36 Years of Alexander Valley Merlot Some vineyard opportunities come with more of a story than others. This 10-acre Merlot block in Geyserville was planted 36 years ago, predominantly to Clone 3 on AxR rootstock, and has been under the same vineyard management since planting. For most of the past 34 years, the vineyard was under contract to a large Sonoma winery, giving it a long history in commercial wine production. For wineries still considering Alexander Valley Merlot for 2026, there’s flexibility in the amount of fruit available. Buyers can take anywhere from 5 to 50 tons at $1,500 per ton, with pricing negotiable. Recent samples and references are available for buyers who want to get to know the vineyard a little better. View Listing Finding the right grapes often comes down to details that don't fit neatly into a search box. Vine age. Clone and rootstock. Farming history. Available tonnage. Price. And sometimes simply knowing there's a grower worth having a conversation with. W

Afternoon Brief, August 10th

Santa Barbara Commandeers and Destroys Illegally Submerged Wine Bottles; Perpetrators Accept Plea Deal: Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office announced Wednesday that, in accordance with a plea agreement, it destroyed 2,000 bottles of wine and other alcohol illegally possessed for sale in connection with an illegal underwater wine aging and sale operation...