Notes From the Vineyard
CategoryThe Grape Escape: How Flooding and Excessive Rainfall Affect Grapevines
Flooding and excessive rainfall can have a significant impact on vineyards and grapevines, affecting soil health and nutrient absorption. The Sunstone Estate in California’s Santa Ynez Valley in one of these 100-year floods zones. Let’s explore the negative effects of heavy rains and how a healthy cover crop can prevent soil erosion and nutrient loss.
What Makes Up an Exceptional Vintage
An exceptional grape-growing season can be the most impactful factor in a winery’s year-to-year success.
What makes Santa Ynez Valley a premier wine grape growing region?
The Santa Ynez Valley is a prime region for growing wine grapes thanks to the transverse Santa Ynez Mountain range and the valley’s south-facing orientation.
Defining terroir
Terroir (pronounced /terˈwär/) is a French term used widely in the wine industry and refers to the unique combination of environmental factors that give a particular place its distinctive character and flavor, such as soil, climate, and topography.
Extended Barrel Aging
The Sunstone Estate has a tendency to make very concentrated and, at times, extremely tannic wines. To help mitigate this tendency we occasionally employ the technique in the winery of extended barrel aging.