Development & Viticulture Expertise

Overarching Philosophy

We grow wine, not grapes.

Developing the vineyards Premier Pacific Vineyards held fast to the principle that great wine is grown, not made. This is especially true for those at the high end of the market.

Vineyard Development Principles

Rigorous Site Selection

Truly high-end vineyards demand particular combinations of soil, location and climate. Extraordinary sites can be very different from one another in how the various factors interact (terroir), but world-class sites normally have one thing in common: they produce low-vigor vines whose fruit ripens slowly and consistently. These are the growing conditions that Premier Pacific demands of its sites.

Site Selection Principles

• Cool climate regions.

  Complex, distinct wines that stand out in the high-end wine world normally come from growing areas with climates just warm enough to ripen wine grapes. Vines of all grape varieties planted in so-called "on the edge" climates have the best chance of achieving the long, gradual ripening period associated with fine wine.

• Low fertility soils.

  Excessively vigorous vines rarely produce the best wine. So we search for rocky, well-drained soils often found on hillside or mountain-top sites.

• Recognized AVAs.

  Successful luxury wineries are focused on vineyard sites in AVAs with established reputations and an existing culture of winegrowing and winemaking success. Since quality sites within these AVAs are increasingly rare, we have focused on them exclusively in building our portfolio.