Hill Creek Vineyard

			LOCATION A vineyard is as good as it's people, location, climate and soil. Our vineyard is located in the heart of Lake County in Northern California, just north of Napa, where farmers have been growing grapes and creating world class wines since 1920, prior to prohibition.

	Our vineyard is a family owned intimate 4 1/2 acres located in the Kelseyville Big Valley Appellation known for its crisp grapefruit and grassy Sauvignon Blanc wines. The winters are cold for California and its summers are hot. The elevation of 1,450 ft. along with dry hot summers and substantially cool nights produce wines of distinction. The Mayacamas and Vaca mountain ranges join and rise in Lake County. The upper elevations enjoy higher ultraviolet light levels, promoting phenolic intensity with balance. The appellation boasts the purest air quality in California (Cal EPA), and some of the youngest soils in the North Coast.

			Discover Lake County! It is a short uphill drive from Napa Valley, Sacramento Valley or Ukiah Valley. but here you will find helpful and knowledgeable growers as well as spectacular scenery, vineyards and wine.

	CLIMATE Elevation has a major influence on Lake County's climate. At 1300 to 2500 feet, cooler winters delay budbreak. This pushes wine grape harvest into September and October, and these cooler months allow gradual ripening and excellent flavor development. Most summers see at least a handful of days with temperatures over 100°F, however several factors reduce the frequency and duration of these highs. Cool winds off the Pacific frequently moderate afternoon temperatures, and the county's elevation and exceptionally clear air leads to significant radiational cooling at night. Diurnal temperature swings are frequently 30 to 50 degrees. Lake County's climate may also give growers a boost in pest management. A recent study of the four North Coast Counties plus San Joaquin and Monterey Counties confirmed what Lake County growers have long suspected. Pesticide use in almost all categories was lower in Lake and Mendocino counties. Why the difference? Cold winters and a compressed growing season may reduce pest build up, and dry conditions discourage powdery mildew and botrytis. Grower efforts to reduce pesticide use are also part of the equation. Organic and biodynamic farming is quickly transitioning from conventional farming practices. back to the top

			SOIL At the base of the volcanic mountains, is the two-million-year-old Clear Lake, perhaps the oldest lake in North America. The heart of Lake County agriculture, Big Valley, was lifted up to the south as the lake bed gradually tilted down to the north. Our vineyard, along with other Big Valley grape growers, has alluvial soils with a wide range of textures, from very sandy and gravelly (next to Hill Creek), to loam and clay in a few outlying areas in the vineyard. Here we have planted 4 1/2 acres of root type 3309 Sauvignon Blanc grapes on the great plains of Big Valley, just west of the famous, volcanic mountain Mt. Konocti. back to the top