Mary's Vineyard

CLIMATE:

Mary's Vineyard is located at the northern end of Napa Valley. The mean annual precipitation is 25 to 30 inches and the mean annual temperature is 59 to 62 degrees F. Well protected from the maritime breezes, the summers here are hot and dry and the winters are cool and moist.

SOILS:

Clear Lake Series/ Cole Series. These soils were formed from sedimentary rock and are found on alluvial fans and flood plains. The surface layer is very dark brown in color and is slightly acid to mildly alkaline clay to about 46" in depth. The underlying material is light olive brown, moderately alkaline clay to a depth of 70" or more. Water permeability is slow. The subterranean water table is lower than 6 feet during the late spring, summer and fall and can rise to 2 or 3 feet of the soil surface during winter rains. The effective rooting depth is about 60" and the available water capacity is 8 to 10 inches.

WINE CHARACTERISTICS: There's something about Mary's Vineyard that makes for great Sauvignon Blanc. The wine melds the ripe melon and fig character normally associated with warmer sites with the firm acids and steely structure found in cooler sites. The combination makes for one of the most unique and exciting Sauvignon Blancs in California.