There’s only one way to describe the Rancho Santa Rosa Vineyard: serene. Located in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA of Santa Barbara County, these stunning hillsides feature vines that climb from 500 to 1,000 feet above sea level. The soils are marine-based and the weather is consistently cool thanks to moist ocean breezes that sweep the property daily. The vineyard is farmed with the painstaking care and attention usually associated with much smaller properties. In fact, the vineyard was originally conceived as a series of individual micro-vineyards delineated by soil, exposure, elevation, grade, rootstock and clone. The 2018 growing season got off to a quick start due to a heat spike in early February which was quickly followed by a cold spell. The season continued with extended frost events and a cool to moderate weather pattern through May. The first pop of notable heat finally arrived mid-June and held steady with no extreme heat spikes, allowing the grapes to retain their acid level and mature at a slow and steady pace. This consistency combined with low disease pressure set the stage for outstanding fruit quality. Harvest began three weeks later than usual, but it was well worth the wait.