User:Yanonali/Lafond Winery & Vineyards

Lafond Vineyards, in the Santa Rita Hills AVA, was first planted in 1972. In 1995 Pierre Lafond purchased additional land, across the Santa Ynez River off Santa Rosa Road, planted grapes and constructed the Lafond Winery. The Lafond Winery had its first crush in 2000 and opened to visitors in the spring of 2001. The Vineyard also leased 37 acres from neighbor Burning Creek and planted more Pinot Noir. The vineyard manages and purchases 13 acres of Pinot Noir from from neighbor, Arita Hills, across the Santa Rosa Road.

Santa Rita Hills' micro climate is particularly suited to Pinot Noir. It is a relatively small AVA within the larger Santa Ynez Valley AVA and because of its proximity to the ocean and the narrowness of the valley much cooler. The valley runs east-west allowing the evening fog to roll in and cool the valley. Fog is normally burnt off during the morning hours but the evenings can be quite cool.

There are only a few areas in California that can successfully grow Pinot Noir and these tend to be relatively small, such as the Russian River AVA north of San Francisco.