At the risk of repeating myself…

Location  Location  Location

This is especially true in growing grapes.  You need an area that has sufficient heat and sunshine to ripen grapes.  You need an area that is cool enough for the grapes (and wine) to retain acidity (freshness).  You need an area that won’t freeze too late into spring, is dry all summer and won’t rain during harvest.  You need as long a growing season as possible to impart the maximum flavor in the grapes.  You need soils that are poor where the grapevines are forced to go deep for nutrients and water and are sloped for drainage and maximum sun exposure. 

A Tall Order

Margarita Vineyard has this and more.  Located in the southernmost part of the existing Paso Robles appellation, soon to be further delineated to the Santa Margarita Ranch AVA, the vineyard sits just up the Cuesta grade over the Santa Lucia Mountains from San Luis Obispo and Edna Valley and well below the hot sections of Paso Robles. 

Santa Margarita Ranch

Sitting at approximately 1,000 feet above sea level keeps us out of the fog, giving us many hours per day of happy ripening sunlight.  Being just 14 miles from the cool Pacific Ocean keeps us cool at night and vastly minimizes the occurrence of temperatures of over 100 degrees. (When temperatures get over 100 degrees, the vines shut down to protect themselves causing ripening to stop and the grapes to suffer).  This ideal daily temperature gradient (cool nights and warm but not hot, sunny days) gives us the unique ability to produce wines with deep color and rich, ripe fruit-filled flavors.