Estate Vineyards
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Monterey County is a good place to call home. In addition to its stunning scenery, diverse recreation and relaxed lifestyle, it offers a wide range of terroirs to grow both cold- and warm-climate grapes. incredible properties allow us to produce a range of wines that are true to variety and site.
- RIVERVIEW Region I (Cold) Learn More
- ISABELLE’S Region I (Cold) Learn More
- ELM Region II (Cool) Learn More
- SCHEID Region II (Cool) Learn More
- VIENTO Region II (Cool) Learn More
- BAJA VIENTO Region II (Cool) Learn More
- HACIENDA Region II (Cool) Learn More
- MESA DEL RIO Region II (Cool) Learn More
- SAN LUCAS Region III (Moderate) Learn More
- KURT’S Region III (Moderate) Learn More
- HAMES VALLEY Region IV (Warm) Learn More
RIVERVIEW
Region I (Cold)
Riverview Vineyard is a cold, windy, 215-acre bench on the eastern side of the valley below the Pinnacles overlooking the Salinas River. In addition to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, we grow several aromatic white varieties and cool-climate reds at this locale.
ISABELLE’S
Region I (Cold)
This small vineyard is located at the base of the Santa Lucia Mountains just south of Salinas. Cold and exposed, it is a great source for tightly-structured Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
ELM
Region II (Cool)
Located just south of the town of Greenfield in the heart of the Salinas Valley, Elm Vineyard is pounded each afternoon by cool, hard winds that barrel down off the frigid waters of Monterey Bay, 40 miles to the northwest. The arid, brisk climate and porous soils make this a great site for Chardonnay.
SCHEID
Region II (Cool)
The Scheid Vineyard is in the Arroyo Seco appellation of Monterey County. This region boasts one of the coolest and longest growing seasons in the state. Planted to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and a smattering of Rhône and aromatic varieties, the wines from this site possess intense fruit flavors and firm acids.
VIENTO
Region II (Cool)
Viento (which means ‘wind’) is situated on the western side of the Salinas Valley at the mouth of the Arroyo Seco River. Poised on a hillside just below the Santa Lucia Mountains, this estate property experiences the full brunt of Monterey County’s strong winds and thick fog. The wines from Viento are balanced and complex.
BAJA VIENTO
Region II (Cool)
This 156-acre site sits just below our Viento Vineyard on the western side of the Salinas Valley, a couple of miles south of the town of Greenfield. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from this vineyard are elegant and balanced with lively acidity.
HACIENDA
Region II (Cool)
Hacienda is nestled in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains. As with most Region II sites, it is well-suited to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. To take full advantage of the complex terrain, we have planted a collection of Pinot Noir clones including 115, Mt. Eden, Swan, Calera, 113, 459, Rochioli, Martini 13, 667 and 777.
MESA DEL RIO
Region II (Cool)
The Mesa del Rio Vineyard grows some of the most expressive Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Monterey County. It is a benchland parcel on the western side of the valley at the foot of the Santa Lucia Mountains. The climate—windy and cool—yields wines that are layered and highly aromatic. In addition to the Burgundian varieties, it is also a great place for Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah.
SAN LUCAS
Region III (Moderate)
The San Lucas Vineyard is in the San Lucas AVA. (What are the odds of that?) This is Monterey County’s climatic tipping point, with days that are warm and sunny and nights that are cold and crisp. We grow some of our finest Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot at San Lucas. It’s also a great source for other big reds like Barbera, Charbono, Syrah, Zinfandel, Primitivo, Cinsault, Sangiovese and Tempranillo.
KURT’S
Region III (Moderate)
To the east of our San Lucas Vineyard lies Kurt’s Vineyard. It is a relatively warm site planted entirely to Cabernet Sauvignon. This top-notch locale is planted to eight different Cabernet clones (412, 8, 169, 30, 191, 4, 6, 685) and five different rootstocks (110R, St. George, 101-14, 420A, 3309) in a high-density, meter-by-meter fashion.
HAMES VALLEY
Region IV (Warm)
Located at the southern tip of the Salinas Valley, just across the border from San Luis Obispo County, Hames Valley Vineyard is flanked by the Santa Lucia Range to the west and the rugged Gabilan to the east. Sheltered from afternoon winds, Hames Valley has the widest diurnal temperature swing in Monterey County (up to 50°F). It is an ideal locale for big, tannic reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Tannat, Malbec, Mourvèdre, Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional and Tinta Cão.
SUSTAINABILITY
Committed to innovation that preserves our natural ecosystems
VINEYARD ECOLOGY
All of our estate vineyards are officially certified by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA), a statewide certification program that provides third-party verification of a winery’s commitment to sustainable winegrowing practices. Driving our efforts at District 7 is a core belief that the best wines come from vineyards and ecosystems that are in balance. For decades, we have been at the forefront of innovation and applied technology in our vineyards to improve wine quality while reducing water use, shrinking our carbon footprint, and advancing sustainability.
WIND TURBINE
Our windmill stands tall above the local countryside with blades that reach 396 feet into the sky. It generates 100% of the power needed to run our winery and bottling operations, plus power an additional 125 homes with renewable energy. It is the perfect power source for the inexhaustible winds of the Salinas Valley and is more effective than solar as wind turbines generate electricity at night and don’t lose efficiency due to dust.
DRIP IRRIGATION
Water is one of Monterey’s most precious resources. With so much of the county’s land devoted to agriculture, it is essential that farmers utilize tools and methods to minimize usage. To that end, all of our estate vineyards feature 100% drip irrigation equipped with technology that senses soil moisture and monitors plant stress. By carefully dispensing water on a vine-by-vine basis, we have been able to dramatically lower our water requirements.
COVER CROPS
Cover crops are an important tool to naturally improve soil health, prevent erosion, control vine vigor, discourage weeds and promote sustainable health in the vineyard. All of our vineyards have cover crops planted between alternating rows of vines.
LOW IMPACT FARMING
We farm our vineyards using low impact methods to lessen soil compaction, control pests and promote beneficial insects and microbiologic activity. We compost 100% of the grape pomace, stems and seeds and spread it back into the vineyards.
PEST MANAGEMENT
We follow an integrated pest management strategy that harnesses beneficial insects to control pests. We utilize low impact methods, such as the application of herbal-based preparations, to promote soil vitality through increased microbiologic activity and diversity.
OWL BOXES
Owls are a natural way to control destructive rodents such as gophers and field mice. To accommodate the local barn owl population, we have built more than 250 owl boxes throughout our 11 vineyard sites.
WINERY
Our state-of-the-art winery is designed to reduce energy usage and cut waste. Our lights are fitted with automatic sensors that turn on and off as needed. Our tanks have insulating jackets to reduce heating and cooling energy needs. We recycle 100% of our winery water through our irrigation ponds for reuse in our vineyards.