Place & Practice
Mindego Ridge is a small 10-acre Santa Cruz Mountains vineyard perched on a south facing, shale-laced slope 8 miles from the Pacific lovingly farmed and cared for by husband and wife owners, David & Stacey Gollnick.
2200-2400
Growing degree days
Fractured Shale Subsoil covered with 10″-18″ of silty clay loam
Elevation
675 to 935 ft
Purisma Formation ranging in age from the latest Miocene to late Pliocene
20-35%
South-facing slope
The Santa Cruz Mountains have played a pivotal role in the history of winemaking in California, with roots going back over 100 years, and including legendary winemakers such as Paul Masson, Martin Ray, David Bennion (Ridge), and David Bruce. During California’s Vinous renaissance of the 1970s, it was arguably the first region to produce Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with a flavor, character, and textural profile reminiscent of Burgundy. The region gained international recognition in the 1976 Judgement of Paris with the 1973 David Bruce Winery Chardonnay placing 10th in the white wine tasting and the 1971 Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon placing 5th in the red wine tasting. Recognized as an AVA in 1981, the Santa Cruz Mountains Appellation was among the first to be defined by its mountain topography. Santa Cruz Mountain Pinot Noir is quite rare with approximately 600 acres planted in the entire appellation.
What is the most overlooked terroir in California? It’s a question I am asked often. The answer is always the same: The Santa Cruz Mountains. These rugged hillsides just south of San Francisco are home to some of the world’s greatest vineyards and wines.
-Antonio Galloni, California’s Best Kept Secret, Vinous Media
“I’m a big believer that great wines come from great sites, farmed well and made with authenticity.”
— Ehren Jordan , Winemaker
Great Wines from Great Sites
Great wines are made in the vineyard and manifest a sense of place – this is the philosophy that inspires our wine making practices. Our goal is to create an authentic wine that expresses the character and nuance of our unique vineyard site. With 8.7 acres of Pinot Noir and 1.3 acres of Chardonnay yielding typically 2 tons per acre, wines are made in small lots with a non-interventionist style of wine making. Nothing is added to the wine: no yeast, nutrients, or other additives – just a small amount of sulfur dioxide to stabilize the wine at bottling. Hand sorting, native yeast fermentation, hand punch-downs, no fining, no filtration – these practices retain a pure and transparent expression of the vineyard site.
“Altitude and marine influence defines much of our cool climate since the site is bordered by two bodies of water – the Pacific Ocean on the west (8 mi) and the San Francisco Bay on the east. In this unique climatic zone, California’s late season heat spikes are moderated, producing expressive wines with vibrant fruit, energy, complexity and depth.”
— Dave Gollnick, Owner & Vineyard Manager
Meticulous Farming Practices
Honored and humbled to be momentary stewards of this land that is our home, our mission is to tread lightly while providing meticulous care to the vineyard. Every shoot on every vine is touched many times during the growing season – pruning, training, lateral removal, fruit thinning, and every other aspect of vine maintenance is performed by hand. Cover-cropping and compost are used to build the micro-flora and fauna of the soil and provide microbial diversity. Daily attention to the care of the vines enhances their well-being, as well as ours. This commitment, in concert with soil, sun and rain, produces an authentic expression of what Mindego Ridge’s unique terrior has to say.