The McDonald Mountain Vineyard is nestled in a very cool area near the border dividing the Russian River Valley from the Petaluma Gap. This beautiful area, referred to as the Sebastopol Hills neighborhood of the Russian River Valley, is where the fog fi rst arrives inland from the Pacific Ocean in the morning, and where it burns off last in the afternoon. The vineyard was planted in 2008 on one to four feet of Goldridge sandy loam underlain with Los Osos clay. The diverse clonal selection includes 115, 667, 777, Pommard, 828 and Elite. The latter is a suitcase selection that produces some of the most exotic fruit characteristics that we’ve ever tasted from Pinot Noir in Sonoma County. The cool temperatures, daily fog, breezy afternoons, steep slopes and dry farming practices all contribute to the production of very small, but extremely flavor-packed clusters and berries that always retain plenty of natural acidity.