Vineyard Journey
From first shoot to first pour
Every vineyard has a rhythm. Ours started the day we set young vines into Darlington’s red-clay hills — a brand-new planting that will need three full seasons before its grapes are ready for winemaking. Here’s how those seasons are expected to unfold.
Year 0 – Planting & Rooting
We tuck each cutting into the soil and concentrate on root depth rather than fruit. Strong roots today mean lively flavors tomorrow.
Year 1 – Training the Vines
Shoots reach for the trellis, and we guide them into place, choosing a single sturdy trunk and trimming away distractions. Still no crop — every ounce of energy goes underground.
Year 2 – Building the Framework
Cordons (the horizontal arms) extend along the wires. Leaves create the first real canopy, but fruiting is kept minimal so the plant can finish its structure.
Year 3 – First Harvest on the Horizon
By the third growing season, the vines are mature enough for a modest crop that will become our inaugural wine. Fermentation and aging will follow, turning those grapes into bottles that reflect this exact hillside.
Varietals in the ground
Our six hand-picked grapes and their future personalities
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Merlot
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Color: Deep ruby or garnet red color with a hint of purple.
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Aromas: Merlot from clay loam exhibits a complex bouquet of ripe red fruits like black cherry, plum, and blackberry, along with subtle notes of earth, tobacco, and spices.
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Flavors: On the palate, the wine offers flavors of juicy black fruits, dark chocolate, and hints of herbs. The tannins are generally smooth and well-integrated, providing a velvety mouthfeel.
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Body and Finish: Merlot from clay loam soils tends to have a medium to full body, with moderate acidity and a lingering finish, often showcasing notes of dark fruits and subtle minerality.
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Cabernet Franc
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Color: Lighter ruby to purple, less dark than Cabernet Sauvignon
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Aromas: Red fruits (raspberry, cherry, currant), green bell pepper, fresh herbs, violet, and tobacco.
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Flavors: Red fruit, earthy notes (pencil lead, gravel), spice (black pepper, chili), and often a characteristic vegetal or herbal quality.
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Body and Finish: Medium-to-full bodied, with moderate acidity and a lingering finish often showcasing notes of dark fruits and subtle minerality.
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Albariño
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Color: Pale greenish-yellow.
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Aromas: Grapefruit, lime, nectarine, honeysuckle, occasionally beeswax, orange zest, and subtle notes of melon.
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Flavors: Mouthwatering acidity, intense stone fruit flavors (peach, apricot), nutty elements, and a short, fruity finish.
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Texture: Dry, balanced acidity.
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Additional Notes: This magnificent grape from Spain is dynamic and can be used to make sparkling wine and oaked Albariño may have tropical fruit flavors, medium acidity, creamy mineral finish, and kerosene notes. Lees stirring during fermentation can result in brioche bread and buttery touches.
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Chardonnay
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Aromas: Notes of pear, green apple, white peach, and citrus blossom.
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Flavors: Subtle minerality with a delicate hint of limestone or wet stones can be present.
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Texture: Rounder mouthfeel and a softer texture in the wine.
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Complexity: Aging in oak barrels enhances the complexity, adding notes of hazelnut, toasted brioche, or honey, among others.
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Sauvignon Blanc
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Color: Pale yellow to light greenish-gold.
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Aromas: Vibrant aromatics, often displaying notes of green apple, pear, lime, melon, mango, pineapple, and herbaceous or grassy elements.
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Flavors: On the palate, you can expect fresh acidity and flavors that mirror the aromatics, including green apple, citrus, tropical fruit, and sometimes a hint of flinty minerality.
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Petit Verdot
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Color: Deep garnet or ruby color.
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Aromas: Complex aromas, including violets, berries, cassis, licorice, pencil lead, and sometimes a touch of herbaceousness.
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Flavors: On the palate, Petit Verdot offers firm tannins and flavors of black fruits such as blueberry, blackberry, black currant, black cherry, and plum. Some Petit Verdot wines also have flavors of chocolate, tobacco, and spice.
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