wine
“Next-Gen California: East of Eden”
June 1, 2018
The Santa Clara Wine Association recently added a few more features to it’s website, including the following video:
Santa Clara Wine Association website: http://www.santaclarawines.com
SCWA News: http://www.santaclarawines.com/news.html
This blog post is from 2014, during the earlier days of the on-going California drought. I was impressed with some of the photographs and the (sort of) local perspective:
Town Mouse Country Mouse Blog
“Cienega Valley - January in a Drought Year”
by “County Mouse”
January 28, 2014
"Normally it would be lush along Cienega Valley in January, a chance to see the rolling golden cattle-grazing hills in their almost fluorescent green state.
"…These endless warm, sunny days have a nightmarish quality — it’s difficult for me to simply enjoy the very human-friendly warmth and brightness. ‘Time is out of joint.’
Precedent Wines from Mr Nathan Kandler are the focus of this report from retailer K&L Wines:
K&L “On the Trail”
“A New Entrant into Old-Vine Winemaking”
by Thomas Smith
April 12, 2018
"…Two wines from a new label named Precedent stopped me in my tracks…The second, a White blend from ‘Wirz Vineyard’, had the soaring aromatics of a Riesling with bright acid and an incredibly expressive minerality.
"…Located in the Cienega Valley just a few miles south of the city of Hollister, Kandler’s block is dominated by Riesling planted in 1952. ‘It’s a really challenging site because it’s dry farmed. So there’s no water. It’s really interesting to see a vineyard that is so at the whim of mother nature, swinging back and forth. The wines from the dry years are so intense, but the ‘17 is in more of an elegant style.’ Tasting the ‘17 in barrel, I was struck by gorgeous notes of kaffir lime, a brightly focused acidity and an extraordinary weight and depth on the palate. I found the wine totally unique and delicious, driven equally by minerality and fruit.
"…After tasting through Kandler’s wines, I’m convinced Precedent belongs on the short list of old-vine winemakers who deliver exceptional quality.
“…I asked Kandler what was next for Precedent. ‘There’s a lot more land left to be explored in Lodi. You can make the wines at really good price points. I want to make wines that somebody like me would want to buy.’”
Precedent Wines website: http://www.precedentwine.com
Thomas Smith wrote that. First met him a few years ago when he interned at the the Roar facility - all the winemakers who were in there shared the interns, so it was a good place for the kiddos. Last time I saw him, at K&L, I was saying how good the Halcon Elevacion is. Oh yeah… he knew, since he had his hands in it. He also mentioned he was doing interviews for K&L and really enjoying it. He’s at Big Basin for harvest this year. They source a lot from the Coastview Vyd., which is spitting distance from San Benito…
Yes, Thomas is a nice guy and seems to have a very good palate. Precedent is one of those under-the-radar labels that deserves more attention than it gets. It’s actually not that new of a label - it’s been around for 10 years or so - but Nathan doesn’t make very much. He poured the 2015 Wirz Vineyard Old Vine White (Riesling) and 2015 Evangelho Vineyard Zinfandel at this spring’s Historic Vineyard Society Tasting in San Francisco, and both were among my favorites of the event.
Thanks for pointing out that I’d missed citing the author. 
According to the following article, Ian Brand and his wife Heather have a home for showcasing their various wines:
I. Brand & Family
1 E. Carmel Valley Rd.
Carmel Valley, CA 93924
831-298-7227
The Press
“I. Brand & Family: Once Exclusive Wines Now Made Accessible”
by Matt Kettmann
"…Until recently, it was hard to taste these wines on a regular basis. But in November 2017, I. Brand & Family opened a tasting room in the Carmel Valley, at the southern end of a low-slung strip mall that mostly houses other tasting rooms. Black stools screw up and down against a brushed metal bar, where Steinbeck books sit in a pile on one end and large lights hang overheard. On the wall is a huge geologic map of California, and there are rocks from various vineyards on the shelves in the back, next to the collection of vinyl. Board games can be played at the dining table in the adjacent room, where black and white photographs of surfers and kelp provide decoration, or a glass of wine can be enjoyed in the rocking chairs on the front porch.
