Terroir

Nestled high in the Sta. Rita Hills Somerset Vineyards enjoys a microclimate distinguished by mild wind and gentle ocean mist. The concurrence of wind, mist, and deep ocean beds that underlie this world-class terroir in Sta. Rita Hills AVA makes for an unmistakable and unforgettable Pinot Noir.

Somerset Vineyards is a woman-owned regenerative vineyard and farm. The soil is virgin farmed — no pesticides have ever been used on this estate. We are a no-kill vineyard; we work to balance the predator/prey relationships and accept a little less fruit to allow more soil bacterial action without pesticides and additives. Our vineyard is handpicked, hand-farmed, and low tillage. My mother, Beth Slama New, used to say, “We were always organic. Who could afford the cost of pesticides ?!” Now, we can’t afford to be just organic, we strive to be regenerative as well to protect our soil. The costs of pesticides have been too high in too many areas, and now the very health and existence of our planet is at stake. On Somerset Vineyards, we go beyond organic farming to work toward creating a regenerative farming model including the use of ruminant animals for fertilizer and pest control to maximize the opportunity for sequestration of CO2 in the soil. We thus do our part to decrease greenhouse gases and global warming, even as we create an unmistakable and unforgettable ultra premium Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir.