Our Vineyards
With 486 acres (approximately 94%) planted, our vineyards stretch across three distinct American Viticultural Areas (AVA) on the Central Coast.
Sextant Vineyards
Paso Robles AVA
Templeton, San Luis Obispo County, California
Sextant Vineyard is located in the heart of the El Pomar District on the Northwest corner of South El Pomar and Almond Drive. The 114-acres are 75% planted. This vineyard is one of a kind for the area. The property was developed with Sunridge Nurseries, Inc. as the only commercial vineyard in the Paso Robles AVA that is also a State of California registered and certified nursery block. Materials planted includes the highest quality UC Davis clones and many imported selections from the French Entav-Inra program and similar programs in Spain and Portugal. Benefiting from the states largest diurnal temperature swings and linne calado topsoils paired with diablo limestone subsoils (similar to the soils in much of France), grapes planted here fully ripen with balanced sugar and natural acidity.
MacGregor Vineyards
Edna Valley AVA
San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo County, California
One of the oldest Edna Valley AVA vineyards, the historic MacGregor Vineyards consists of 12-acres originally planted in 1975 by Andy MacGregor. At this time there was a very limited selection of wine varieties or rootstock available. Mr. MacGregor purchased “certified nursery stock” and planted Pinot Noir. By 1978 there was an overwhelming demand for the ever-popular Chardonnay fruit, while Pinot Noir was still a relatively unheard of variety. That same spring, all but 10 rows were budded over to the “Wente” clone of Chardonnay. This particular selection is a small berry producing clone, rich in fruit forward flavors that thrive in the cool climate of the Edna Valley AVA. The climate is tempered by marine air flowing directly into the valley from the Pacific Ocean. This cooling influence creates an unusually long growing season resulting in greatly intensified varietal flavors. The soils are dominated by marine deposits left millions of years ago when the valleys were under water. Loam and clay topsoil overlay the calcareous marine deposits that help promote complex flavors in our Edna Valley wines.
View MacGregor Vineyard Map >>
Chalk Knoll Vineyards
San Lucas AVA
San Ardo, Monterey County, California
Located in the San Lucas AVA in Southern Monterey County, just north of Paso Robles, Chalk Knoll Vineyards encompasses 320-acres. Unlike other AVAs in Monterey County, San Lucas is less affected by coastal breezes from Monterey Bay. This results in a warmer overall climate during the daytime and temperatures that often fluctuate as much as 40 degrees during the summer, day to night. This temperature swing is one of the contributing factors to the longer growing season, and gives the fruit time to develop a full body and flavor. The vineyard is planted with mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for contracted production, but also includes Syrah and the “Primitivo” clone of Zinfandel. Planted on the highest peak in the area, the concentrated chalk and limestone soil produces fruit of intense flavors with elegant mineral qualities unique to the Central Coast of California.
