In early 1999 we went into the cellars of neighboring wineries to do clonal tastings of Pinot Noir.  We first decided on a vineyard of 100% Pommard, and loved the rich berry and cherry profile of the wines.  We felt that although the wines were beautiful in color and taste, they needed a bit more backbone to provide the ageing potential we wanted.  The Dijon 115 clone compliments the Pommard beautifully in this respect.  The higher tannins and acidity of the Dijon clone brighten and enhance the fruit, and create an elegant wine that will age gracefully. The vineyard is now comprised of approximately 66% Pommard and 34% Dijon 115.  The vines are interplanted without marking, so both are harvested and vinified together.  The Pinot Noir clones are grafted onto 101-14 rootstock.

The same process led us to choose a mix of 2 clones for our tiny block of Chardonnay.   Initially this block was producing Merlot, and was grafted to Chardonnay in 2009. The approximately 400 vines are a mix of 80% SEE  and 20% Spring Mountain clones.  The See clone provides smooth tropical characteristics and a beautiful floral nose, with the Spring Mountain clone providing an underlying structure of acidity. The vines were grafted on to 3309 rootstock.