OUR ESTATE VINEYARDS
Sea Smoke was founded in 1999 with the purchase of a rare and magical property in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA north of Santa Barbara that had long been coveted by local winemakers and growers for its clear potential as a site capable of producing extraordinary Pinot Noir & Chardonnay. This incredible piece of land would become Sea Smoke’s estate vineyards and in 2001 our first vintage was released to wide acclaim, instantly cementing Sea Smoke’s status as one of the top producers of Pinot Noir in California. In the pursuit of coaxing the best possible expressions of Pinot Noir from our estate vineyard, we began farming organically in 2005 while also applying the principles of biodynamic farming to a portion of the estate.
Over the next ten years, we employed biodynamic farming practices across our estate vineyards and today we continue to farm organically and biodynamically while pushing into the realm of regenerative agriculture. Today, our portfolio is comprised of three estate Pinot Noirs: Grand, Ten and Southing; an estate Chardonnay; and Sparkling, “Sea Spray” that, together, express the full range and singular quality of our estate terroir.
Sea Smoke Estate Vineyard is comprised of 172 acres that range in elevation from 218 – 720 feet above sea level, oriented with a Southern exposure that ensures plenty of sunshine.
A base of semi-siliceous shale with calcareous strata and diatomite. Thin topsoils of rich Gazos, Lopez and Botella clay soils are pivotal for reducing vigor and creating smaller clusters of grapes that yield concentration and complexity.
The cooling influence of “sea smoke” that flows through the Santa Ynez River canyon from the Pacific Ocean allows flavors and tannins to fully mature, while still maintaining the natural acidity that is an essential element of our Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays and sparkling wines.
This combination of shallow clay soils, south facing slopes, and the layer of marine fog (“sea smoke”) that travels up the Santa Ynez River canyon each evening, cooling our vines, is unique and special. The vineyard is planted to ten different French clones with a focus on quality and low yields (Clones 777, 667, 2a, 115, 113, 828, 05, 459, 09 and 16).
