The Floodgate Vineyard is situated at the southern end of the Russian River’s Middle Reach, sited close to the point where the river’s broad floodplain hits the low rise of the Laguna Ridge. This location is cooler, foggier, and wetter than our Maddie’s Vineyard, which is several miles north in the Middle Reach. Here, maritime influences can be quite profound. Ocean breezes and morning fog stream through the Petaluma Gap, a break in the coastal hills, and up the Laguna Ridge.
The old vine blocks of the Floodgate Vineyard are planted to the Martini selection #58 clone, now known as UCD#13. The Martini selections are descended from experimental plantings on which Louis M. Martini and Harold Olmo of U. C. Davis collaborated. Known for cultivating elegant wines when grown under proper conditions, the vines produce a very structured and complex Pinot Noir.
Soils at Floodgate are a combination of Glen Ellen and Wilson Grove Formations. The former is composed of river gravels and other alluvia, while the latter is mainly uplifted sea floor. Both soil types drain well and provide a wonderful growing platform.
The Floodgate Vineyard contains approximately 10 acres of old vines, 35- to 40-years-old, which yield wines that are at once refined and ethereal. Dry-farmed, these venerable vines are self-regulating and therefore very shy-bearing, producing no more than 1.5 tons per acre.
