The John Sebastiano Vineyard runs along the eastern edge of the Sta. Rita Hills appellation and, as such, it is in a warmer part of the valley. However, it is also situated on steep slopes that face directly west and into the winds that blow in off the Pacific Ocean. This leads to very small clusters and small berries and more concentrated wines. Our sections at the John Sebastiano Vineyard are selected to provide us different exposures to the wind, with one section shielded by a small hillside, one section facing into the wind more directly, and one section so steep and exposed that it was considered un-plantable at first (we call that section the doughnut).