Johnson Family Ranch, Inc. is family-owned and operated, growing high quality wine grapes and mountain pears in the fertile soil and clean mountain air of Mendocino County, California.
We are committed to farming our land with the best practices available. We have been farming in Mendocino County for 5 generations and are committed to leaving the land better than we found it. We work toward sustainability every day.
The Ukiah Valley and Redwood Valley are nestled in the coastal mountains of Mendocino County, which lie in between the famous wine country of Napa and Sonoma and the towering redwood forests of Humboldt County.
The lush valley soil, coupled with warm summer days and coastally influenced, cool evenings make it a special place to grow the highest quality grapes and pears.
Johnson Family Ranch, Inc. specializes in wine grapes and pears in the Ukiah Valley and Redwood Valley, in the county of Mendocino, California.
OUR GRAPES
At Johnson Family Ranch, Inc. we grow the following varieties of wine grapes:
- Pinot Noir
- Chardonnay
- Merlot
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Zinfandel (CCOF certified organic)
- Carignane (CCOF certified organic)
For longevity, we use resistant rootstalks (mostly St George or 110R). Our vines are balanced — we prune every vine for its optimal capacity.
The Mendocino County region is mountainous, and is the origin of six rivers. Our ranches are located in the upper reaches of the Russian River drainage, with our vineyards flanking the banks and benches along the river. The land produces a well-drained mountain grape, with sufficient heat to ripen the fruit.
Our region also has the biggest variation in temperature on a daily basis, ranging from 40 or 50 degrees Fahrenheit at night to 90 or 100 in the day. The local conditions yield intense colors and flavors.
We blend the best of traditional farming methods developed over the course of 5 generations and cutting edge techniques in order to meet the challenges of each unique growing year.
“The vineyard is in a wonderfully harmonious place where crop load and vine vigor are naturally balanced, allowing for an organic farming style that promotes slow, steady fruit maturation. This gives rise to wonderfully delicate, yet highly textured full bodied wines. Another important distinction of this vineyard is about the growers themselves; the vineyard is fifth generation family owned and the family could not be more down-to-earth and invested in the quality of their grapes. They are the kind of people I am truly proud to work with. If I were to sum them up in one word it would be: Integrity.”
More about the Redwood Valley ranch: "The site is stunning in a naturalistic yet unpretentious way. Redwood Valley is very far north for a California appellation; Hawkeye Ranch sits at 722 ft elevation and is located in the upper reaches of the Russian River Drainage in Mendocino County. The soil type is Pinole Gravelly Loam, which provides excellent drainage and promotes low vigor. These heritage vines were planted in the 1970′s; the vines are the Martini clone, a clone selected by Louis Martini, and now quite rare because most of the older vines have been replanted." - Faith Armstrong, Onward Wines