Adobe Creek Vineyards was born out of love for producing honest, expressive wines that consistently deliver at a reasonable price.

In 1997, Fred and Nancy Cline purchased 640 acres of farmland in Petaluma, California, approximately 45 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, on the west-facing side of Sonoma Mountain. Just as Carneros had been years before, Fred quickly grasped that Petaluma was an area of unleashed potential. "We wanted to make wine that was accessible. Wine that went well with food and friends - pure and simple."

These unique vineyards are situated in the southeast corner of the prestigious Sonoma Coast AVA and are currently producing Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and a few other varietals. Typically enshrouded in early morning coastal fog, bathed in intense midday heat and cooled by late afternoon Pacific breezes, the vineyard delivers delicious, ripe fruit while maintaining adequate acidity. Plantings are on phylloxera-resistant rootstock, in shallow clay and loam soils. With more than twice the annual rainfall of inland appellations, the region demands longer hang time to ripen the grapes. This forces the vines to struggle; keeping yields low and grape quality high. And although the yields are smaller, like Alsatian wine, the quality is better.

When looking for a name and an identity, we looked to our vineyards. Twenty years ago, a dry crevice existed where the Adobe Creek once flowed. In the early part of the 20th century, local dairy farmers built small concrete dams to contain the seasonal rains and provide water for their livestock. This series of dams restricted the water flow; the local authorities considered the creek dead and refuse filled the majority of the seven-mile bed. Tom Furrer, a teacher at Casa Grande High School, inspired his students to help clean the creek after school. He and the kids then petitioned the local authorities to stop diverting all the water that formerly ran through the creek bed and eventually out to the Bay. They succeeded and one day the steelhead returned to the creek - the inspiration for our label.

Furrer did not stop. Eventually, he developed a curriculum at the high school that deals with both environmental issues and with the study of fish propagation. Through public and private funding, they were able to build a hatchery at the school.

A portion of the proceeds of every bottle of Adobe Creek wine sold is donated to help fund Tom's organization - the Adobe Creek Restoration Project (also known as United Anglers of Casa Grande). For more information, visit their web site at http://www.uacg.org

Adobe Creek Vineyards - pure and simple.