The vineyards::John Tyler Wines

Growing up on the ranch and working in the vineyards as a young boy along side his father, John Bacigalupi came to love farming early in life. From the initial 12 acres of pinot noir and chardonnay John and his family have slowly and meticulously expanded to the existing 125 acres of premium grapes. As the acreage has been increased John has taken into account the appropriate combination of soil types, root stocks, micro- climates, and varietals of each vineyard.

Today John and his family farm four parcels. Three are located on Westside road approximately 4 miles southwest of Healdsburg and consist of 260 total acres, 110 which are planted to vineyards. The Westside Road properties lie in the heart of the Russian River, surrounded by other renowned vineyards and wineries. The fourth parcel is 15 acres located in Alexander Valley.

The Bacigalupi pinot noir grapes are grown in soils, varying from rocky red clays to well-drained rocky volcanic loams. There is a small acreage beside the Russian River, but the majority of the vineyards are planted in the rolling hills to the west. The combination of the soil structure and the hillsides provide for optimal growing conditions. Six distinct pinot noir clones are grown on approximately 44 acres. The remaining acreage is planted with zinfandel, petite syrah, cabernet sauvignon, and chardonnay.

Consistently striving to improve farming practices, John has emphasized environmental soundness, sustainability, and efficiency, all without compromising quality. All of the vineyards are grown under no-till conditions. Row middles are mowed once at the end of May, leaving a thick light-colored mulch which insulates the ground and reflects light back into the canopy, enhancing photosynthesis. The mulch also helps to protect the soil from compaction of machine traffic during summer and fall, and the erosion of winter rains. To fix nitrogen in the soil, legumes are grown in the row middles. Sulfur, usually in the dust form, is used exclusively for mildew control.

Traditionally pinot noir and chardonnay have been cane pruned. In the late '70's and early 80's the industry turned to a modified form of spur pruning, called cordon pruning, largely to cut costs. Some blocks of both chardonnay and pinot noir were trained to the cordon style during this period. Today we are returning to the traditional cane pruning for these two varieties and have been pleased with the results. Cane pruning requires more skill and thought, but it provides the right balance of light and shade for the fruit.

Currently Bacigalupi Vineyards is expanding the selection of pinot noir clones and hopes to offer a more diverse selection of wines in the future. These clones with strong varietal characters will improve our ability to offer wines with more complexity.