North American Appellations

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Napa
The agricultural characteristics common to most all of Napa Valley's subappellations are the cool wind and fog that are drawn inland each afternoon from the San Pablo Bay. Variation in local microclimates and soil types throughout the valley give rise to the many distinct appellation characteristics that distinguish Oakville (flat and gravelly) from Rutherford (dusty and old-worldy) and Carneros (low-laying and buffeted by wind). With so many markedly diverse and successful subappellations, it is clear why this tiny valley has become an icon of New World winemaking.
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Chiles Valley
Chiles Valley is part of the northeast side of the Napa Valley. This appellation is a bit different in that the cooling bay breezes, which affect the Napa Valley, do not reach as far inland as Chiles Valley. This makes for a less coastal climate and more continental. Varietals such as Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are grown here.
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Carneros
On the northern most edge of San Francisco Bay (here called San Pablo Bay), is the Carneros region. This appellation’s climate is cool and wind-whipped, with thin soils and little rainfall. The sunny days heat up the vineyards and mountain sides of Napa Valley to the north and the rising hot air draws cool air and fog from the San Pablo Bay.
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Mendocino
Located more than 150 miles north of San Francisco, Mendocino was slow to develop a reputation as a wine growing region because of its relatively remote location. Mendocino County is the world leader in certified organic grape growing, with a quarter of its total vineyard area planted with certified organic wine grapes. It's proximity to the chill waters of the Pacific Ocean and overall climatic coolness makes it an ideal locale for growing delicate, thin-skinned varietals like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
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SONOMA COUNTY CALIFORNIA

Dry Creek Valley
Since its first vineyards were planted by Italian immigrants in 1870, the Dry Creek Valley has been recognized as a world class spot for growing Zinfandel. The terrain is often rugged, and the wines born there are as textured and complex as the red, rocky soils that were home to their parent vines. The days are warm, but tempered by the cooling cover of Pacific fog which settles into the valley each evening. While the area is also famed for growing expressive Cabernet Sauvignon, it is still considered one of the best places in the world to grow a full, voluptuous Zinfandel.
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Russian River Valley
The Russian River Valley is classified as a cooler growing region due to the fact that it acts as the funnel through which the ubiquitous Pacific fog finds its way inland to other Sonoma County appellations. The area is internationally renowned for growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which thrive in the cool air and yield highly expressive wines. The soils are mainly alluvial gravel, sand, and clay, and are generally well-drained. Though cooler-growing varietals excel here, heartier red grapes benefit from the extended, cooler growing season, producing wines that are softer and show less tannin than their warmer climate-grown counterparts.
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Sonoma Valley
Sonoma Valley is protected from the wet and cool influence of the nearby Pacific Ocean by the Sonoma Mountains. The Sonoma Mountains help keep the valley’s annual rainfall lower than less sheltered areas. Still, cool air does affect the region, coming off San Pablo Bay through Carneros. Sonoma Valley has played a significant role in California wine history.
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Sonoma Coast
The Sonoma coast is the largest viticultural area within the wine country. It includes all of the vineyards along the Sonoma County coastline. Here, the weather is cooler and the growing season is long. These factors contribute to slow grape maturation, with optimum ripeness often occurring at the very end of the growing season. Overall the wines are more elegant and complex.
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CENTRAL CALIFORNIA

Monterey
The Salinas Valley, encompassed by the large Monterey County AVA, acts as a funnel carrying fog inland from the Monterey Bay. Fog flows in the valley early in the morning, and is often pushed out by cool ocean breezes in the afternoon. Daytime temperatures rarely exceed 75°F, except in specific microclimates tucked in the mountains surrounding the valley. This area is predominantly sand, sees little rainfall and and is naturally irrigated by the Salinas River. The Monterey AVA has one of the longest growing seasons in the world, and the wines it grows are varietally characteristic with balanced acidity.
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Paso Robles
This area offers vines a unique growing climate, with calcareous and siliceous rocky soils, and daily temperatures upwards of 90°F. Vines are cooled by nightly ocean breezes, helping to preserve the grapes' natural acidity. The more eastern section of this area is characterized by slightly more fertile soils, and produces wines that are softer in tannin and lower in acidity than their western cousins, making them more approachable in their youth.
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BAY AREA DELTA CALIFORNIA

Clarksburg
The soils here are a combination of poorly-draining clay and rich loam, meaning vines experience nutrient-rich, but sometimes arid conditions. During the growing season the days are warm, though afternoon breezes from the San Francisco Bay make their way up the delta of the Sacramento River, dropping temperatures down 30 to 40°F from daytime highs. This mass of cool air allows the grapes to retain more acidity than most grapes grown in similarly warm growing regions.
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Lodi
Soils in Lodi are noteworthy. A varied mixture of sand and loam provides good drainage and nutrients, with occasional large stones reminiscent of the galets of the Chateauneuf-du-Pape region in France. Lodi is a warm growing climate, and tends to grow excellent Zinfandel and, like the Rhone Valley, Syrah. In August Lodi reaches the high 90's and cools down to 60's at night, optimal for flavor concentration for these types of varietals.
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Northern Interior Valley
Though the San Joaquin Valley has been long recognized as an agricultural area, only recently has it began to develop a reputation as a quality wine growing region. The northern section of the valley is best suited for wine grapes since, unlike most sections of the SJ Valley, it is able to feel the effects of the distant Pacific Ocean by way of marine fog drifting up the Sacramento River Delta. Advancements and refinements in viti- cultural practices have greatly benefited this area. New varietals, rootstocks, and trellising practices also ensure this area status as an up and coming wine region.

SIERRA FOOTHILLS

Sierra Foothills
The early settlers of the Sierra Foothills came in pursuit of gold, but fortunately for wine drinkers world wide, many homesteaders also spent time cultivating Zinfandel vines on their land claims. The Foothills’ soils are mostly decomposed granite washed down from the towering Sierra Nevada above, or finely crushed volcanic rock heaved from a Lake Tahoe area volcano an eon before. Both provide good drainage, but few nutrients, meaning roots must travel deep to find nutrients and water. These well developed root systems result in deeply colored, robust wines with strong site-specific taste profiles.
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Australian Appellations

South Eastern Australia
While it is surprising to most that Australia has been making wine since the early 1800's, it is not news that stellar wines from Down Under have recently established themselves on shelves all around the world. Most of Australia's wine is produced in the southeastern region of the country, an area which, like California, boasts considerable geographic and climatic diversity. The Pinot Noir we source from South Eastern Australia represents regional blends, drawing on fruit grown in several areas recognized for producing quality Pinot Noir. Flavors born in the high altitude vineyards of the Adelaide hills, the cool coastal climate of Tasmania, and the deep granitic soils of the Strathbogie Ranges contribute to the distinct character that gives these unique wines an international appeal.

South American Appellations

Chile
A unique stretch of land that hugs nearly 3000 miles of South American coastline, Chile's landscape varies widely from arid, mountainous deserts in the north to remote, icy Antarctic fields of the south. Tucked between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, Chile's dramatically varied geography creates microclimates suitable for growing nearly every wine grape varietal. From the Casablanca Valley - compared to the Carneros region of Sonoma and Napa Counties and equally adept at growing expressive Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, to Maipo - one of Chile's oldest growing regions, famous for growing red varietals that rival Napa Valley wines in richness and structure, Chile promises to be a wine region that will draw attention and acclaim for many years to come.