Located west of the coastal mountain range, the Leyda Valley has gently rolling hills, exposing the vines to varying levels of sunlight and drainage profiles. This area has an intense coastal influence, being 8 miles from the Pacific Ocean, with morning fogs, sea breezes and moderate summer temperatures that range between lows of 7°C-8°C and highs of 20°C-23°C. The soils are developed from granite rock on the coastal batholith formed 200 million years ago in the Jurassic period. The grapes were selected from a small 3.11-hectare plot of Syrah grown in finely textured soils. The top layer is shallow loamy clay with poor fertility, followed by a sedimentary crack clay profile. The subsoil is decomposed granite rock with a diverse mineral structure. The plot is densely planted with 10,000 vines per hectare of French Clones 174 and 470 on a north-facing slope exposed to the sun, and the vines are attached to stakes in the Hermitage style. The yield averages two kilograms per plant, favouring the concentration necessary to achieve a rich wine.