Beckwith Vineyard

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Beckwith Vineyard, a hillside location on the west side of Paso Robles, is home to Zinfandel and Pinot Noir vines planted in the early 1970s by Bob Beckwith. The Ashkins bought this largely dry-farmed site in 2001, attracted by the beauty of its limestone hills and surrounding woods, and the relatively cool temperatures of the site.

The 15-acre vineyard is south-facing at an elevation of 1400 feet, and consists of one 4-acre block of Pinot Noir, and five blocks of Zinfandel. These own-rooted vines produce yields that are low (less than two tons per acre). The source of the Pinot Noir bud wood was reportedly a vineyard near Hollister, CA. The Pinot Noir and four blocks of the Zinfandel were trained to a bilateral cordon and spur-pruned. Stakes and catch wires were added to lift the foliage and provide the clusters greater light exposure. The fifth Zinfandel block is part of the grand experiment to discover the influence of terroir. In 2001, some of the young, grafted Zinfandel and Alicante Bouschet vines from Red Head Ranch were planted at Beckwith. They are head-trained so that a comparison can be made of the fruit and resulting wine from the two vineyards.

Paso Robles AVA

www.redheadranch.com