17456 Taylor Lane, Occidental

8.72 Acres | Buyer Representation

As François Morissette and his long-time soils scientist Jacques stood 5 feet deep in the first soil pit dug on this Taylor Lane parcel west of Occidental, François stated flatly: “This is the most pristine and undisturbed ground that I have ever seen”. Jacques, who has worked side by side with François since their work in Burgundy over a decade ago, added: “If you can’t get ‘terroir’ here—you can’t get it anywhere.”

This property was essentially the last remaining developable parcel on Freestone-Occidental’s famed Taylor Lane. The parcel has since been fully-planted in 2011 to 5.5 acres of vines. Taylor Lane was made famous by its earliest plantings at the Summa Vineyard in the late 1970’s, gaining notoriety from early 1990’s releases by Williams Selyem. François and business partner Mel Pearl, and their Pearl Morissette label, expect their first vintage of premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the 2015 harvest.

Acquired by:
Pearl Morrisette
Neighboring Vineyards and Wineries:
 Summa, Theiriot, Taylor Lane Vineyard, Que Syrah
Area Description:
 Hillside west of Occidental. True Sonoma Coast
Parcel Size:
   8.72 acres
Plantable:
   5.5 acres
Soils:
   Goldridge fine sandy loam
Slopes:
  5-15% primarily with some 0-5% and 15-30%
Elevation:
   +/- 850 to 900 feet
Aspect: 
   East facing with slight north tilt