My goal with each of the Belle Glos single-vineyard Pinot Noirs is to express the uniqueness of each vineyard site and to craft a genuine style of California Pinot Noir that is layered, complex, fruit-forward and rich. Our Las Alturas Vineyard is an ideal location for growing such a robust, opulent and full-flavored style of Pinot Noir.

The Vineyard

The Spanish term “Las Alturas” means “the heights,” which is a fitting name for this vineyard because it’s located on one of the highest grape-growing benches within the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. At this elevation, the sunny but very cool climate creates a wine with the hallmarks of this coastal region: robust, expressive and full-bodied, balanced by a firm acidity. Nestled between the Santa Lucia Mountain Range and the western side of Salinas Valley, Las Alturas benefits from the cooling effect of the early morning fog that rolls in most days from Monterey Bay, burning off within a few hours once the sun heats up. Gusty winds also funnel in from the bay throughout the afternoon, moderating the overall temperature and contributing to one of the longest growing seasons in California. The high winds also result in smaller berries with very thick skins, giving us more color concentration. Another attractive characteristic of this particular site is the low-vigor, free-draining subsoil, made up of a calcareous base underneath a layer of sandy loam. This compliments our farming techniques to further reduce our yields per vine to augment the fruit’s intensity