Vineyards
Our two properties are divided into micro-vineyards that are farmed and harvested as individual, stand-alone entities. This results in wines that are individualistic, complex and balanced. All of our sites feature a layer of low-vigor loam on top of sandstone, shale and marine deposits. The unusual soils coupled with our cool climate promote low yields (1-3 tons per acre on average), great intensity, firm structure and a distinct impression of minerality in our wines.

With few exceptions, individual lots of grapes are fermented separately using native yeasts. All of our wines, except Gewürztraminer, are now aged exclusively in French oak barrels and bottled unfiltered.

Fogarty Estate Vineyard
The Fogarty estate totals 320-acres of rugged terrain high atop the Santa Cruz Mountains. The estate includes eight micro-vineyards covering 25 acres of ridge top and steep southeast- and east-facing hillsides on the property. The micro-vineyards include: Sky (2.5 acres of Pinot Noir, 1970 ft. above sea level), Razorback (2 acres of Merlot, 1400 ft.), Damiana (3.5 acres of Chardonnay, Damiana, 1890 ft.), Portola Springs (2 acres of Chardonnay, 1920 ft.), Albutom (0.25 acres of Chardonnay, 1930 ft.), Langley Hill (5.25 acres of Chardonnay, 1925 ft.) and Rapley Trail (5.5 acres of Pinot Noir, 1650 ft.).

The site’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean, 10 miles to the west, ensures a year-round cool, windy, maritime climate. The estate’s elevation, ranging from 1650-2000 feet above sea level, places the vineyards above the morning fog that envelops the Silicon Valley, guaranteeing full sunshine throughout most of the growing season.


Gist Ranch
Fogarty also owns the Gist Ranch, a 100-acre parcel located 17 miles south of the winery and 14.5 miles from the Pacific Ocean. The property features 14 acres of grapes including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. Gist Ranch sits atop a ridge at 2300 feet above sea level and experiences a relatively cool climate influenced by the Pacific Ocean to the west. Planted in 1999, this vineyard is responsible for a number of Fogarty’s single-site bottlings.

Santa Cruz Mountains "Albutom" Estate Chardonnay Vineyard
In 1981 Dr. Thomas Fogarty invited a group of friends and family up to the winery for a “planting party.” At the last minute Tom decided to go fishing rather than dig holes. Admiring their handiwork at the end of the day one of the guests noted the vineyard was planted by “All-But-Tom.” The name stuck. Albutom is a hillside site located on our home ranch high atop the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA. It consistently produces some of our most intensely flavored Chardonnay. Mountianside eastern exposure. Morning sun.

Elevation: Distance to Ocean: Size: Climate: Exposure: Soils: Characteristics:

1930 Feet 10 Miles .25 Acres Cold, Mountain, Maritime Eastern Loam, Sandstone, Shale, Marine Deposits Intense, Concentrated, Broad

Santa Cruz Mountains "Portola Springs" Estate Chardonnay Vineyard
Planted in 1981, Portola Springs is our steepest and most labor-intensive site. It features a rock-strewn, southeastern exposure that gets buffeted daily by cool ocean winds off the nearby Pacific. While Portola Springs experiences some of the coldest temperatures on our estate, it also receives enough sunlight to allow the grapes to reach full ripeness. Chardonnay from Portola Springs is always understated and tightly wound.

Elevation: Distance to Ocean: Size: Climate: Exposure: Soils: Characteristics:

1920 Feet 10 Miles 2 Acres Cold, Mountain, Maritime Southeastern Loam, Sandstone, Shale, Marine Deposits Understated, Tightly Wound

Santa Cruz Mountains "Damiana" Estate Chardonnay Vineyard
Damiana was planted 1978, making it the oldest block of Chardonnay on our estate. The site is laden with fractured sandstone and shale. The meager soils and cool climate naturally balance our vines and produce a wine of great character and finesse. Sheltered by the cold breezes off the Pacific Ocean to the west, Damiana tends to produce a richer, bolder style of Chardonnay.

Elevation: Distance to Ocean: Size: Climate: Exposure: Soils: Characteristics:

1890 Feet 10 Miles 3.5 Acres Cold, Mountain, Maritime Southeastern Loam, Sandstone, Shale, Marine Deposits Rich, Bold, Substantial

Santa Cruz Mountains "Langley Hill" Estate Chardonnay Vineyard
More often than not, Langley Hill is our last Chardonnay to be picked. It’s a decidedly cool site that ripens grapes at a slower pace than its neighboring vineyards. The site’s lack of heat and exposure to the elements yields a Chardonnay that is steely and structured with persistent citrus and mineral flavors.

Elevation: Distance to Ocean: Size: Climate: Exposure: Soils: Characteristics:

1925 Feet 10 Miles 5.25 Acres Cold, Mountain, Maritime Eastern Loam, Sandstone, Shale, Marine Deposits Steely, Mineral, Structured

The Santa Cruz Mountains "Rapley Trail" Estate Pinot Noir Vineyard
The Rapley Trail Vineyard was planted in 1981, consisting of six continuous acres of Pinot Noir vines, at an elevation of 1,775 feet on our Estate’s rugged southeastern slopes. It has long been the backbone of our past "Estate Reserve" Pinot Noir, but beginning in 2002 we have begun to bottle portions of the vineyard separately. This "deconstruction", if you will, of the vineyard as a whole is based upon the model of Burgundy, the home of the world’s finest Pinot Noir wines. There, as in our vineyard, unique aspects and interactions of soil and climate account for grapes whose very flavor is a direct product of where they are grown; this is the essence of the terroir.

Our B and M blocks are contiguous, but the difference in soil structure and exposure account for two dramatically differing wines.

The Rapley Trail 'B' BLOCK Estate Pinot Noir
The "B" block lies at the lowest part of the vineyard, it is often the first block of the vineyard to ripen as it receives more sun and heat due to its exposure and protection from the cool and ever-present coastal winds. The B block often displays flavors of ripe cherry fruit, brown spice, cocoa and earth. Its lush texture and rich mouth feel are often identified as features unique to the block.

The Rapley Trail 'M' BLOCK Estate Pinot Noir
The "M" block, or the middle section of the vineyard lies in a much more exposed position. It receives less heat and more influence from the elements as it is much less protected. It ripens slower and is often picked up to two weeks later in the year. Its flavors veer more towards the black fruit spectrum, with black cherry and black spices being key identifiers. It is often more structures and requires a bit more time in the glass/decanter to truly strut its stuff.