History
For three generations the Talley family has farmed in the Arroyo Grande Valley, located just south of San Luis Obispo in the heart of California’s South Central Coast wine region. Beginning with the first plantings in 1982 and continuing today, complete control over all phases of winegrowing is the guiding principle: from the planting of vines ideally suited to each vineyard site, to viticulture and winemaking that emphasize long term sustainability, low yields and minimal processing, to the gentle bottling of the finished wine. All wines produced under the Talley Vineyards label are grown, produced and bottled by the Talley family.
Location
Talley Vineyards is located in the Arroyo Grande Valley, on California's South Central Coast, eight miles east of the Pacific Ocean. The Arroyo Grande Valley is in southern San Luis Obispo County just south of the Edna Valley and north of Santa Barbara County. It is a federally approved American Viticultural Area in recognition of the valley's distinctive climate and soil characteristics. The Arroyo Grande Valley runs northeast-southwest and opens directly to the Pacific Ocean, making it one of the coolest and most temperate viticultural areas in California. These ideal conditions result in a long and mild growing season, with bud break typically occurring in mid-February, flowering in early May and harvest in late September.
Family History
The Talley family farming tradition began in 1948, when Oliver Talley started growing specialty vegetables in the Arroyo Grande Valley. Today, second and third generation family members maintain Talley Farms international reputation for premium quality fruits and vegetables, including bell peppers, cilantro, zucchini, spinach, nappa cabbage, lemons and avocados.
Oliver's son, Don Talley, watched with great interest the emergence of viticulture in the neighborin
g Edna Valley and Santa Barbara County areas. After extensive analysis in the late 1970's, Don was convinced of the potential for growing high quality wine grapes, particularly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, on the steep hillsides above the vegetable farmland that comprises Talley Farms. A small test plot was planted in 1982 and included five varietals. Working with viticultural experts from the University of California at Davis and the Napa Valley, the varietal and clonal selections were refined and planting expanded over the years to a total of 190 acres in the Edna and Arroyo Grande Valleys.
Talley Vineyards produced its first wine in 1986 with the production of 450 cases. The winery's first five vintages were produced in a small winery adjacent to one of Talley Farms vegetable coolers. In the fall of 1991, a state-of-the-art winery was completed at the foot of the Rincon Vineyard. This 8,500 square foot facility was designed with one goal in mind: to maximize the influence of the vineyard through minimal processing of the grapes into wine. Unique winery features include a total gravity system for crushing, so that grapes are handled as gently as possible, and an extensive cooling and humidity system to maintain ideal conditions during barrel fermentation and aging. A 12,000 square foot barrel and case goods storage building was added in 2000, followed by a new tasting room in 2002. Talley Vineyards currently produces about 18,000 cases annually.