Vineyards
Chateau Margene's Estate Vineyard
Vineyard choice and vineyard practices are at the heart of all the wines crafted by Chateau Margene winemaker, Michael. Many factors went into deciding where to plant the estate (Bordeaux varietal focus) and where to acquire the cooler climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The estate is located in the Creston District AVA within the larger Paso Robles area.
The Creston District AVA was created in 2014 by the division of the Paso Robles AVA into 11 distinct areas. Notable vineyards in the new AVA include Chateau Margene, Parrish Vineyard, Creston Vineyard 85 and B & E Vineyard. It covers 46,794 acres with 1,365 planted in vineyards.[3] It lies on an old erosional plateau at the base of the La Panza Range with alluvial terraces and fans of Huerhuero Creek. The area is 1,000–2,000 feet (300–610 m) in elevation. Average annual rainfall is 11.5 inches (29 cm). The district's soils consist of old, well developed terrace and hillside soils; mix of granite and sedimentary rock.
Mooney Family Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
The Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes for the Mooney Family brand are primarily acquired from the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA in Monterey County. The two vineyards that are consistently purchased from are the Boekenoogen Vineyard and Tondre Grapefield.
The Santa Lucia Highlands AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Monterey County, California. It is part of the larger Monterey AVA, and located in the Santa Lucia Mountains above the Salinas Valley. Over 2,300 acres (931 ha) of vineyards are planted in the AVA, some as high as 1,200 feet (366 m) above sea level, with about half of them planted to the Pinot noir grape. The region enjoys cool morning fog and breezes from Monterey Bay followed by warm afternoons thanks to direct southern exposures to the sun.
