Located on the historic Abbey grounds, this 15-acre vineyard provides the majority of our white grape varieties such as Albariño, Viognier, Trebbiano, Assyrtiko, and Moschofilero. This block is also home to some of our flagship reds such as Tempranillo, Syrah, and Graciano. Overseen by Br. Luis, the St. James vineyard is situated on a wide alluvial fan consisting of sand and the famous Vina loam. This amazing vineyard is dry farmed; only receiving water to establish roots during the first few years after being planted. In 2011, the St. James Block acquired Assyrtiko and Moschofilero vines from Plant Foundation Services at UC Davis — making New Clairvaux Vineyard the first in America to grow and make these renowned Greek varietals.
Once the site of an ancient river bed, this extraordinary 15-acre vineyard has proven to be the perfect site for many red varietals such as our hugely popular Barbera, Petite Sirah, Tempranillo, and Grenache. Muscat Blanc, Viognier, and Trebbiano are whites that also grow in this special vineyard. Managed by Jose Guerrero and our winemaker Aimée Sunseri, this block offers exceptional viticulture geology with a soil composition of sand, river rock, and both Vina and Molino’s loam (both named for the uniqueness of these soils found in large amounts in this area). It was dubbed the “Poor Souls Block” by those who labored in establishing this vineyard in such difficult and stony ground.