No single factor has shaped Pali’s winemaking over the past fifteen years more than our estate vineyard. We’ve evolved from a winery built primarily on sourcing fruit from growers we admire to one rooted in farming our own land, supplementing only where our site, by nature of its cold coastal climate, will not allow us to grow certain varieties.
Planted in 2012, the vineyard reflects an earlier vision of Pali: a Burgundian-inspired winery centered on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Of the 50 acres, 42 were dedicated to Pinot Noir and 8 to Chardonnay. At the time, this made complete sense. The Sta. Rita Hills had already established itself as one of California’s most compelling regions for these varieties.
That reputation is in geography. Unlike most coastal valleys in California, the Sta. Rita Hills run east to west, pulling cold ocean air and fog directly inland. The result is one of the longest, coolest growing seasons in the world, conditions that early pioneers recognized as ideal for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, grapes that thrive on slow ripening, natural acidity, and nuance rather than sheer power.
By 2015, we harvested our first crop. The wines were exactly what we had hoped for, precise, expressive, and deeply tied to site. Every detail had been considered, from clones matched to microclimates to subtle shifts in slope, soil, and exposure. It was thoughtful farming, and it showed.
But as the vineyard became more central to our identity, our perspective began to shift. We found ourselves increasingly invested not just in the fruit, but in the act of farming itself. Aaron dove deeper into regenerative practices, exploring ways to build healthier soils and a more dynamic, living vineyard. This became our true focus: farming with intention, fostering life, and pushing toward uncompromising quality.
At the same time, we began to wonder if there was more to explore.
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay remain foundational, but as blocks came up for replanting, a natural part of farming, we chose not to simply repeat the past. Instead, we introduced new varieties: first Chenin Blanc, Gamay, and Dornfelder, followed by Syrah, and now, most recently, Trousseau, with cuttings going into the ground this week.
Why Trousseau? I’ve been drawn to the wines of the Jura for years, especially those of Stéphane Tissot, where Trousseau feels alive and electric. My first California encounters, through Lo-Fi Wines and Arnot-Roberts, sealed it.
Compared to Pinot Noir, Trousseau carries more edge. Where Pinot is polished and seamless, Trousseau is more wild. The fruit pushes darker, cherry into blood orange, spice, and earth, with a savory, sometimes herbal streak and a subtle rusticity that gives it energy.
In a cold, wind-driven vineyard like ours, we expect Trousseau to translate place in a sharper, more untamed way.
We will begin working with Trousseau from Edna Valley this year to start learning the variety, while our estate vines establish. These are grafted cuttings, so it will take time, likely a few years before we see a meaningful crop, but that is part of the appeal.
