earth
Alluvial soil that eroded over eons and cascaded down from the Appalachian mountains formed a unique hill where our vineyard is situated. This lousy, rocky, channery loam soil forces the roots of the vine to dig deep, in search of nutrients and water. A stressed vine in search of water and nutrients will focus more energy into fruit production and yield higher quality fruit. Lastly, our steep slope and the heat retaining properties of the quartz deposits in our soil assist in frost prevention during late spring.
air
Higher elevation and our location at the foothills of the Catoctin Mountains provides our site with a constant breeze from Owen’s Gap – day and night. This breeze helps to keep the vines well ventilated, preventing mold formation on the leaves and significantly reducing need for fungicide spraying.
water
Vines need water to grow, but ideally, you want the vine to work hard for its water. Since vines don’t like “wet feet”, it is best for the root systems to go deep into the earth, where they can obtain water and other nutrients needed to sustain healthy growth and quality fruit. Our steep slopes combined with rocky soils allows for superior drainage and greater sustainability.
Minimal Intervention
In addition to Mother Nature’s gifts, another important element is of course our people. Our entire vineyard crew has developed a special relationship with the land by diligently caring for every single one of our 9,000 vines. The pride they take in their work can be witnessed as you pass by the well manicured vines, or it can be experienced in the glass.
In the cellar, our philosophy is one of minimal intervention. Our winemaking team guides the fruit with a gentle hand and with a style that is simply a logical completion of nature’s work. Our fingerprints are on every single berry that makes its way into the bottle. From every vine pruned, to every fruit cluster picked, we do it all by hand and with pride.
Every bottle produced tells a story of a specific time and place, while every glass enjoyed with friends and family gives us the opportunity to create memories with the ones we love.