Paul and Valerie Gordon planted a rocky mountaintop vineyard exclusively to Rhone varietals in 2006. One of the highest vineyards in California at 2500ft, Halcon Vineyards overlooks cool Anderson Valley. Above the fog line, this beautiful vineyard soaks up the sun in the long summer days with temperatures moderated by altitude and regular ocean breezes.
The mountaintop location provides for a wide variety of exposures and extremely low vigor soils. Meager topsoil covers fractured shale and schist. The weather and soils create a terroir remarkably similar to Cote Rotie.
Designed without compromise, the vineyards are densely planted with over 2200 vines per acre. Syrah is the predominate varietal and, on a protected south facing slope, there is a small planting of Grenache and Mouvedre.
Organically and obsessively farmed, these hardy vines have gained a sound foothold on this marginal site. The first crop was harvested in 2008.
Look for Halcon Vineyard wines from Copain and Rudius. |