Land
It all begins with our land and we are very proud to say we farm it ourselves. We believe it is our responsibility to build on a 150 year farming legacy. As stewards of the land, our mission is to improve the habitat for native species each year, while reducing the impact of growing premium wine grapes. Awarded the Fish Friendly Farming certificate, we farm sustainably and work diligently to improve our environment year after year.
The Terraces is located on the east side of the Napa Valley along the Vaca Mountain range. Our soils are well-drained, volcanic deposits, a rock formation called Rhyolite. Most of our vineyard blocks have a west exposure providing high radiant value. The warm summer days give way to cool nights with soft mountain breezes. Our vineyard has an average rainfall of 24-36 inches per year.
The Terraces encompasses over 113 acres of land in the Rutherford American Viticulture Area (AVA), with a total of just 25 acres planted to grapes. To us, this is critically important; only 22% of our land is planted to a monoculture of grapes. The remaining 78% is covered with fruit orchards, vegetable gardens, native gardens, the native Californian Oak Woodland and all the glory and biodiversity they represent.
The Terraces is comprised of 14 discreet vineyard blocks, each with different varieties, rootstock, terrain, aspect and microclimates. When we develop farming plans each year, we evaluate each of these blocks as if it were a separate vineyard. The average block size is less than 2 acres, allowing an incredible degree of precision farming.
We consider soil health to be the backbone of vineyard success. We strive to create an environment below ground that supports the vines and ecosystems above ground. Each fall we spread the remains from our winemaking process – grapes skins, seeds and stems – as compost to feed the multitude of organisms that contribute to healthy soil. Our annual cover crops are unique mixes of various seeds planted between the vineyard rows to nourish the soil and provide food and habitat for a variety of insect and bird species.
