Dutton Ranch
Dutton Ranch consists of more than 50 non-contiguous vineyards and orchards in the Russian River Valley Appellation. They farm more than 1,300 acres and manage another 30 vineyards for other vineyard owners. Dutton Ranch is primarily noted for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, old-vine Zinfandel, Syrah, Merlot, Pinot Gris, and French Colombard. Dutton Ranch fruit is renowned for the Russian River and Green Valley Appellations, the location of the vineyards positioned on some of the most prized soil of the region, painstaking and passionate farming, and the quality and choice of rootstocks and clones available to the winemaker.
Warren Dutton and his wife Gail started the Ranch. The Dutton’s purchased their first parcel of land in 1964 near the little town of Graton. In the early years pears, prunes, and apples were the focus of the Ranch. In the 1960’s the area was regarded as too cold to ripen grapes. In spite of the challenges, the Dutton’s planted chardonnay. They sold their first Chardonnay harvest in 1967 and through hard work and perseverance began to put the area on the world stage of most sought after terroir for making wine. By 1985 Apples and grapes were roughly equal, but by this time grapes clearly were becoming the focus of the business.
Today Dutton Ranch has grown to be the largest grower in the Russian River. The Ranch provides grapes to more than twenty of the most prestigious wineries in California that proudly use the Dutton Ranch designation on their label.
Lost Canyon Winery is one of those wineries that are thrilled to have Dutton Ranch on our bottles. In 2001 we produced out first Dutton Ranch Wine. By 2006 we were making two Pinot Noir vineyard designated wines from Dutton Ranch, one from the Morelli Lane Vineyard and the second from the Widdoes Vineyard.
Morelli Lane Vineyard
Morelli Lane is a 24-acre vineyard of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, planted in 1995. The history of the vineyard actually goes back over 100 years. The old growth Zinfandel planted in 1935 is still producing lovely wines. The century-old, vineyard was left unfarmed for several years until the Dutton’s revived and re-planted parts of the vineyard in 1995. The vineyard site is located on Stoetz Ridge, the second ridge in from the Pacific Ocean. The property is approximately six miles as the crow flies from the coastline just north of the town of Occidental. The location places it in one of the cooler zones for the growing of grapes. The heavy influence of the marine weather patterns on Morelli Lane dictates cool night time temperatures with summertime fog being the norm. Situated on an 1100 foot ridge has a significant effect on the fog, especially during harvest. At this time the fog breaks early to allow for the warm daytime temperatures needed for maximum color and flavor development. Morelli Lane is one of the most southwestern vineyards in the Russian River Valley Appellation and is on the western edge of Sonoma's Green Valley Appellation. Soil type here is the Goldridge series of fine sandy loam of 18” to 36” in depth. This soil type allows for the excellent root development and drainage but with enough loam for moisture availability during the growing season. The minimal irrigation is just enough to maintain great fruit integrity. There are 5 clones of Pinot Noir; two Dijon clones 113 and 115, Pommard 5, the Swan clone, and an Old Berringer selection. The production level is generally low and rarely exceeds 3.2 tons per acre. The vineyard is cordon trained on a VSP trellis system and planted in a north-northwest by south-southeast row direction.
Morelli Lane produces an earthier style pinot Noir with annotations of jam and preserves integrating layered spices for a superbly balanced wine. The Dijon 113 and 115 clones provide the right amount of fruit perfectly balanced against the Pommard clone’s.
Widdoes Vineyard
The Widdoes Vineyard Shirely and Don Widdoes is a 23-acre block planted to Pinot Noir. The property was planted by Warren Dutton and has been farmed by Dutton for over 20 years. The vineyard is located in a very cool section of Green Valley abutting the Atascadero Creek between Graton and Occidental, in the small micro-climate zone of Green Valley in the Russian River Valley appellation. The slightly rolling hills, sandy loam soil with a small amount of heavier clay, the cool temperate growing conditions, and dry-framing allow the grapes to obtain terrific concentration through extended hang-time. This vineyard of Beringer clone Pinot Noir grapes consistently produces a wines of finesse and balance with earthy character. The clone is most likely of Martini origin. Wines produced from this vineyard are earthy in character showing classic Russian River fruit with tremendous depth and complexity. This vineyard is the newest addition to the list of Lost Canyon’s Pinot Noir wines. The 2006 vintage was the first year we produced wine from the vineyard, but it already has shown itself to be a fabulous addition to our portfolio of Vineyard designated wines.
