State Gulch Vineyard

The Sonoma Coast is the largest single appellation in Sonoma County. It extends from the county borders of Napa in Carneros to the East, Marin County to the South, and the Pacific Ocean to the West. There are a wide variety of microclimates and soil types.

The Stage Gulch vineyard is located high on a hill near the Petaluma Gap. Jens Kullberg, owner of Stage Gulch Vineyards, said the Petaluma Gap term first started showing up in wine literature about fifteen years ago, and is now being used more frequently. He said that while not specifically defined, the Petaluma Gap's western edge runs roughly from Tomales to Bodega and the southern tip extends as far as Nicasio. Its northern and eastern border starts around Penngrove/Cotati and runs southeast along Carneros Ridge, ending at San Pablo Bay.

Stage Gulch is located in one of the coolest growing regions of Sonoma County and is always amongst the last fruit to ripen. This cool climate preserves the fruit longer allowing the grapes to have a long growing season and for the flavor components and tannins to fully ripen. The fast winds rush from the bay into Petaluma. For the Petaluma Gap that is very helpful. The low-lying hills allow the wind to move the fog in faster, shutting down grapes in the early evening making this an ideal area for cool weather Syrah wines. This is one of the last grapes to arrive in the winery. It is not uncommon to have the vineyard harvested on Halloween. This makes for an exciting time as bets are taken as to what will arrive first, the grapes or the rains.

The vineyard was originally planted in 1991. The vines are watered by drip irrigation on heavy adobe soil. The vines are on a vertical trellis and spur pruned. The cool weather and the late harvest each year result in a harvest of less than 2.5 tons per acre. The Syrahs from this vineyard are dark in color with intense flavors, soft textures, and exceptional balance. The vineyard is prized for it’s unique flavors of bacon and smokiness. The result is wines with complexity building in layers, from scents of rose petal and lavender to smoky blue fruit.