{"id":931,"date":"2020-07-16T16:25:54","date_gmt":"2020-07-16T16:25:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/?p=931"},"modified":"2021-12-21T23:46:03","modified_gmt":"2021-12-21T23:46:03","slug":"the-lay-of-the-land-frank-family-chardonnay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/the-lay-of-the-land-frank-family-chardonnay\/","title":{"rendered":"The Lay of the Land: Frank Family Chardonnay"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Our family owns 380 acres of vines throughout Napa Valley on four estate vineyards in Carneros, Rutherford, and&nbsp;Capell&nbsp;Valley. Strategically chosen over three decades, each vineyard has its own personality, just like each of&nbsp;Rich and Leslie\u2019s&nbsp;grandkids they&nbsp;are named after.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consistently producing our best fruit year after year is Lewis Vineyard, the last vineyard before the bay off the backcountry roads of Carneros.&nbsp;Lewis Vineyard, paired with our long-term grower partners, give our winemaking team exceptional quality and unparalleled depth when it comes to crafting Frank Family&nbsp;Chardonnay.&nbsp;Grapes are grown precisely to our standards thanks to Frank Family\u2019s strong relationships with our extended family of growers, most notably&nbsp;Beckstoffer&nbsp;Vineyards and&nbsp;Sangiacomo&nbsp;Vineyards.&nbsp;In a world where successful wineries are increasingly owned by corporations, Frank Family is proud to be family-owned and to support fellow family-owned companies who share the same&nbsp;values as us.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1067\" data-attachment-id=\"940\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/the-lay-of-the-land-frank-family-chardonnay\/i-xznjpfd-x3\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/i-XZnjPFD-X3.jpg?fit=1600%2C1067&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1600,1067\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS 5DS R&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1471684266&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;70&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;250&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0015625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"i-XZnjPFD-X3\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/i-XZnjPFD-X3.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/i-XZnjPFD-X3.jpg?fit=640%2C427&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/i-XZnjPFD-X3.jpg?fit=900%2C600&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-940\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/i-XZnjPFD-X3.jpg?w=1600&amp;ssl=1 1600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/i-XZnjPFD-X3.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/i-XZnjPFD-X3.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/i-XZnjPFD-X3.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/i-XZnjPFD-X3.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/i-XZnjPFD-X3.jpg?resize=1440%2C960&amp;ssl=1 1440w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/i-XZnjPFD-X3.jpg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption>Lewis Vineyard at dawn on harvest day 2016<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Lewis Vineyard&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>CARNEROS, NAPA VALLEY\u202f|\u202f86&nbsp;ACRES&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Napa Gree<\/em><em>n &amp;&nbsp;<\/em><em>Fish Friendly Farming Certified<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This cool-climate&nbsp;site&nbsp;has&nbsp;been a part of our family since 2000 and has&nbsp;become the cornerstone of Frank Family\u2019s Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and sparkling wine programs.&nbsp;What makes Lewis Vineyard so special is its proximity to San Pablo Bay. The bay acts as a giant funnel for the cool ocean air&nbsp;and fog that surge through Carneros as they are pulled up into the warmer Napa and Sonoma Valleys. The effect on&nbsp;the vineyard&nbsp;is profound. The grapes, while getting plenty of sun, rarely get too much warmth. Because of the constant caress of cool air, the risk of flavors being baked&nbsp;out&nbsp;of the grapes is virtually nonexistent. As a result, the wines&nbsp;have gorgeous balance.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The grapes from Lewis Vineyard&nbsp;are kept separate from&nbsp;our other vineyards&nbsp;throughout the winemaking process. The result is&nbsp;an&nbsp;individual vineyard-designate wine, rightfully named, Lewis Vineyard Chardonnay.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1990\" height=\"1328\" data-attachment-id=\"939\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/the-lay-of-the-land-frank-family-chardonnay\/beckstoffer_carneros_lake_vineyard\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Beckstoffer_Carneros_Lake_Vineyard.png?fit=1990%2C1328&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1990,1328\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Beckstoffer_Carneros_Lake_Vineyard\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Beckstoffer_Carneros_Lake_Vineyard.png?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Beckstoffer_Carneros_Lake_Vineyard.png?fit=640%2C427&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Beckstoffer_Carneros_Lake_Vineyard.png?fit=900%2C600&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-939\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Beckstoffer_Carneros_Lake_Vineyard.png?w=1990&amp;ssl=1 1990w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Beckstoffer_Carneros_Lake_Vineyard.png?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Beckstoffer_Carneros_Lake_Vineyard.png?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Beckstoffer_Carneros_Lake_Vineyard.png?resize=768%2C513&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Beckstoffer_Carneros_Lake_Vineyard.png?resize=1536%2C1025&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Beckstoffer_Carneros_Lake_Vineyard.png?resize=1440%2C960&amp;ssl=1 1440w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Beckstoffer_Carneros_Lake_Vineyard.png?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Beckstoffer_Carneros_Lake_Vineyard.png?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption>Carneros Lake Chardonnay clusters ripening in the sun<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Carneros Lake Vineyard<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>CARNEROS, NAPA VALLEY\u202f|\u202f410&nbsp;ACRES&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Napa Green\/Fish Friendly Farming Certified<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Directly across the dirt road from Lewis Vineyard, is Carneros Lake Vineyard, owned and farmed by&nbsp;Beckstoffer&nbsp;Vineyards.&nbsp;For&nbsp;the past 50 years, the&nbsp;Beckstoffer&nbsp;Family has grown some of California\u2019s most renowned&nbsp;Cabernet&nbsp;Sauvignon&nbsp;and&nbsp;Chardonnay. Recognized as master winegrowers, their fruit is prized for its remarkable quality and delicious flavors. We have been proud to work with the&nbsp;Beckstoffers&nbsp;for more than a decade,&nbsp;and our love affair with their vineyard continues to&nbsp;this day.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just like&nbsp;our&nbsp;nearby Lewis Vineyard, fog tumbles over the softly sloping Carneros Lake Vineyard in the morning. As the fog burns off in the&nbsp;early afternoon, the windswept hills are kissed by the sun, creating the perfect conditions&nbsp;to ripen each berry while retaining its natural acidity. In the clear&nbsp;evenings, the lights of San Francisco flick in the distance&nbsp;reminding us how special the Carneros region is.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wanting to preserve the integrity of this special vineyard, our winemaking team keeps the fruit from Carneros Lake Vineyard separate from vine to bottle. The result is our award-winning and limited production,&nbsp;Beckstoffer&nbsp;Chardonnay. Only 406 cases were crafted in the 2018 vintage.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"993\" data-attachment-id=\"935\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/the-lay-of-the-land-frank-family-chardonnay\/sangiacomo_chardonnay-1-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Sangiacomo_Chardonnay-1-2.jpg?fit=1500%2C993&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1500,993\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1594741156&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Sangiacomo_Chardonnay-1-2\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Sangiacomo_Chardonnay-1-2.jpg?fit=300%2C199&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Sangiacomo_Chardonnay-1-2.jpg?fit=640%2C424&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Sangiacomo_Chardonnay-1-2.jpg?fit=900%2C596&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-935\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Sangiacomo_Chardonnay-1-2.jpg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Sangiacomo_Chardonnay-1-2.jpg?resize=300%2C199&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Sangiacomo_Chardonnay-1-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C678&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Sangiacomo_Chardonnay-1-2.jpg?resize=768%2C508&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Sangiacomo_Chardonnay-1-2.jpg?resize=1440%2C953&amp;ssl=1 1440w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Sangiacomo_Chardonnay-1-2.jpg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption>Young Sangiacomo Chardonnay leaves unfurl at springtime<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Green Acres Vineyard<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>CARNEROS &amp; SONOMA COAST\u202f|\u202f162 ACRES&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Certified\u202fCalifornia\u202fSustainable\u202fWinegrowing<\/em><em>&nbsp;<\/em><em>(CSWA)<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This vineyard site was&nbsp;planted by Vittorio&nbsp;Sangiacomo, the forefather of the family who now has one of the longest legacies of high-quality grape growing in Sonoma County.&nbsp;In 1969, with decades of first-hand knowledge of the area\u2019s growing conditions and a burgeoning wine scene taking shape around him, Vittorio decided to give grapevines a try. He purchased a hay field and the Green Acres Vineyard, from which Frank Family crafts our appellation-designate&nbsp;Sangiacomo&nbsp;Chardonnay, became the very first vineyard&nbsp;planted by the&nbsp;Sangiacomo\u2019s.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, Green Acres is one of the most sought-after of the family\u2019s Chardonnay vineyards due to its distinctive character and intensity of the grapes.&nbsp;There is a&nbsp;waiting list of renowned winemakers&nbsp;who&nbsp;hope to one day receive fruit from this high-quality site. Frank Family considers itself grateful to be among the lucky few.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"606\" data-attachment-id=\"936\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/the-lay-of-the-land-frank-family-chardonnay\/vts6nfyg\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/vTS6NFyg.jpeg?fit=1080%2C606&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1080,606\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"vTS6NFyg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/vTS6NFyg.jpeg?fit=300%2C168&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/vTS6NFyg.jpeg?fit=640%2C359&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/vTS6NFyg.jpeg?fit=900%2C505&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-936\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/vTS6NFyg.jpeg?w=1080&amp;ssl=1 1080w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/vTS6NFyg.jpeg?resize=300%2C168&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/vTS6NFyg.jpeg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/vTS6NFyg.jpeg?resize=768%2C431&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/vTS6NFyg.jpeg?resize=800%2C450&amp;ssl=1 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption>Vella Vineyard after harvest<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Vella Vineyard<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>CARNEROS &amp; SONOMA COAST\u202f|\u202f100 ACRES&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Certified\u202fCalifornia\u202fSustainable\u202fWinegrowing<\/em><em>&nbsp;<\/em><em>(CSWA)<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like so many Sonoma properties two decades ago, Vella Vineyard was once a dairy. That was before the&nbsp;Sangiacomo&nbsp;Family received the opportunity to lease this parcel of land from the Vella family who founded and still operate the Vella Cheese Company.