Duckhorn Portfolio, Inc. said it acquired the 289-acre Bottom Line Ranch in the San Miguel District sub-appellation of the Paso Robles AVA. Planted exclusively to 265 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, the vineyard features seven top clones on three drought-tolerant rootstocks.
With this investment in Paso Robles, the Company has established a significant estate footprint on California’s Central Coast, which already includes Calera winery’s 82 acres of estate vineyards on Mt. Harlan. The purchase will help provide the Company with access to high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon for years to come and support continued growth for its Decoy and Postmark wineries.
“This acquisition follows our long-term strategy of supporting our wineries with robust Estate holdings,” said Alex Ryan, Duckhorn’s CEO/president. “Adding Bottom Line Ranch’s 265 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon to our estate program will provide us with exceptional grapes for both Decoy and Postmark, while cementing our commitment to the Central Coast. There is a reason why Paso Robles has the most Cabernet Sauvignon acreage of any appellation in California outside of Napa Valley. In addition to producing phenomenal Cabernet Sauvignon, the Paso Robles winemaking community has done a fantastic job of building global awareness for the region and its wines. Putting down roots in this acclaimed region is an important next step in our long-term vision.”
“For a Cabernet Sauvignon-focused vineyard of its size, location, vine age, and quality, Bottom Line Ranch is a rare find,” said Vice President, Central Coast Winegrowing PJ Alviso. “In terms of row orientations, rootstocks and clonal selection, it has great fundamentals.” To maximize the quality of the vineyard’s Cabernet Sauvignon, the site’s farming will be overseen by The Duckhorn Portfolio’s in-house viticulture team and acclaimed Vineyard Manager Randy Heinzen and his company Vineyard Professional Services. Heinzen also farms Calera’s estate vineyards on Mt. Harlan and was the former Vineyard Manager at Beckstoffer Vineyards.