Development Development and production of the vineyard are managed by premier viticulturists Jeff Newton and Larry Finkle through their company “ Coastal Vineyard Care”. Finkle and Newton are developing the vineyard using the latest techniques learned from their wide experience managing 1500 acres in the Santa Barbara county AVA’s and beyond. They have benefited from growing Italian varieties elsewhere and from consulting with leading Italian viticulturists.

Steve Clifton, as buyer of the grapes and winemaker, also is a major decider of the vineyard plan. He has traveled to and worked in the vineyards in Italy annually for many years. He brings to the program expert knowledge of how to grow these Italian varieties so they can be made into the best wines.

The trellis system is of the “vertical shoot positioning” style. Plants are spaced four feet apart with six feet between rows, producing a plant density of 1,815 vines per acre. The system includes three sets of training wires above the fruit zone, so that the canopy may be trained narrowly and vertically, allowing maximum opportunity for good air flow and sun exposure. Plans for management during the fruit growing years call for modest to low yields of high quality fruit, employing the latest techniques for water control, shoot and leaf thinning, and fruit dropping.