Ritchie vineyard
Hellenthal vineyard
Porter-Bass vineyard
van der Kamp vineyard
Barbed Oak vineyard
Ritchie Vineyard
Kent Ritchie has been farming Chardonnay on his ‘Ritchie Vineyard’ in the heart of the Russian River Valley appellation since 1972. The vineyard is situated on a bench above the Russian River. The proximity to both the Sonoma Coast and Russian River grants access to the cooling influences of the coastal fog. With high summer temperatures moderated, the fruit is afforded a long growing season, allowing time for optimum fruit maturity. The soils are in the Goldridge series and are well drained, sandy loams. The Bjornstad block is planted to an Old Wente field selection that includes a very floral clone of Chardonnay known as Musque. These old vines produce low yields with a great concentration of flavor and expressions of rich, tropical fruit.
It’s been a great pleasure to work with Kent and his fruit since 1997 along with some of his other winery clients that include Aubert, DuMol, Flowers, Londer, Pahlmeyer, Ramey and Tandem.
Hellenthal Vineyard
Gard Hellenthal and his wife Lori are long time residents of the rugged Sonoma Coast, planting their first vines to Pinot noir in 1980. Recent arrivals to the neighborhood include Flowers Vineyard and Winery, Hellen Turley’s Marcassin Vineyard, Peter Michael and Jason Pahlmeyer.
The extreme conditions of this part of Sonoma County shape the land, the people and the wine and grapes grown there. Just 5 miles from the Pacific Ocean, winters can be long, cold and wet, buffeted by winds from intense storms reaching the mainland. Summers are generally dry and cool due to the moderating effect of the onshore breezes and summer fog pattern. The magic of the site comes together as the elevation of the vineyard at 1200 feet sits above the coastal fog, blanketing the surrounding valleys, keeping the temperatures cool, ideal for extraordinary development of Pinot noir structure and flavors. The soils are well drained decomposing sandstone of the Franciscan series which causes the vines to dig deep for their sustenance. These two natural resources naturally conspire to control vine vigor, ensuring very low yields and very concentrated wines.
In 2000, Gard retained my vineyard consulting services to help him establish his ‘New Block’. Together, we developed this block with the intention that one day, I would buy the fruit for my own wine project. The wines produced from this block are deeply colored, structured wines that emphasize dark fruits and spice.
Porter-Bass Vineyard
Sue and Dirck Porter-Bass found this century old vineyard in 1980. Working very hard and farming organically and now biodynamically, they have revived this historical treasure into a magical site. The vineyard is situated nine miles from the ocean in a saddle between two ridge tops. The Russian River carves a gentle oxbow around these ridges allowing the fog to drift to the foot of the vineyard, cooling the vines in summer. Protected from temperature extremes, gentle ripening occurs in the two clones of Chardonnay that Bjornstad harvests. The Rued clone is a Musque selection and produces a wine of delicate, floral aromas and is the first to be harvested. The Wente clone is next and provides the firm, structure and earthy, mineral characters upon which the lovely aspects of the Rued are juxtaposed. The soils are within the Hugo- Josephine Complex, common in West Sonoma County. The texture is a gravelly clay loam, being a fractured shale that commonly underlies the Goldridge Series.
Working with Sue and Dirck and son Luke and Elena since 1997 has been a joy. Truly a family affair, daughter Phoebe and John are also making wine from the vineyard along with Ted Lemon of Littorai and Daniel Schoenfeld of Wild Hog.
van der Kamp Vineyard
Martin, Dixie and Ulysses van der Kamp have been living, working, farming and making wine together on their vineyard, high atop Sonoma Mountain for some 40 years with some of the oldest Pinot noir vines in Sonoma County. They are passionate about their work and dedicated to producing extraordinary fruit for each of their winery relationships. I’ve been working with them since 1997 and look forward to more years together.
During the growing season, the high elevation of about 1150’ presents an environment of relatively cool days and warm nights, providing a different ripening course from vineyards on the valley floor. The soil is a mix of loam within the Spreckles series. The van der Kamps have taken advantage of the opportunity to plant several clone and rootstock combinations across their property that allows the winemaker an opportunity to create a “blended” wine within the vineyard designate concept. Wines from this vineyard typically present smoky, meaty aromas around a solid core of cherries, supported by firm mountain tannins.
Barbed Oak Vineyard
Barb and Ed Pascoe joined their names and their passion for the Sonoma County wine country to establish Barbed Oak Vineyards in 2005. The vineyard is planted to Chardonnay and Pinot noir on soils belonging to the Spreckles Series, supporting the vines with well drained loam, underlain with clay and volcanic tuff, uplifted river gravel and basic igneous rock. The elevation of the vineyard is about 800’ and offers a varied topography of undulating slopes and benches. This picturesque site is nestled in a sheltered hollow within the Los Gullicos Range between Taylor and Sonoma Mountain. The viticultural appellation is Bennett Valley, a very cool region owing to the onshore winds of the Pacific Ocean through the Petaluma Gap.
Naturally low yields and meticulous farming practices have had their effect to produce wines of structure and power beginning with the Chardonnay from the 2006 vintage.
Bjornstad Cellars
Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay
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Bjornstad Cellars
Hellenthal Vineyard Pinot noir
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Bjornstad Cellars
Porter-Bass Vineyard Chardonnay
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Bjornstad Cellars
van der Kamp Vineyard
Pinot noir
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Bjornstad Cellars
Barbed Oak Vineyard Chardonay
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