La Cruz Vineyard
Ask the Grower: An Interview with Ana Keller, owner of La Cruz Vineyard
Appellation: Sonoma Coast (Sonoma County)
Owner: Keller Estate
Acreage (for Testarossa):
- Chardonnay, 2 acres, planted in 1989
- Pinot Noir, 6 acres, planted in 1998
Clones: Pinot Noir - Pommard 4, 667 & 777, Chardonnay - Clone 4
Soil Composition: Haire series clay loam
Elevation: 50ft
Exposure: South-facing Climate: Warm summer days averaging 84 degrees with cool afternoon marine winds and fog blowing through the Petaluma Gap.
First Testarossa vintage:
2005 - Chardonnay
2004 - Pinot Noir
The La Cruz Vineyard is the showpiece of the beautiful Keller Estate on the eastern edge of the Sonoma Coast Appellation near Carneros. Successful automotive industry supplier Arturo Keller and his daughter Ana planted their first vineyard on the property in 1989 and have painstakingly expanded their vineyard focusing on three ideally suited varietals for the Estate: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah.