History
In 2005, after years of searching for the perfect site, Gerhard and Linda purchased 112 acres overlooking Knights Valley. The property was a summer residence for poet and writer Robert Louis Stevenson who spent much time sitting outside writing and admiring the view. Neighboring Mount St. Helena is now a State park named after the writer. “The site has historical significance that we want to honor”- Linda Reisacher. The town of Kellogg (now extinct) in Knights Valley was once thriving with mercury furnaces, mills, hotels and farms and Ida Clayton Road, the access road to the Delectus Ranch, connected Kellogg to the mining activities in the mountains and beyond to Lake County.
The last remnants of that era burned in a massive wildfire that swept through much of Knights Valley in 1963. Cattle ranches and vineyards are the only surviving trades today. The combination of soil, elevation, and microclimate at the Ranch intrigued Gerhard and he finds it ideal for our style of wines. There is a balance of rock, sand, gravel and dirt in the soil to provide ample drainage and heat absorption. In addition, our south-facing exposure allows us to pick earlier than most vineyards at such high elevation in order to harvest before potential rain. The Ranch sits above the fog line which provides a more moderate climate, unlike the valley floor where daytime and nighttime temperatures can vary dramatically. As a result, the wines are more concentrated, tannic, and inky, which is the quality and essence of Delectus.