Nestled between the Santa Lucia Highlands and the Salinas Valley, Arroyo Seco is one of California’s earliest recognized AVAs.
Mesa del Sol sits at the western edge of the AVA, where lean, rocky soils drive our vines’ roots deep into the ground. Our vines are irrigated from a thriving trout pond feeding them with living water. The hot arid days of the uplands and cool marine night air of the Pacific provide a perfect setting for nature to weave her magic.
Thanks to our organic farming practices, cover cropping, and composting, this rugged terroir now produces wines that are characterized by bold fruit and nuanced minerality.
AVA Map
The Wines
Our award winning wines are an expression of this land. They evoke the scent of sagebrush on the coastal breeze and the ghostly fog that rolls in over the oak-dotted hills each night.
Our winemaker Tyler Russell pays homage to the rich heritage of this land through his low-touch approach. Tyler seeks out exceptional grapes, and lets them sing. He merely polished the rough edges and presents these distinct wines in all their idiosyncrasies.
Past harvests have brought Mesa Del Sol accolades. Most notably the 2002 Hunter Hill Mesa Del Sol Syrah took “Best in Show” at the 2005 California State Fair Wine Competition. The Syrah was chosen as number one from a field of 2,800 wines.
About the Vineyard:
Settled
1899
Cases per year
350
Rows
56
Varietals
8
Vines
3000
First vines planted
1999
A word from the owners…
Mesa Del Sol provides a truly unique wine experience.
Our four red varietals and our Prima Rosso blend, as well as our Zinfandel dessert wine, are grown here on the property using organic and sustainable practices. Our two white offerings – Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay – are grown in the cooler climate of Santa Lucia Highlands, which is not far from the estate.
All of our reds mature nicely in the bottle, showing improved color, character, and flavor over the years. As such, we are fortunate to maintain an extensive wine library, offering vintages from 2013-2021. Our guests can enjoy a truly amazing “vertical tasting” to appreciate how each varietal has changed from year to year.
We just bottled our Mesa Del Sol 2021 vintage, our first since owning the vineyard. We must say this vintage is wearing its bottle well and already tastes amazing!
In keeping with Mesa Del Sol’s philosophy of quality over quantity, we produced 350 cases in 2021. This includes 4 red varietals and our Prima Rosso blend, of which we are particularly proud.
2022’s harvest already looks promising. In no small part because we’re working with the award-winning winemaker, Tyler Russell, out of Paso Robles. Tyler is known for crafting some of the most innovative red varietals in California, so stay tuned for more on Mesa Del Sol’s collaboration with the ramblin’ winemaker.
Cheers!
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