William Welch Wines

The Rancho Las Juntas Vineyard has climatic conditions very similar to Napa, with warm days and cooling breezes off the Carquinez Straits at night. The Contra Costa County location falls with 2 AVAs; Central Coast and San Francisco Bay Area, making it a truly ideal location for growing exceptional wine grapes.

Two traditional California wine grape varieties are grown at Rancho Las Juntas; Zinfandel and Petite Sirah. These are grafted to either SO4 or St. George, depending on soil type. The vineyards are designed and managed for dry farming because the supply of water is limited. Irrigation is restricted to the most critical times during the growing season to maintain moderate vine water stress and optimize grape quality.

Successful wines produced from Rancho Las Juntas wine grapes include Rosenblum's Contra Costa Zinfandel, Gallo Sonoma's Apothic Red, and Bogle's Essential Red. Steve Welch, a winemaker himself, ensures that his grapes meet the highest standards of the vintner. At Rancho Las Juntas Vineyard, the emphasis is on balanced fruit and foliage growth, optimized fruit exposure, moderate vine water stress, and timely ripening. Steve’s vineyard team includes Stan Grant of Progressive Viticulture and Pat McKenzie of Mid Valley Agricultural Services.

They carefully monitor the vines and ensure that practices are appropriate, timely, and consistent with Lodi Rules for Sustainable Winegrowing so that the ranch will remain viable for succeeding generations.