As the wine world veered away from power and ripeness and towards freshness in elegance in the last 15 years or so, it was inevitable that cooler climates would become more and more desirable –... Read More

As the wine world veered away from power and ripeness and towards freshness in elegance in the last 15 years or so, it was inevitable that cooler climates would become more and more desirable – especially as global warming is driving traditional vineyard temperatures in the opposite direction.

This is especially true in the New World. Outside of Europe, our vineyards have the reputation of being located in warm sites that easily produce ripe fruit. Think of California’s hot Central Valley, where most of the state’s wines are produced. But California – like Argentina or Australia for that matter – also has cooler climates. And it is these cooler sites that are now playing the starring role in our wines.

So it is that Baron Ziegler and Rob Fischer became obsessed with the idea of producing wine from top sites along the Sonoma Coast. These are very cool, thanks to fogs that roll in off the ocean and keep the sunlight out. That fog is called the “marine layer”. So they named their winery Marine Layer.