A wine is only as good as the land it comes from. So we feel lucky to have such a special place to grow our grapes. Our vines benefit from a variety of unique conditions that combine to produce world-class fruit year after year.
The wines of Collier Falls come from hillsides in the northwest corner of Dry Creek Valley. The rocky clay soil and steep slopes of these vineyards provide excellent drainage for the vines. This creates low moisture levels and limited fruit production — we harvest just 2-3 tons per acre. But these reduced yields also bring smaller berries with more intense color and flavor. Exactly what a winemaker loves to craft estate hillside wines.
Our land also sits above the fog line, so while vineyards on the valley floor are cooled by moisture from the Sonoma Coast, our vines enjoy a healthy dose of morning sunshine. But during the hottest part of the day, these southeast facing vineyards are the first vines in the valley to get shade, creating an ideal temperature balance for our grapes — plenty of heat to develop beautifully ripe flavors and varietal characteristics, along with cooler periods to help the fruit achieve wonderful balance and complexity.
Collier Falls grows a total of 20 acres of Zinfandel, Primitivo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, and Petite Sirah. We make 5 wines from our estate vineyards in Dry Creek Valley, and a 6th, our Syrah du Soleil comes from an acre of pristine benchland vineyards on the Sonoma Coast.