The Source: Santa Barbara County

With transverse mountain ranges, close proximity to the ocean, lingering fogs, and soils that trace back to ancient earth,  Santa Barbara County is a wellspring of riches for grape growing.

STORYOFSOIL has a certain love for this unique place and a desire to express that love in unexpected ways.

      DUVARITA VINEYARD

Extremely close to the ocean and positioned in lower elevation sits a 26 acre vineyard biodynamically farmed (Biodynamics is a whole other story of amazing; the ladybug population is singing!). Planted on pure sand, the vines struggle to find water, but the stress is worth it and leads to lovely fruit concentration and strength.  The wind consistently whips through the vineyard, granting the Pinot Noir thicker skins. 

MIRABELLA VINEYARD

A discreet 7-acre property in the heart of Los Olivos, this vineyard is dedicated solely to Sauvignon Blanc. The vines are planted east-west, bathing in the beautiful east-Valley sun from morning to night.  The temperatures reach some of the most intense peaks in the area, and the cool nights afford the varietal to capture acidity. Flat terrain and full sun exposure result in exquisitely ripened & balanced Sauvignon Blanc.   

                       GOLD COAST VINEYARD

Uniquely settled in Santa Maria Valley, north of the Santa Rita Hills, the Gold Coast Vineyard is a family owned vineyard of 30 acres. Dedicated to mostly Pinot Noir , with a few acres of Chardonnay, this vineyard is planted on sandy loam. These soils lend towards the beautiful minerality expressed in wine. Flavors are exceptionally concentrated expressing a power that is unrivaled in the central coast. 

                                     LARNER VINEYARD

Larner Vineyard is a pioneer for Ballard Canyon A.V.A., and an old-world soul that would fit nicely in the Rhone spirit of France. This is California, not France, and Larner runs off the power of the sand, limestone and the unique Santa Ynez Valley mountain influence.  The soils of 3 to 4 feet of sand are sprinkled with conglomerate hardpan, making this vineyard especially unique and ideal for growing world class Syrah. 

Syrah is a powerful, remarkably distinct and boisterous varietal. It's arguably the most aromatic of wines, and a good nose is always a pleasure, as long as a little barnyard earth tickles your fancy when a Syrah is doing the tickling. A good Syrah is meaty, and rich in iron and basks in pepper. It's a bit of an animal at its best. If you have a good touch of fruit running through its masculine veins, a delicious Syrah is in your glass. It's not that common to have a Syrah aged in all neutral oak, and standing on its own with no other varietal blended in, but the STORYOFSOIL Syrah was made to exhibit the grape in its raw grandeur. Heavy extraction was never an intention; big weighty Syrah would rob the sense of place and nuance of the fruit; masculine power is at its most effective when still subtle. One fun fact about this Syrah is how frightening it was to deal with in the initial bottling. Syrah can go through all sorts of fits and changes when you bottle it, and you have to step back and trust where it will end up on its journey.

Pinot is delicate. Oh so delicate. A wise man once said, "Pinot is infuriating." Be careful, pick in the dead of night, be patient... Love it. Respect it. It will speak to you in a way no other grape will. And no, it's not pretentious or subjective to give Pinot the flowery praise it so often attracts. Pinot is simply beautiful, and worth the verbal decadence. It exists in a state of complexity and fascination that will forever define the world of wine. Pinot is stately, and often times can be a bit stuffy if you don't let it (ahem) breathe. Pinot is indeed a tool in the wine industry, and is a metaphor that attracts wine drinkers the world over. Often times, you hear of people being introduced to Pinot and finding it “thin,” “watery,” “tasteless,” because good Pinot is tough to make, and is often a byproduct of mass production. Sourcing Pinot grapes from the Central Coast is a gift for STORYOFSOIL. Succulent cherry abounds, airy flavors that are never quite the same sip to sip, bottle to bottle. Infuriating in its greatness, as all great things tend to be. 

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Sauvignon Blanc is an old soul too. About as old as it gets if you're talking white wine. Sauvignon Blanc is a wiry grape, spindly and sharp and electric if you don't treat it delicately and let the fruit contain it. We harvested Sauvignon Blanc right outside our front door (at 2:30 am, to be exact. There's a long story behind that one.) Hand-harvested like all our grapes. The clusters were left to hang in intense, unexpected heat for quite a few extra days without water, in an effort to drive up the phenolic ripeness but maintain specific acid and lower sugar. The process was trying, and a learning experience (here's that journey again), and the results ended up exciting. Expressive fruit, bright fruit, full fruit, begging to be aged in oak. Neutral oak took over and shepherd the aging to the finish line and into bottle unaltered.