La Côte blankets a steep southeast-facing hillside on the leeward slope of our Domaine. Unimpeded by the inexorable winds that confront Bloom’s Field and Memorious to the west, La Côte enjoys more optimal pollination and less shatter. The vineyard possesses the most heterogeneous soils of the estate: its bedrock varies from Monterey Shale to Diatomaceous Earth to alluvium, and the associated soils range from shallow and rocky—with a plethora of broken stones—to rich and homogenous downslope.
The Sta. Rita Hills are unique among winegrowing places, an austere and somewhat harsh place in which to produce subtle wines from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, varieties long associated with gentler locales.
