The Vineyards
The Moran Manor vineyards are located at the foot of Mt. St. Helena in Knights Valley. This far, northeast corner of Sonoma County borders Napa County and is known for its "terroir" of rocky, volcanic soil and its hot days and cool nights. The combination of these soil and weather conditions is perfect for growing red grapes, as it slowly ripens the fruit and enhances the structure and personality of our wines. Knights Valley produces some of the most prestigious and coveted California red wines.
To further boost the richness of our fruit, we have laid out our vineyard in a distinctive way. Most vineyards are planted with their vines far enough apart to enable a tractor to fit through. At the Moran Manor vineyard, we've planted our vines more densely — in double-planted rows. We believe that this spacing makes the grapes work a little harder for water and sunshine, which, in turn, gives them a more intense flavor.
To date, all of our grapes have been grown on the estate. As we have increased our production, we have been fortunate to buy Cabernet Sauvignon grapes at a vineyard located only a few yards from our own — from our neighbors at Beringer, Knights Valley. All of our wines are made from grapes grown in Knights Valley.
Each year, the vineyards give us what they can. Whatever the vines give us then becomes our wine. Nothing more, and nothing less.
