Wild Cattle Creek

History

In 1998, John Olney (Lytton Springs Winemaker and COO) purchased a hillside ranch halfway between the town of Healdsburg and the Pacific Ocean. In 1999, he planted six acres to zinfandel with about 5% petite sirah and carignane interplants. In 2000, an acre of pure carignane was added. The vineyard is named after the creek that runs through the valley below and forms the property border. The creek is the only one in the area that runs year-around. Since the late 1800s, each summer, the local cattle descend from the dry hills to drink from the creek.

Location

Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County

Grape Varieties

Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Carignane; 7 acres

Soils

Josephine series, gravelly loam

Training & Yields

Head trained, (no trellis) spur pruned. 2.4 tons per acre