Belle Farms, was planted on the West facing foothills of Mt. Madonna at 400 feet above sea level. Due to the fact that the vineyard was near the end of the Monterey submarine canyon, a lot of fog and cold air push through the bay and settle in the area making it a marginal place to grow grapes. Planted in 1997 to Champagne clones 9 and 23, the questionable plant material began to fail almost immediately. In 2015, a meager few hundred pounds of grapes were harvested and the vineyard was put out if it’s misery despite many years of trying to save it. The 2014 vintage was the last designate from the original Belle Farms Vineyard.
The Belle Farms has always had an earthy funkiness to it that gives it a lot of appeal and a very unique character in not only the Ghostwriter line-up, but any line-up of Santa Cruz Pinot Noirs. It’s dank with a forest floor and mushroom like pungency. 40% whole cluster.
