The Vineyards
The vineyards we work with are carefully selected based on elevation, farming practices and soils. They are dramatic sites, remote, unique and immersed in the beauty of their surroundings. Mountain sites are special, they have their own life and evoke emotion, and these vineyards pulse with that energy.
Bald Mountain Vineyard
Planted in 1972, Bald Mountain vineyard is remarkable. In a cool bowl at the bottom of the site we found exactly what we were looking for in Chardonnay plantings. The vineyard is planted to heritage California clones that we believe thrive in poor soils, and develop a true depth of texture and flavor. Vines are dry farmed, and grow on pure fractured basalt rock, which is truly a dramatic sight. The combination of dry farmed, old vines, high elevation and interaction with the parental material of the mountain vines express their wild and unique character.
Rising to over 1,800 feet, Bald Mountain sits on the highest point in the mountain between Napa and Sonoma.
The mountain factor is very present in the wines from Bald Mountain, with a chalkiness, salinity and minerality translating in a bright and genuine way. It's as mineral as it gets.
- Rodrigo Soto
Dry farming creates vines that are self sufficient, independent and resilient.
We come up every chance we get to spend time among these beautiful old vines; there is a wine history that goes back to before Prohibition, and we think the vines know and carry this wisdom.
We respect how vines like to grow and find ways of adapting them to the site.
Elevation is important as a growing condition, as it provides a diurnal shift, with cool mountain breezes lowering the average temperature and allowing vines to thrive in the growing season.
Alta Vista Vineyard
Above the town of Sonoma facing the San Francsico Bay, these more than 50 year old, dry farmed vines on terraces are fully adapted to their growing conditions. The vines at Alta Vista are truly part of the site following the contours of the hill producing exceptional fruit for Cabernet Sauvignon.
The rolling terraces of vines are mesmerizing and the different expositions and altitudes bring complexity
Like soldiers standing guard, these vines hold their ground and survey the landscape
Alta Vista's challenge is in taking the time to understand all its facets: the range in altitude, expositions, old plant material. If you treat the vineyard with care and respect, and really pay attention, it rewards you.
- Mai Errazuriz
It's been a wandering journey to find these places and turn a dream into reality
Perspective is something gained not from elevation, but from time and experience
Montecillo
First planted in 1860, Montecillo is among the original and most storied vineyards in the Moon Mountain District, and part of the historic society vineyards of California. Perched on the northern end of the Mayacamas, its west-facing slopes range from 1,400
to 1,800 feet above sea level. The rugged terrain features red, rocky volcanic soils—fragments of basalt shaping both vines and wine. Terraced plantings follow the land’s natural undulations, with old Cabernet Sauvignon selections grafted onto 1103 Paulsen rootstock. Dry farmed and organically managed, this
vineyard channels its history and resilience with every vintage.
Perched on the northern end of the Mayacamas Mountain range, Montecillo's west facing slope range from 1,400 to 1,800 feet above sea level.
Montecillo invites you to discover its layers—the volcanic richness, the vibrant mountain freshness, and the bold character that only a vineyard like this can deliver.
- Rodrigo Soto
Dry- farmed, organic and rocky soils.
The Nunnery
Located at the end of Nunn’s Canyon on the Sonoma side of the Mayacamas, The Nunnery is reached by passing through a redwood forest at the base of the mountain before ascending into the vineyard itself. The site was designed and planted by renowned viticulturalist Phil Coturri and has been farmed organically since its inception.
Replanted in 2021 integrating advanced mapping, geological analysis, clonal selection, and modern infrastructure, The Nunnery comprises 14 acres across 11 distinct blocks, planted primarily to Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, with a single block of Grenache. Organically managed, and CCOF certified, the vineyard represents a contemporary expression of mountain viticulture informed by decades of accumulated experience.
“The Nunnery is a place defined by its energy. The approach alone sets the tone—passing through a grove of towering redwoods before climbing toward the vineyard prepares you for something special. There is a powerful presence here, the essence of the mountain itself, yet you also feel that every decision made on the land has been thoughtful, respectful, and intentional."
- Rodrigo Soto
"My friend Phil Coturri developed and planted this vineyard, bringing decades of experience to the site. The Nunnery feels like the ultimate mountain vineyard—young and modern in its design, yet informed by the deep wisdom of a lifetime spent farming these hills.”
- Rodrigo Soto
Monte Rosso
Monte Rosso is one of California’s historic vineyards and a member of the Historic Vineyard Society. First planted in the 1880s to Zinfandel and Sémillon, Cabernet Sauvignon was introduced inthe 1940s. Today, the 250-acre property cultivates ten different varieties and
stands as one of the original and most iconic estates in the Moon Mountain District.
Located at approximately 1,200 feet of elevation on the Sonoma side of the Mayacamas Mountains, Monte Rosso is defined by its deep red clay soils interwoven with basalt. These intensely colored, volcanic soils shape both vine behavior and wine character. Organically farmed and CCOF certified, Monte Rosso remains a benchmark site for mountain Cabernet
Sauvignon.
"Monte Rosso is probably the most well known estate in the region. It is a historic site planted the first time by the original settlers. They knew how to read the signs of nature, and Monte Rosso was named after its deep red soils which create wines with minerality, length and finesse."
- Rodrigo Soto
