China Wall
Vineyard

A stagecoach road once ran though Amapola Creek, and Chinese laborers built a rock wall alongside it. Part of that 19th-century structure remains near the winery, so this 12-acre site is called China Wall. Cabernet Sauvignon was planted in 2002 and produced wine since 2005. Clones 15 and 337 were grafted onto 1103 Paulson rootstock in rockier soils and 101-14 in less rocky areas, mostly in north/south rows. The terrain at 400 feet elevation consists of little knolls and swales surrounding two large bowls that face southwest. In the southernmost bowl are grayish-white rhyolitic soils, mineral-rich ash that absorbs water and decomposes rapidly. The upper bowl has darker, basaltic soils and seems to produce more cassis and cocoa in addition to black fruit flavors in its wines. Photovoltaic panels here supply 8-1/2 kilowatts to power the winery. Six separate irrigation sets are employed in this block.