I’ve seen backyard vineyards in Los Altos, Saratoga and Los Gatos. That’s all part of the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, which is known for its small parcels. Elsewhere, vineyards are a part of the landscaping throughout Livermore.
But vineyards in Danville? Oh, yes.
I first learned that vineyards even existed in Danville when I recently tasted a fantastic sauvignon blanc from Auburn James. This winery’s tasting room is the first — and only — in downtown Danville. When winemaker Jim Frost told me the grapes for this wine, with its beguiling floral and tropical notes, came from Danville’s Kirkland Vineyard, it blew my mind. I had to go see the source.
That’s how I found myself standing in the backyard vineyard of George Kirkland. The vineyard is in a most unlikely location, on the eastern side of Danville, between Interstate 680 and the Blackhawk Country Club. Frost and I drove through a landscape of rolling green hills before entering a gated community, with no sign of being in wine country. That’s because the vineyards are behind the house on a steep hillside, facing a picturesque valley.
Walking into the backyard, I’m instantly transported to Italy. Cypress trees frame the vineyards, colors pop from the beautiful landscaping (Kirkland’s wife is responsible for that). Suddenly, Danville seems miles away.
“When we bought this place, there was no road here, it looked like all the really wild landscape around here,” Kirkland says. “It was actually a fire hazard.”
What prompted him to plant a vineyard? Kirkland, a corporate executive, is a wine lover, for sure, but had never planned to become a grape grower. But he had a few issues with his backyard, with its steep slope, a 28-degree grade, at an elevation of 850 to 900 feet. In addition to being a fire risk, erosion was a concern.
As it turns out, grapevines solve both problems. So he hired a vineyard management company to plant a vineyard in 2005 — and they introduced Kirkland to Frost, who runs a winery and custom crush operation in Livermore.
“The vines are wonderful for several things besides fire protection,” Kirkland tells me. “They do a great job on erosion control, they’re beautiful and frankly, they are the cheapest landscaping.”
Seriously? Frost confirms it all.
“Think of grapevines like an iceberg,” he says. “You see this little bit above the surface, but underneath, there is this huge root structure. Within 10 years you’ve got 25 to 30 feet of roots down in the soil. If the rock is brittle enough, the roots will just break their way through.” That massive root network helps control soil erosion.
Kirkland adds another benefit to the list: “You get the wine, and it’s fun giving away a lot of wine.”
Kirkland’s 4-acre vineyard, which includes new plantings of merlot and cabernet sauvignon, currently produces six or more barrels — about 150 cases — of sauvignon blanc and malbec per year. Malbec is a grape that normally requires “a lot of trips to Argentina.” Kirkland says. “I like malbecs. They’re bold and powerful wines. Plus, more California winemakers were starting to use (the grape), but there’s not much supply.”
So far, Kirkland is pleased with the wines from his backyard, which include Auburn James’ 2013 Sauvignon Blanc ($22), with a label that says “Kirkland.” And if you’re wondering about AVA, Danville lies within the Livermore Valley American Viticultural Area, with boundaries encompassing Alameda and Contra Costa counties, from Danville to Sunol, and from the eastern edge of Castro Valley to Livermore.
Kirkland isn’t the only vineyard in Danville. The next door neighbor has vines, too, and Frost makes private-label wines for a few other Danville vineyard owners. Frost also works with a vineyard in Alamo that supplies tannat grapes for a red blend, Diablo Rosso.
Danville may not have a sub-appellation within the Livermore Valley AVA, but Frost says there’s a distinct Danville terroir.
“You’ve got this constant breeze at this elevation,” he says. “It tends not to stay warm at night, but it doesn’t get cold like it does in Livermore. It’s probably 5 to 10 degrees colder there. This temperature is more gentle on the grapes, and the breeze helps keep the grapes dry, so you have less problems with mold and mildew.”
It helps that the Kirkland Vineyard is perfectly situated for grape growing. The vines face south and west, getting sun pretty much all day, after any morning fog burns off. This means a longer growing season, where grapes can fully ripen and develop complex flavors. And this suits Frost’s winemaking style just fine. He harvested the sauvignon blanc in mid-September.
“For my winemaking style, I’m not looking for that thin, crisp wine,” Frost says. “I want something that has some character in it.”
I’m looking forward to tasting the Kirkland vineyard malbec; the first bottling was in late January. Frost says it’s not a malbec you’d find in Napa or Livermore. No, it’s a Danville malbec.
Reach Mary Orlin at morlin@bayareanewsgroup.com.
AUBURN JAMES
The Auburn James wine-tasting room — 321 Hartz Ave., Danville — is open Tuesday through Sunday. Find hours, menus and directions at www.auburnjames.com.