Established in 1990, Thompson Vineyard lies just inland from California’s windswept Central Coast on the eastern side of the cool San Antonio Creek Valley in Northern Santa Barbara County.  It rests within the Alisos Canyon corridor where transverse mountain ranges flood the area with daily fog and ocean air, extending chilly mornings and afternoons, softening midday heat, and yielding cold and often icy nights.

Planted to primarily Rhone varietals, here the vines sit on their own roots in alluvial sand over a deep foundation of white limestone that once comprised the floor of the Pacific Ocean.  Thompson Vineyard naturally produces extremely small, slow, and evenly-ripening yields that often stretch harvests well into late November, resulting in deeply complex cool-climate wines that evolve gracefully with age.

Hand harvested at night at only 1 Ton/acre, cold grapes were meticulously sorted over and open table, then de-stemmed and stored at 40 degrees for 72 hours before allowing fermentation to begin in small open top bins with multiple daily punchdowns.  Wine was aged in 33% new French oak barrels for 24 months and bottled unfiltered.  Finally, bottles were rested an additional full year before release and will benefit from additional cellar time before consumption.