Baker Lane Cuvee Mistral 2012

Certainly others say that it’s about place, or it begins in the vineyard, but it’s hard to overstate the relevance of that perspective to our efforts at Baker Lane Vineyards. It started when we came upon the fifteen acre hillside spot at the end of Baker Lane (yes it’s a real place, not a fanciful name) in 2002. Although covered at the time in apples, the area’s many surrounding vineyards indicated a clear precedence for viticulture alongside many of the legacy orchards.

Nothing then was particularly exotic about planting vines in this part of West Sonoma County, that is planting Pinot Noir. Syrah and Viognier though were something of a different story. But, if there is anything about the unfolding narrative of California viticulture, it’s an ever-evolving picture. There are many sites now planted to grapes that would have been unthinkable 25 years ago. Similarly, as winegrowers seek to cultivate fruit with more precise flavors, acid retention and overall balance, the decision to push the envelope climatically becomes a natural choice.

Just as European winemakers have long championed the distinction of their terroir, we in California are legitimately celebrating their own sense of place. The vivid expression of vineyard character that cooler viticultural sites avails has driven this opportunity more than any other factor. Through 10 harvests we’re gratified to gather the consistent detail and character of their wines. Just as a child has to grow up a bit to reveal its personality, the accumulating collection of flavors presented by our family of wines is helping them know what their working with, and in turn constantly sharpening our approach to the care of the vines. It’s an exciting process to sustainably nurture our grapes and direct them in to the bottle. We hope that the fruit of our efforts is delicious for you as well.