“The tastings are $14 and include six wines, which are a blend of the three brands.”
Website for I. Brand & Family, Le P’tit Paysan, and La Marea Wines: http://lppwines.com
I do my best to source information from reliable, up-to-date websites, articles, books and such.
Having said this, sometimes I’m able to find specific details from retailer promotional emails, travel service sites, etc.
Calwineries
“The History of Lime Kiln Wine Country”
"The region gets its name from the many lime kilns that once dotted the landscape. They took advantage of the abundant limestone in the ground. Between 1890 and 1910, Henry Cowell operated the Cowell Lime Company.
"In 1967, Bob and Susan Enz arrived with their four children. They bought about 300 acres in the idyllic Lime Kiln Valley. 15 of these acres were planted with the original vines planted in 1887. Two of Henry Cowell’s lime kilns are still on the property.
“…The Lime Kiln AVA was established in 1982…”.
Image: “San Benito County, 1916 Map”, from California Mineral Production for 1919 (Link)
Below are two sections from the Trade & Tax Bureau’s certification of the Lime Kiln Valley American Viticulture Appellation.
“Establishment of the Lime Kiln Valley Viticultural Area”
[T.D. ATF-106; Ref: Notice Nos. 352 and 387]
47 FR 24295, June 4, 1982 (PDF download)
Lime Kiln AVA Final Rule.pdf (25.2 KB)
"…Evidence Relating to the Name:
"The area derived its name from a number of lime kilns built in the area. Many of the kilns were in operation prior to 1910. Witnesses testified that this particular valley, although a portion of the larger Cienega Valley, has always been distinct and known as Lime Kiln Valley. Furthermore, on September 6, 1977, the County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted a resolution which formally named the area ‘Lime Kiln Valley’.
"Vineyards were planted in this area in 1887, and the history of San Benito County relates to vine cuttings brought from France and obtained by the Spanish padres in the area. The Enz Vineyards and Winery has been producing and marketing wine referring to a Lime Kiln Valley appellation since the early 1970’s.
"One commenter stated the name ‘Lime Kiln Valley’ is not an historical name for the area and noted that the name ‘Lime Kiln Valley’ does not appear on any U.S.G.S. maps of the area.
"After evaluating the information contained in the petition and the comments received, ATF believes the historical and current evidence does support the name ‘Lime Kiln Valley’ as a distinct viticultural area.
"Geographical Evidence:
"In accordance with 27 CFR 4.25a(e)(2), a viticultural area should possess geographical features which distinguish it from surrounding areas.
"With the amended boundaries, the area averages about 16 inches of rainfall a year. Witnesses stated this amount is slightly higher than the surrounding areas, which average about 15 inches per year.
"Winter temperatures average well below freezing, while the summer temperatures vary from 85-95 degrees during the day and drop to about 45-50 degrees at night. Witnesses further stated that these temperatures are cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer than the surrounding areas.
"The soil in Lime Kiln Valley is basically a sandy and gravelly loam overlying bedrock of dolomite and limestone.
"One commenter stated that the climate, topography, and soil of the proposed ‘Lime Kiln Valley’ viticultural area was not distinct from the larger Cienega Valley. In addition, this commenter stated that the proposed area was too small to be of any consequence and its approval as a viticultural area would create a de facto monopoly.
“Based on the evidence discussed earlier, ATF believes the written and oral testimony supports the fact that the Lime Kiln Valley exhibits distinct geophysical and climatic characteristics and is distinguishable as a separate valley from the larger, more generally defined, Cienega Valley. The size of an area and whether or not it creates a de facto monopoly are not criteria in determining the distinctiveness of a proposed area. Therefore, ATF is establishing the Lime Kiln Valley as a viticultural area…”.
TTB website
“Lime Kiln Valley Petition” (PDF download)
California Coast Wines blog
“Fall Brings Unsettled Weather to the Vineyards”
by Jan Janes
November 3, 2007
KCET website
“California Wine: Mourvèdre Than Meets the Eye”
by Michael Newsome
November 22, 2011
Wayward Wine Blog
“Mourvedre Part 3: Wine Review of Kenneth Volk, Mourvèdre, Enz Vineyard, Lime Kiln Valley, California 2012”
Author?
