Petitioned in 1997 by J.Wilkes winemaker Wes Hagen and approved in 2001, the Santa Rita Hills is a unique series of east-west coastal valleys that channel fierce winds and dense fog. The result of the sandy soils and cool-climate in Pinot Noir production is profound: tiny berries, dense color, and wines that are famed and sought after for their big style, amazing acid structure and impressive aging potential. Soils begin developing around 12 million years BCE when this area first is thrust out of the Pacific Ocean by a massive tectonic event.