vineyard character
The Benziger family farms winegrapes on our stunning 85-acre Sonoma Mountain estate ranch that encompasses 29 distinct blocks of enological charisma.
Geographically unique, our ranch sits in its own valley, 800 feet above sea level. The property, which resembles a 360-degree bowl, is planted to 42 acres of winegrapes. The unusual terrain, formed by volcanic explosions from Sonoma Mountain some two million years ago, is ideal for winegrowing, as it provides a variety of sun exposures, elevations, soil profiles and drainage.
A growing season of warm to hot days and cool nights makes Sonoma Mountain ideal for the cultivation of Cabernet Sauvignon. For this reason, 65 percent of our Sonoma estate vineyard is planted to the varietal. Much of the remaining acreage is devoted to other classic Bordeaux varieties including Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel also thrive on the property.
In addition to estate-grown grapes, Benziger Family Winery sources grapes from our network of growers, dedicated to farming for quality and flavor. Benziger's Director of Grower Relations Mark Burningham works closely with the grower partners. At harvest, he assesses fruit maturation in all vineyards daily. Once harvested, all lots are maintained separately. This gives Benziger Winemaker Terry Nolan maximum flexibility in blending, and the ability to preserve the Sonoma vineyard character of more than 300 separate lots in the creation of more than 20 bottlings of wine a year.