A site that should be twinned with our own Hemel-en-Aarde, the Heaven and Earth vineyard is secluded and picturesque, quite typical of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Tended to with organic practices under renown viticulturist Greg Adams (also Que Syrah vineyard), the site yields small, dense Pinot Noir berries. A short diurnal shift allows for slow ripening day and night.
It is known for producing amplified expressions of Pinot Noir, which with the quality of 2021 and under the hands of Arnot-Roberts, make for a mighty release.
SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS AVA
The American Viticultural Area of the Santa Cruz Mountains was established in 1982, the first AVA defined by mountain topography rather than geographic boundaries. These a largely determined by the fog line as a base, with sites reaching as high as 900m above sea level plus.
The region is tough to navigate, with vineyard and estates tucked away among forests, and accessed via steep and winding roads, which mean visiting several producers in one day is a huge challenge. As a result, it is not consumer friendly and sits a little under-the-radar as a destination, despite the proximity to Silicon Valley to the south of San Fransico Bay.
Regionality is also difficult to pin down. A number of top producers such as Kutch and Arnot-Roberts sourcing vineyard here are not based in the area. Conditions can be very cold in parts and endlessly sunny and dry in others.
Soils too are especially varied, owing to the convergence of two geological plates and San Andreas Fault.
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