Great wines are made in the vineyard, and the Ventana Vineyard has the perfect combination of water, soil, climate, art and science to create superb, world-class wines. Our success is evidenced by the number of awards that we have won over the years on wine made from this remarkable property. In fact, wines from our Ventana Vineyard have earned more medals and awards than any other single vineyard in America.

Ventana Vineyards is fortunate to have winemaker Reggie Hammond, who has devoted his talents to continuing this outstanding record of quality and integrity. Building on the incredible success of our white wines, he has expanded our range to create world-class red wines as well. In every case, Reggie crafts our wines in a classical style, with elegance and true varietal character from the Ventana vineyard fruit. All of our wines are Estate grown and bottled from our single vineyard, the most award-winning single vineyard in America.

A generation of wine connoisseurs has enjoyed the character and craftsmanship of the wines from this wonderful vineyard. Ventana Vineyard was first planted and named Ventana (the Spanish word for window) in 1974. Doug Meador, a legend in the world of California wine and viticulture research, founded this site and planted a range of varietals that he knew would create intense flavors and elegant balance for the wines of this region. He decided to call this vineyard “Ventana” because the vineyard lies up against the Ventana Wilderness in Monterey County, and also because it symbolized a “window to the future” in California viticulture. At the time, there were few vineyards in the area, and none of them were famous for growing world-class grapes. Today Monterey has taken its rightful place beside Napa and Sonoma as one of the great wine regions of California – and the wines of the Ventana Vineyard continue to win awards at every major competition.

The Arroyo Seco AVA is world-renowned for being one of the best Chardonnay-growing climates, benefiting from the long cool growing season and mid afternoon winds. Ventana Vineyard’s award winning Chardonnay, for over thirty years, has lead the way in defining great Chardonnay by producing a balanced, luscious wine with exotic tropical flavors and a touch of oak, delivering a layered complexity from the first sip to the finish. Pinot Noir is another varietal that flourishes with intense fruit flavors in the cool Arroyo Seco AVA, delighting the taste buds with a dark cherry essence. Riesling and Gewürztraminer also blossom here, and are produced from the Estate in an off-dry style to capture both the elegance and fruit that have made Ventana famous. The Ventana Vineyard was the first to plant Syrah in Monterey County, eleven years before other commercial plantings. The Syrah has truly found its home in the cool growing conditions of the Arroyo Seco AVA by producing award-winning wines with deep flavors of blackberry, boysenberry and pepper. Reggie Hammond’s artful Rubystone blend of Syrah and Grenache Noir displays the best characteristics of each varietal, creating a wine that combines fruit, structure and balance into a seamless whole.

Over the years, Ventana Vineyard has provided fruit to some of the best and brightest winemakers in America. Each has taken these grapes from Ventana and made wines that have won awards and acclaim both in the USA and throughout the world. Over time, the list has included famous winemakers from every region and school in the world of California wine. And each of them has added to the luster and fame of Ventana Vineyard, the most award-winning single vineyard in America.

Today Ventana continues that story. Owned by a small group of local growers who have lived and worked in this region for generations, Ventana produces fruit that is the envy of winemakers from California to France. Ventana continues to provide grapes to top winemakers who are looking for a unique source of world-class grapes. At the same time, Reggie Hammond dedicates his work in the winery to continuing his efforts in raising the bar, keeping Ventana Vineyards in the forefront of world-class wines. Ventana is judged against the best in the world, and welcomes that comparison, for Ventana is the most award-winning single vineyard in America.