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OUR ESTATE VINEYARD SITES

SPRING RIDGE VINEYARD

SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS AVA

Established in 1981, Spring Ridge Vineyard occupies an east-facing ridgeline above Portola Valley at the northern edge of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Six blocks of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir span several hundred feet of elevation, each shaped by its own aspect, exposure, and microclimate.

Ringed by native forests of oak, madrone, bay laurel, buckeye, and chaparral, Spring Ridge is a distinctly Californian landscape where the mountains meet the San Francisco Bay. Warm, sunny days are tempered by cool marine winds and afternoon fog drifting over nearby Windy Hill, extending the growing season and preserving the fruit’s freshness.

Clay loam soils and ancient marine sediments provide the foundation for these mature vines, while the diversity of elevation and exposure gives each vineyard block its own identity. Together, they define the wines that have made Spring Ridge one of the Santa Cruz Mountains' most distinctive vineyard sites.

SAUSAL CREEK VINEYARD

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA AVA

Established in 2017, Sausal Creek Vineyard lies on the valley floor below Spring Ridge, offering a distinct expression of the estate’s landscape. While only a short distance from the ridgeline, this vineyard experiences a markedly different climate. Warm summer days are followed by some of the estate’s coldest nights, slowing the growing season and allowing the fruit to ripen gradually while preserving freshness and balance.

Bordering the Woodside Trace of the San Andreas Fault, Sausal Creek is shaped by a dynamic geological history. Fossils regularly emerge from the soils, blue herons return seasonally to hunt along the creek, and an old plum tree blooms each spring—a reminder that the vineyard is part of a larger, living landscape.

Today, Sausal Creek is home to three vineyard blocks planted to Chardonnay, Grüner Veltliner, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. Each vintage reveals more of this young vineyard, whose distinct climate and geology continue to shape Neely’s story.

SPRING RIDGE VINEYARD

Spring Ridge Vineyard

BEE BLOCK

Bee is the largest block at Spring Ridge Vineyard, spanning three acres on a gently northeast-facing slope between 670 and 735 feet in elevation. Planted in 1982 with a massal selection of Clone 4 Chardonnay from Home Block on 5C rootstock, it is distinguished by deeper sedimentary soils than the surrounding blocks.

AMPHITHEATER BLOCK

Amphitheater is a two-acre Chardonnay block planted in 1981 to Wente clone. Set between 735 and 780 feet in elevation, its distinctive L-shaped form follows the natural contours of the ridge, creating a mix of south- and east-facing exposures. The block takes its name from this amphitheater-like topography, with each section responding differently to the sun and seasonal conditions.

HOME BLOCK

Home Block is a 1.4-acre Chardonnay planting located just below the estate's historic residence, built in 1912. Set on an east-facing slope between 805 and 840 feet in elevation, the block was planted in 1981 to own-rooted Clone 4 Chardonnay. As one of the estate's original vineyard blocks, Home reflects the enduring history of Spring Ridge.

HIDDEN BLOCK

Hidden Block was the first Pinot Noir planting at Spring Ridge, established in 1997 on a secluded two-acre site apart from the main vineyard ridge. The block takes its name from its tucked-away location and is the only north-facing vineyard on the estate. Situated between 690 and 730 feet in elevation, Hidden is planted to Dijon 115 Pinot Noir grafted onto 5C rootstock.

UPPER PICNIC BLOCK

Upper Picnic Block occupies the two acres immediately above Picnic Block on an east-facing slope between 645 and 660 feet in elevation. In 2006, Dijon 777 Pinot Noir was grafted onto the established rootstock from the estate's original 1982 Gewürztraminer planting, carrying forward the history of one of Spring Ridge's earliest vineyard sites.

PICNIC BLOCK

Picnic Block spans 1.4 acres on the lowest east-facing slope at Spring Ridge, between 600 and 645 feet in elevation. Established in 2000, it replaced the estate's original Gewürztraminer planting with Dijon 777 Pinot Noir on 5C rootstock. Its name reflects the gentle setting and long views across the valley.

SAUSAL CREEK VINEYARD

Sausal Creek Vineyard

LEONA BLOCK

Leona is the newest Chardonnay block at Neely and the largest block at Sausal Creek Vineyard. Established in 2017, the two-acre, northwest-facing block sits between 520 and 530 feet in elevation and is planted to Clone 72 ("Old Wente") Chardonnay on 101-14 rootstock. Originally known as Plum Block, Leona represents the next generation of Chardonnay at Neely.

VERDE BLOCK

Established in 2019, Block Verde is a 0.9-acre Grüner Veltliner planting at Sausal Creek Vineyard. The northwest-facing block sits between 520 and 530 feet in elevation and is trained using the Vertical Shoot Positioning (VSP) trellis system. As one of only a handful of Grüner Veltliner plantings in California, it represents an exciting addition to Neely's evolving estate.

GREAT HERON BLOCK

After several years of evaluating the site, the final block at Sausal Creek Vineyard was grafted to Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc in 2022 using the existing 101-14 rootstock. The 0.9-acre northwest-facing block sits between 520 and 530 feet in elevation, with Cabernet Franc comprising approximately 60% of the planting. Although the vines produced their first crop in 2023, the fruit was left unharvested to allow the young vineyard to continue establishing itself.