The Vineyard
Twelve blocks along California’s Carmel Coast.
The Site
Designed by Brad and Garrett Bowlus, with the assistance of renowned viticulturist Dr. Alfred Cass.
In 2006 Brad Bowlus, proprietor, and his son Garrett, winegrower and winemaker, began planning a return to their family’s farming roots. The vision was to find a remarkable piece of virgin land where they could plant just two grapes: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. After searching from Oregon to Santa Barbara, they found what they were looking for high on Monterey’s Carmel Coast, and began planting early in 2008.
With the help of the renowned “Dirt Doctor,” Dr. Alfred Cass, Brad and Garrett oversaw every stage of the vineyard’s development. The 25 acres are planted as a mosaic of 12 distinctive blocks along California’s Carmel Coast with different elevations, exposures, soil makeups and clonal selections, a diversity that lets Garrett accentuate the complexity of the site in the wines.
“We knew that we wanted to find the perfect site and begin from the ground up, so that we could control every aspect of the viticulture.” Brad Bowlus
to the family’s farming roots
high on the Carmel Coast
on twenty-five acres
fall of that year
The Plantings
Garrett oversaw the design and planting of Albatross Ridge, including the selection of all clonal and rootstock materials. The vines are the finest Burgundian clones, all of which were chosen for their suitability to the extreme site, and their ability to create complex, elegant wines.
The Clones
Pinot Noir
8 blocks
Four clones: 828 · 777 · Pommard · 115
Chardonnay
4 blocks
Two clones: 96 · 15
The Rootstock
1103P, drought tolerant, farmed with an absolute minimum of water.
The Soils
Ancient uplifted marine seabed, twelve hundred feet above the sea it came from.
One of the defining features that makes Albatross Ridge so special is its unique soils. Though it reaches elevations as high as 1,250 feet, the vineyard’s soils are made of ancient uplifted marine seabed.
These diatomaceous and shale soils are similar to those found in Burgundy, and are optimal for growing complex Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, with rare and distinctive mineral qualities. With steep grades up to 25%, these well-draining soils also contribute to the vineyard’s low yields, which on average are well under 2 tons per acre.
The Microclimate
One of the longest growing seasons in all of California.
Seven miles from the Pacific and twelve hundred and fifty feet above it, the site is steep, windy and cool. Albatross Ridge harvests earlier than many other wineries, at roughly 20.0 to 22.5° Brix, and because of the vineyard’s unique conditions the grapes still taste beautifully ripe.
Those same conditions naturally limit crop size. They are what make the yields here extremely small, and what let the wines keep their aromatics and their acidity while still tasting ripe.
Farmed by Hand
A meticulous, hands-on approach.
Guided by Garrett, Albatross Ridge is farmed by hand, incorporating traditional techniques and the latest technology, because Brad and Garrett believe a hands-on approach translates into a more pure and authentic reflection of the site, and therefore higher quality wines.
Garrett is in the vineyard daily, guiding the farming himself alongside Vineyard Foreman Mariano Herrera. The vineyard is farmed using organic and sustainable practices, and by hand, with as many as a dozen hand-pruning passes each vintage: shoot thinning, cluster thinning, leaf pulling and more.
“I helped to plant the vineyard with my own hands, watched it evolve and mature, and then I learned how to make the wines the vineyard wanted to create.” Garrett Bowlus
“My wife, Jill, and I view our vineyard as a multigenerational commitment. Our grandchildren play among these vines, and one day I hope that they will help farm them.” Brad Bowlus
See it for yourself. Private estate tastings take place on the ridge itself. Walk the rows where the wine is grown, then taste it where it stands. By appointment only.
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