Fiddlestix Estate

Enamored with the expressive layers of Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir, Kathy emphatically committed to this appellation in her 1988 business plan. Her early grape source was the famed Sierra Madre Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley, but the sale of the vineyard left a hole in Kathy’s Pinot Noir program. There were no replacement sites that could meet Kathy’s high expectations.

Forced into action, and with a typical “Kathy attitude”, she set about to develop her own vineyard and spent countless months looking for the perfect place. She ultimately approached the owner of a flower farm (that was not even for sale) who was amenable to her offer. Kathy predicted its success based on some of the extraordinary wines of its “across the street” neighbor, the historic Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, which shared the same soil series and exposure to ocean breezes.Fiddlestix Vineyard was carefully planned and developed over a two year period and has fulfilled her every expectation of that ideal place.

Located in the heart of the Santa Rita Hills, at mile marker 7.28 on Santa Rosa Road, Fiddlestix is where perfect Pinot Noir elements of soil and Region I climate pull together. On the north side of a tight east-west running valley, fog hangs over the vines until mid-morning, the temperature barely rises above 75, and the coastal breeze blows through the Santa Rita Hills, ensuring cool grapes throughout a lengthy day of sunshine. The soil is well-drained Gazos and Botella clay loam, loaded with chirt and Monterey shale.

Our Vineyard is nurtured by hand many times over again. It is managed by expert, intuitive winegrowers Jeff Newton and Larry Finkle of Coastal Vineyard Care. First planted in 1998, the spacing is tight, with vines planted 4 feet apart, and each row only 7 feet wide – resulting in 1556 vines per acre. We customize our farming in response to each vintage’s demands; and always to guarantee the highest quality fruit. We shoot thin, leaf pull, and crop thin numerous times in a single season, ensuring ideal cluster exposure to the suns ripening rays, leaving only goodness on the vines. The vineyard is made up of 32 mini-blocks, representing different combination of our six clones, three rootstocks, and various elevation, exposures, and soil combinations. You will also find some of our precious fruit in wines of other highly respected, discriminating and dedicated winemakers.