Sustainable. 100% Cabernet Franc. From a 10 year-old, 1.2ha planting at 245m elevation, on a south-facing sloped bench over the usually dry Tres Pinos Creek and the San Andreas Fault. Soils are rocky alluvial deposits with high calcium content representing the melange of geologic formations around the fault zone. The Paicines area gets some coastal fog off the Monterey Bay via the Pajaro River gap, but days are mostly warm with peak temperatures in the 90's, with cold nights descending into the low 50's during the summer, lower in the fall. This is a great locale for Cabernet Franc to exhibit Loire-like structure, overlaid with the bright fruit coming from CA sunshine. Picked at moderate sugars, spontaneously fermented, and vinified 90% destemmed, whole berry, and 10% whole cluster. 22-day maceration, aged 11 months in six neutral and one once-used French oak barrel; another nine months in bottle before release. Unfined/unfiltered.

Sustainable. 100% Chardonnay. The Escolle Road Vineyard is located on a northern elevated bench of the AVA (Santa Lucia Highlands). Honore Escolle purchased in 1878 and established one of the most desirable benches in Monterey Country. The ancient, glacial alluvial soils pair with the morning fog and afternoon winds to create an idea climate for Burgundian grapes. Elevation 220-500 ft. Picked at 21.3 Brix. Whole cluster pressed and barrel fermented, with 50% in new French oak puncheons. 10 months on lees. Racked and blended then aged in stainless steel for four months. Partial malolactic fermentation. Aged six months in bottle before release. This vineyard is dry farmed without herbicides and this high acid, textured expression should develop in the bottle for many years.

Organic. Piquette of Sauvignon Blanc infused with Hibiscus. After being lightly pressed for I. Brand’s still wine, the Sauvignon Blanc skins are dropped into macrobins, mixed with organically farmed dried hibiscus flower and rehydrated. Pressed and fermented on the next day with naturally occurring yeasts in neutral barrels. In December, Sauvignon Blanc juice was added to the still piquette and bottled the next day. The wine ferments in bottle and is presented undisgorged (so its more of a col fondo). The hibiscus acts as a nature antimicrobial agent and the dissolved carbon dioxide as an anti-oxidant, so there are no sulfites added.

Sustainable. Location: Bates Ranch is the least known of the holy trinity of Bordeaux variety sites in the Santa Cruz Mountains (with Mount Eden and Monte Bello). The property is at the extreme southeastern end of the appellation on Redwood Retreat Road. The ranch, at over 900 acres in size, is under a conservation easement so no other development beyond the vineyard can take place here- it’s wilderness on all sides. Ian makes wine from the coveted mid-slope of the dry farmed Stagecoach Block planted in 1968 on its own roots. Soils in this section of the vineyard are volcanic rocks and sandy river deposits overlaying the sedimentary Franciscan formation that runs along the eastern cordillera of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Stagecoach Block Cabernet is the latest ripening block on Bates Ranch. It always picks with exquisite balance and low sugars. Spontaneously fermented in small lots of lightly crushed fruit with, pressed after 18 days, and aged in 15% new wood for 22 months. This old vine selection has the balance and verve to age beautifully in the bottle for a decade or more. It’s old school Santa Cruz Mountains Cab, which, in our opinion, is arguably the best in the USA.