7th generation farmers, the Mauritson family have been working these vineyards since 1868, finally releasing their own wines in 1998. The winery is now under the stewardship of former University of Oregon football player, Clay Mauritson, who grew up working the v7thineyards with his father before cutting his teeth at Kenwood Vineyards. Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon specialists, Mauritson Wines is located at the corner of Dry Creek Valley and Lytton Springs Road, hallowed ground for Zinfandel, in particular. The vast majority of the Mauritson grapes are sold to premium producers throughout Sonoma County. Rockpile Ridge is one of California’s newest AVAs, sitting between 800 and 2000 ft elevation and located just 13 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Hot days and very cool evenings allow for extremely long hang times. In the glass, that equates to rich phenolic ripeness alongside vibrant balancing acidity.