Watch Hill Vineyard & Ranch is located in Alisos Canyon, a relatively cool site about half-way between Santa Maria and Santa Ynez. At Watch Hill there is a large main planting of about 20 acres and a smaller 2 acre steep hillside block called “Sam’s Vineyard.” The almost 20 acres was planted around 2002, mostly in Syrah varietals and is managed by Coastal Vineyard Care & Associates. The soils here are a mix of sand and clay and somewhat low in nutrients. The vineyard is surrounded by a horse pasture on one side and a group of noisy chickens on the other. The grapes here ripen slowly and are usually ready for harvest in the final week of October.
We’ve sourced Syrah clone 174 here since 2004 and Grenache clone Noir since 2021.