"Vines regularly bud two weeks earlier than the California norm and are picked at least two weeks later, giving the Salinas Valley one of the longest growing seasons in the world of wine."
Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson, The World Atlas of Wine, 6th Ed.
The Santa Lucia Highlands is located twenty miles southeast of Monterey Bay, along the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range. The Santa Lucia and Gabilan ranges frame the Salinas Valley and act like a funnel, channeling the cold winds off the Pacific Ocean down the valley, dramatically cooling summertime temperatures. Along with winds, the Monterey Bay also provides abundant fog, further moderating the climate and slowing the growing season. The vineyards of the Santa Lucia Highlands are planted along the foothills from 400-1,300 feet in elevation. The well-drained, sandy soils provide the foundation and character for the wines.
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Garys' Vineyard is named for grape growing partners Gary Pisoni and Gary Franscioni.
Both come from multi-generation farming families in the area.
Located in the heart of the Santa Lucia Highlands on sandy loam soil, the 50-acre vineyard is planted mostly to Pinot
Noir with a small section of Syrah. Given the proximity to Monterey Bay, fog blankets the
Garys' Vineyard in the summer months, providing for a cool and slow-ripening season.
For more information on Garys' Vineyard and wineries that make wine from the site, visit:
www.GarysVineyard.com
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In 1845 Feliciano Soberanes was given the 8,900-acre land grant of Rancho Ex-Mission Soledad in present day Monterey County as repayment for his loan of 40 horses, 50 head of cattle, 4 oxen and some sheep. The Pisoni and Franscioni families partnered again and signed a long-term lease on this land owned by the Bianchi family, the direct descendents of the Soberanes. They planted Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah here in 2007. Adjacent to Garys' Vineyard, the soils are sandy loam with significant sub-soil boulders layered into the alluvial fan.
For more information on the Soberanes Vineyard and other wineries that make wine from the site, visit:
www.SoberanesVineyard.com
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Pisoni Vineyards is nestled in the mountains at the southern tip of the Santa Lucia Highlands. Planted by Gary Pisoni in 1982 and owned and farmed solely by the Pisoni Family, the ranch is composed of several small vineyard blocks, each with a unique soil type and microclimate. At 1,300 feet above sea level, the property sits high above the valley. The mountainous terrain stresses the vines, producing grapes of intense character.
For more information on Pisoni Vineyards and wineries that make wine from the site, visit:
www.PisoniVineyards.com