&nbsp;Much of this site\u2019s terroir is defined by its location in&nbsp;south Carneros where winds from the nearby bay&nbsp;cool&nbsp;the vines and prevent fruit from ripening too quickly. Grapes from this vineyard make up our&nbsp;Sangiacomo&nbsp;Chardonnay.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"606\" data-attachment-id=\"937\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/the-lay-of-the-land-frank-family-chardonnay\/y45rs2za\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Y45RS2zA.jpeg?fit=1080%2C606&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1080,606\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Y45RS2zA\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Y45RS2zA.jpeg?fit=300%2C168&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Y45RS2zA.jpeg?fit=640%2C359&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Y45RS2zA.jpeg?fit=900%2C505&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-937\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Y45RS2zA.jpeg?w=1080&amp;ssl=1 1080w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Y45RS2zA.jpeg?resize=300%2C168&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Y45RS2zA.jpeg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Y45RS2zA.jpeg?resize=768%2C431&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Y45RS2zA.jpeg?resize=800%2C450&amp;ssl=1 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption>Sunset at Kiser Vineyard in winter<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Kiser Vineyard<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>CARNEROS &amp;&nbsp;SONOMA COAST\u202f|\u202f170 ACRES&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Certified\u202fCalifornia\u202fSustainable\u202fWinegrowing<\/em><em>&nbsp;<\/em><em>(CSWA)<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With 170 planted acres, Kiser is one of the largest of the&nbsp;Sangiacomo&nbsp;vineyards. It was the first&nbsp;existing&nbsp;vineyard purchased by the&nbsp;Sangiacomo&nbsp;family and played a key role during the critical expansion of their&nbsp;grapegrowing&nbsp;business in the 1980s. First planted in 1974, Kiser is set on a rolling slope.&nbsp;Both Rodgers and Fowler Creeks run through the vineyard, resulting in&nbsp;Zamora and&nbsp;Huichica&nbsp;soils&nbsp;in which the vines grow.&nbsp;Grapes from this vineyard make up our&nbsp;Sangiacomo&nbsp;Chardonnay.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1000\" data-attachment-id=\"938\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/the-lay-of-the-land-frank-family-chardonnay\/grapes-2-1\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Grapes-2-1.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1500,1000\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS 5DS R&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1471677049&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;95&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Grapes-2-1\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Grapes-2-1.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Grapes-2-1.jpg?fit=640%2C427&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Grapes-2-1.jpg?fit=900%2C600&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-938\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Grapes-2-1.jpg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Grapes-2-1.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Grapes-2-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Grapes-2-1.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Grapes-2-1.jpg?resize=1440%2C960&amp;ssl=1 1440w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Grapes-2-1.jpg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption>Lewis Chardonnay clusters at the peak of ripeness &#8211; Harvest 2016<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>El&nbsp;<\/strong><strong>Novillero<\/strong><strong>&nbsp;Vineyard<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>CARNEROS &amp; SONOMA COAST\u202f|\u202f245&nbsp;ACRES&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Certified\u202fCalifornia\u202fSustainable\u202fWinegrowing<\/em><em>&nbsp;<\/em><em>(CSWA)<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>El&nbsp;Novillero&nbsp;takes its name from the cattle that are raised on the ranch (\u201cEl&nbsp;Novillero\u201d is Spanish for bull fighter).&nbsp;The vineyard&nbsp;was planted in 1993 and&nbsp;sits on the hillside slopes that form the southwest boundary of the Sonoma Valley.&nbsp;Here the grapes bask in the sun once it breaks through the fog.&nbsp;Grapes from this vineyard make up our&nbsp;Sangiacomo&nbsp;Chardonnay.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our family owns 380 acres of vines throughout Napa Valley on four estate vineyards in Carneros, Rutherford, and&nbsp;Capell&nbsp;Valley. Strategically chosen over three decades, each vineyard has its own personality, just like each of&nbsp;Rich and Leslie\u2019s&nbsp;grandkids they&nbsp;are named after.&nbsp;&nbsp; Consistently producing our best fruit year after year is Lewis Vineyard, the last vineyard before the bay [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":932,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[73,7,18,109,81,14,97],"class_list":["post-931","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wine","tag-chardonnay","tag-featured","tag-napa-valley","tag-napa-wine","tag-vineyard","tag-wine","tag-winemaking"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/i-94Rq99r-X3-2.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/parYsd-f1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/931","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=931"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/931\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/932"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=931"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=931"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.frankfamilyvineyards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=931"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}