Gigantic fossils, abundant rainfall and royal roots? It’s all of these things and more as we reveal the “Five Most Interesting Things You (Maybe) Didn’t Know” about Ancient Peaks Winery and our estate Margarita Vineyard!
Planted by Royalty
Did you know that our estate Margarita Vineyard was planted by California wine royalty? Indeed, Napa Valley legend Robert Mondavi was the first to recognize the greatness of what would become the Santa Margarita Ranch appellation. Mondavi and his sons saw immense potential in this land, and accurately predicted that its diverse soils and marine-influenced climate would deliver remarkable wines. They planted the vineyard starting in 1999 and in 2004, the ownership families of Ancient Peaks — the Filipponi, Rossi and Wittstrom families—bought back the original lease to take full ownership and control of the vineyard. The rest is history!
Titanic Soils
When you hike into the Oyster Ridge blocks at our estate Margarita Vineyard, you’ll discover something astonishing: 14-million-year-old “Titan” oyster fossils spilling out of the ground, some as large as footballs. These fossils are part of an uplifted ancient sea bed that has blessed us with highly calcareous powdery soils, similar to the limestone soils found in the world’s greatest regions. The high calcium content in Oyster Ridge’s soils acts like an amped-up form of limestone, yielding wines with high-toned flavors, pretty aromatics and fine tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are among the varieties that excel in these soils.
Way Cool
Santa Margarita Ranch is the coolest sub-appellation within the Paso Robles AVA. A pronounced maritime influence is exerted by the nearby Pacific Ocean (just 14 miles away) and into specific topographic gaps in the surrounding mountain range, making the ranch “very much a true, cool Region II climate.” Santa Margarita Ranch also receives the highest amount of rainfall—29 inches per year on average “as Pacific storms dump their water across the steep, high mountain ridge.” Santa Margarita Ranch’s persistent marine influence creates a late and long growing season, enabling the fruit to develop a signature combination of fully developed flavors with fine natural structure—the signatures of Ancient Peaks wines.
Staying Power
In 2025 we will celebrate the 20th anniversary vintage of Ancient Peaks—and many of the original wines still lead the charge! Our Estate Cabernet Sauvignon remains a flagship. Our Estate Zinfandel, Estate Merlot and Estate Sauvignon Blanc also date back to the very beginning, and our signature Oyster Ridge Bordeaux-style blend was right behind. All of these wines reflect our ironclad dedication to Paso Robles as a world-class winegrowing region. We are proud to have created wines that continue to demonstrate vision, consistency and staying power after all of these years.
Renegades at Heart
While many of our wines are now two decades strong, we are continually evolving and pushing the envelope. Our Renegade cuvée broke the rules by blending Syrah with Bordeaux varieties. We have added cool-climate varieties such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir into the mix. We created our Pearl Cabernet Sauvignon to double down on Cabernet and create the ultimate expression from Margarita Vineyard. And our new Quarry Block is planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo and other varieties that open up new possibilities. You never know what might be next!