Vineyards

About Damian Rae Winery | Vineyards | Winemaking Team | Retail Locations

"California is the place to be; there is no region in the world doing better than California" is how Vic Motto, CEO of the Global Wine Partners, an investment bank, summed up Golden State vineyards in a recent interview with Wine Enthusiast magazine. We heartily agree, and we take that statement one step further by selecting what we feel are the best of the best vineyards in this narrow latitude band. Indeed, Damian Rae wines have their origins in some of Earth’s finest terroir.

We proudly source from superior California vineyards such as:

• ToKalon Vineyard, Napa Valley (Oakville)
  Named by Food and Wine Magazine as one of America's Top 10 Vineyards, ToKalon is located across Highway 29 from Mondavi-Rothchild's famed Opus One. ToKalon has produced many legendary wines, with several receiving 99 point scores from Robert Parker. It was first planted by Hamilton Crabb in 1868, and almost immediately the wines ranked among Napa Valley's top vintages. ToKalon has continued to produce some of the Napa Valley's most sought-after wines every decade since. Wines from this site have a phenomenal combination of power and silkiness.
• Stagecoach, Napa Valley (Pritchard Hill)
  One of the best known vineyards in Napa Valley, this vineyard ranges from 900 to 1,700 feet above sea level and has a wide range of varietals, rootstocks and micro-climates. The Krupp family started developing Stagecoach Vineyard in 1995 with the help of a few longtime friends. With over 500 acres planted, it is the largest contiguous mountain planting in the Napa Valley. Stretching from the westernmost regions of Atlas Peak all the way to the east overlooking Oakville, this rocky, volcanic terroir graces the southern edge of Pritchard Hill.
• Ink Grade, Napa Valley (Howell Mountain)
  Ink Grade was planted in 1990 and spans 200 acres of mountainous terrain. Much of the vineyard is beautifully terraced and it is all well-tended. The vineyard is actually planted to a quad trellis that ekes out about two to 2.5 tons per acre. This is also one of the more technologically advanced sites, using "stress modules" to determine ripening and enables us to do multiple picks for optimal ripeness.
• Dr. Crane, Napa Valley (St. Helena)
  This historic vineyard property is located west of Route 29 in St. Helena. Originally planted by Napa pioneer Dr. George Beldon Crane in 1858, this vineyard was entirely replanted in 1998 and is now really hitting its stride. Its well-drained gravelly loam soils help create wines with a tremendous concentration of cassis, graphite and other characteristics reminiscent of a great, garnet-red Graves.

• La Encantada (Santa Rita Hills)
  Located on the cooler side of Santa Rita Hills, La Encantada is a certified organic site planted in 2001 by Richard Sanford — the "godfather" of Santa Ynez pinot. The vineyard is on a ridge which straddles the Santa Ynez River Valley and is open to the full impact of the cooling afternoon maritime breezes. Yields are just two tons per acre, but the resulting wine is sublime: smooth, with hints of dark cherry, earth and spice.

• White Hawk (Santa Barbara)
  This impressive Santa Barbara vineyard is 21 miles west of the Pacific and two miles north of Los Alamos. With slopes of 15% to 45%, it's planted at 900 feet elevation on pure sand that immediately drains off water and nutrients and forces the vines to work extra-hard to survive. Ten-foot vine rows are the norm at White Hawk in order to minimize the hazards associated with driving tractors along steep, sandy contours. A strong core of acidity is complemented by elements of meat and blackberries. The yields are miniscule, and the berries intense.

• Galleron Road (Rutherford)
  As in Bordeaux, sauvignon blanc tends to do extremely well where cabernet grows. And Rutherford produces some mighty fine cabernet. Crisp citrus, grapefruit and lemon-lime combined with minerality and a hint of herbalness make sauvignon blanc a great warm weather wine.