The 2022 was defined by a record breaking heat event over a ten day period surrounding labor day. We experienced some of the hottest days (and nights) we have seen in our 40 plus years of farming in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Our harvest team worked tirelessly to bring in the bulk of our fruit in a two week window; for comparison, that window is often six to eight weeks in length. Yields were already lower due to a very late frost weather event that spring, damaging the young inflorescences. The intense heat further reduced our crop, especially in our nearly ripe Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. While the quantities are greatly reduced the wines are undoubtedly delicious. The vintage is more forward and sit on larger frames than is our norm. They are drinking very well in their youth and have notable concentration and intensity.

The Razorback Vineyard was planted in 1986 and is the lowest elevation vineyard on the Estate, at 1400 ft. With a cool northeastern exposure, this 2-acre hillside is planted with four clones (115, 667, 777 and Swan) of Pinot Noir on fractured sandstone and shale. We ferment the clones together to encourage complexity and intrigue in the finished wine. This rather steep vineyard is dry-farmed, receiving some of the cooling fog that settles below our other Estate vineyards. 2011 was the first vintage we chose to bottle as a stand-alone, single-vineyard wine.