West Wind Wines began with a vision to craft the highest quality local wines, while benefiting the land and the people who live there. The vineyard was planted in 1999 at the 700 foot elevation on Black Mountain. When the cattle ranch was shut down and John and Cynthia Klock purchased the property, they wanted the land to retain its agricultural purpose. After careful consideration, grapes and olives were chosen. West Wind Wines also wanted to promote job training and community nonprofits that support the local people. This hybrid mission of supporting the land and its people is the focus of West Wind Wines.
West Wind Wines is about much more than wine. It is a great example of bringing people together to restore families, restore the land and produce great wine.
The Wine
West Wind Wines seeks to grow and obtain the best grapes possible. Our vineyard is influenced by the marine layer that comes in on most evenings in the summer, allowing for a long hang time for the grapes so they can reach maximum flavor and complexity. Our winemaking practices call for all hand harvesting, hand sorting, small lot fermentations and gentle pressing. The wines are all made, pressed and bottled on site. Wine aging takes place in our wine cave to reduce the evaporation from the oak barrels and to ensure a consistent temperature and humidity for the wine as it ages. Because of the strict selection of fruit, our passion for bringing out the varietal characteristics of each grape variety and our attention to detail in the wine-making process, each wine is unique and pairs exceptionally well with the recommended cuisines on the tasting notes.
Photo credits: Bonnie Sanders, John Klock