3 Vineyards, Multiple Expressions of Terroir

Clos de la Tech tends three vineyards—one at the Rodgers’ home in Woodside and two in the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation. Domaine du Docteur Rodgers was our first vineyard, a one-acre parcel that produces only 100 cases of handcrafted Pinot Noir annually. Domaine Valeta is our second vineyard, which produces 200 cases of Pinot Noir annually. It’s located so high in the Santa Cruz Mountains that it snows. Finally, our third vineyard is Domaine Lois Louise. It currently produces 1,800 cases of Pinot Noir per year and is expected to produce 6,000 cases when in full production.

Domaine du Docteur Rodgers

The Home Vineyard

Our first vineyard, Domaine du Docteur Rodgers surrounds the Rodgers’ home in Woodside, California. Planted in 1994, its first wines were produced in 1996. It is a single-acre, closely planted hilltop vineyard with 6,120 vines per acre. Evening fog helps provide ideal growing conditions.

Elevation

400 ft

Climate

Bayside-Mediterranean with no rain during the growing season

Soil

Loamy clay, pH=7.0

Clones

The “clones” are actual Pinot Noir types grafted onto rootstocks that are chosen to match the soil, shun phylloxera, and produce low vigor. Vines are planted closely together for low yield and concentration. The clones come from Dijon, in Burgundy, and are certified to be genetically identical to great Burgundian clones. Each clone has an outstanding characteristic:

115: firm tannin, dark color, intense bouquet
113: fruitiness, bouquet
828: the most elegant and newest of Dijon clones certified by ENTAC-INRA®, Institut Français de la Vigne et du Vin at a royalty of $1.00 per plant

Rootstock

Riparia Gloire, an American native grape transferred to France in the 1860s to stem the outbreak of phylloxera (root louse) that decimated all European vineyards. In a turnabout, the rootstock was then re-imported from France to the U.S. when phylloxera broke out here in the 1980s. Also, Couderc 420A and Millardet Et De Grasset 101-14—both known for low vigor, low yield, and excellent fruit quality.

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Domaine Valeta

The Snow Vineyard

This four-acre, 2,300-foot-above-sea-level ridge in the Santa Cruz Mountains receives snow in the winter. The mountaintop vineyard is on the first peak west of the famous Ridge Monte Bello vineyard. Cool mountain weather extends the growing season, giving Domaine Valeta the biggest body and darkest color of any Clos de la Tech wine. The first wine from Domaine Valeta was the 2002 vintage.

Elevation

2,350 ft

Climate

Mountaintop with very cool springs, occasional frosts, moderate to warm summer and fall, above the fog line during the growing season, usually ripens late September.

Soil

Ben Lomond Casrock complex—a fractured weathered sandstone. Very well-drained sandy loam, pH=5.0. A low-fertility soil requiring management finesse.

Clones

(115, 777) / 3309; (113, 115, 777) / RG; 114/101-14. Clone 777 is very supple and mellow.

Rootstock

Couderc 3309, which is a bit more vigorous than other rootstocks used

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Domaine Lois Louise

Mom’s Vineyard

Domaine Lois Louise is an 80-acre, closely planted, steep-slope vineyard. It resides at 1,700-feet above sea level and directly faces the Pacific Ocean. The weather is grueling, causing the yield of this vineyard to be the lowest of the three vineyards. The first wines were produced in 2004.

Elevation

1,700 ft

Climate

Powerful marine influence, springs are cool to cold, summers are very mild and moderate, warm days and cool nights. Twisty Ridge and most of Côté Sud are above the fog line, basking in refrigerated sunshine. Mid-to-late summer and autumn are glorious with very cool nights and warm days. It’s a Pinot Noir paradise.

Clones

114, 115, 667, 777/3309 & 101-14
115, 459, 777/RG
115, 777, 828/420A

Soil

Sweeny stony clay loam. Twisty Ridge and Côté Sud are on a thin base version (18″) of this clay loam atop a subsoil of fractured rock, creating superb drainage. pH=6.5
Santa Cruz Mountain Estate is on deeper loamy clay of the same soil series, overlaying the same fractured rock subsoil. pH=6.5

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