January 22, 2018
“Lime Kiln Valley sits like a Russian doll in the Cienega Valley, which sits in San Benito County, in Montery, in Central California, in California, in America (*phew). Lime Kiln Valley lives up to its name: rich with limestone and dolomite. Temperatures range an extreme 50 degrees. The perfect recipe for torturing vines to make quality grapes.
And only one family farms Lime Kiln Valley: The Enz family. They started in 1895, and planted Mourverdre 1922: one of the oldest Mourvedre vineyards anywhere. Currently there are 40 acres of vineyards, including a 15 acre parcel of head-trained Mourvèdre…”
The following is from the ATF (now known as TTB) ruling on the establishment of the “Cienega Valley AVA”.
“Cienega Valley Viticultural Area”
[T.D. ATF-109; Ref: Notice No. 376]
47 FR 36125, August 19, 1982 (download)
Cienega Valley AVA Final Rule.pdf (25.9 KB)
"…Historical and Current Evidence of the Name
"The name of the area, Cienega Valley, was well documented by the petitioner. After evaluating the petition, ATF believes that the Cienega Valley viticultural area has a unique historical identity and that the name ‘Cienega Valley’ is the most appropriate name for the area.
“Geographical Evidence”
"In accordance with 27 CFR 4.25a(e)(2), a viticultural area should possess geographical features which distinguish the viticultural features of the area from surrounding areas.
"Cienega Valley is located at the base of the Gabilan Mountain Range which rises to 3,274 feet and forms a boundary line between San Benito and Monterey Counties. The Pescadero Creek runs through the vineyards and the San Andreas earthquake fault line borders the northeast edge. Cienega Valley lies approximately 5 miles south, overland, from the town of Hollister. On the east is the Paicines Vineyards. The Cienega Valley area is planted with hundreds of acres of vineyards consisting of numerous varieties of grapes.
"Cienega Valley lies northeast of the Salinas Valley which is known as a cooler area and is often blanketed with fog. Salinas Valley strongly influences the micro-climate of the Cienega Valley by sending cooler air and fog into the Cienega grape-growing region. The terrain is extremely hilly to mountainous and the elevation ranges from approximately 930 feet to well over 1,500 feet. The average elevation in the Cienega Valley area is higher than much of the surrounding area including Paicines.
"Due to the closeness of the Cienega Valley area to the Gabilan Mountain Range, Cienega Valley often has more rain than the surrounding area, thus creating different micro-climatic conditions. Rainfall averages 15.29 inches per year based on 53 years of records. There is some dry farming around the winery. However, water coming down out of the Gabilan Mountains into the Pescadero Creek is used for irrigation of a portion of the vineyards.
"The Cienega Valley area is in a wind tunnel of cool ocean air flowing to the San Joaquin Valley. Trees growing adjacent to the vineyard area help protect the area from the wind. Also, Cienega Valley is protected from the wind due to the location of its eastwest canyons. Cienega Valley gets more evening fog than much of the surrounding area because of its location at the foot of the Gabilan Mountains. This fog usually burns off by early morning. Over the last four years, the temperature in Cienega Valley has averaged 2,861 degree-days as classified by the University of California at Davis system of heat summation by degree-days.
“The soil in Cienega Valley is loamy, generally well drained, and often underlain by weathered granite. The main soil associations of the flood plains and alluvial fans are Sorrento-Yolo-Mocho and Clear Lake-Pacheco-Williams. The soil associations on the uplands are the San Benito-Gazos-Linne association and the Sheridan-Cineba-Auberry association. In general there is good water holding capacity and the root depth ranges from medium to quite deep…”.
I am curious about the “wind tunnel” effects on the vineyards of the Cienega Valley. As per the ATF/TTB document, Cienega Valley’s heat is tempered by evening fog and the east-west canyons, thus falling under Region II (almost Region III) status on the UC Davis heat summation scale.
The broad scope of grape varieties that is found throughout this AVA, and San Benito County in general, might best be explained by the elements unique to each site within the area.