The vines begin at an elevation of 800 feet, and are planted in spacing 3 feet between vines, and 6 feet between rows. The rows run east to west, across the south-facing slope of the hill, a hill that in some places is a 45-degee slope. The south face of the vines sees the sun from dawn to dusk. The soil is rocky with a deep set of basalt covering the hill from the thousands of years of volcanic activity and serves to trap water in its pores during the rainy season, then releases that water to the grapevine’s new feeler roots the following spring. The fruit from these vines is invariably darker and more intensely flavored than the grapes on the rest of the property, owing to their longer ripening time and lower yield.