REBEL RANCH - AN AMERICAN VINEYARD​​©

COMING SOON:

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​CONSTRUCTION....

Terroir.

It's what breathes the life and nurturing into the vines.

Sunrise. A new day has sprung forth! The scents from the ranches and farms. Fresh air. Country living. 

Can you feel the warm sun beating down on your shoulders? Feel the slightest breeze? Or, are the Santa Ana winds howling? Just 30 miles from Pacific Ocean to the west, and 30 miles to the deserts of Southern California to the east, the fog laps at our heels, whilst the dry air pushes it away. The slope of the hill. The way the rows are laid out: east/west or north/south? It's somewhere in-between, absorbing the Sun. The varietal. Pruning. Tying. Waiting. 

Bud break! How is the cover crop of sage, mustard, and other native plants coming along? Well, "Let me tell you 'bout the birds and the bees. . .", is it time to deploy the bird/bee netting? . . . and "the flowers and the trees. . ." is that tree prohibiting this or that vine from thriving? Trying to stay two steps ahead of the gophers, rabbits, and other critters. Kicking the soil back to see how the water, precious water, is doing; soaking in or draining off? The sound of walking on decomposed granite, ever on the lookout for rattlesnakes.

The love and TLC put into our vineyards - daily walking it, tucking in and training a vine here, replacing a protective tube there. Mowing. Discovering a sweet little hummingbird nest, nestled into a cordon. The sweet scent of our orchard wafting over us. The hens chasing an insect. The ranch dogs taking a break in the shade of the oak tree. The careful attention to the changes in a leaf or cluster. The backbreaking work; bend down, stand up, repeat. Another blister that will turn to callous. The "Farmers tan". The prayers said over the vines for a blessed season and harvest. The laughter shared. The beauty. So many other things go into "terroir", than just XY and Z.

Sunset. Time to rest. Tend to the animals. Savor a family meal. Glasses of wine, and talking about our day.

The "little" things in life add up to a wonderful way of working and living. . . and, epic wine.

Terroir.