Husic Vineyards

Julie and Frank Husic purchased their property in 1995. They quickly learned the county was preparing to pass an anti-hillside planting ordinance, and if they wanted to plant vineyards, they would have to do it immediately. Viticulturist Jim Barbour of Barbour Vineyards was hired to help facilitate this process. The permit was granted in 1996 and the vines were planted in 1997. The vineyards were planted on land never lived on before. The ground needed to be cleared, dynamited and terraced for planting the three Husic Vineyards, totaling approximately nine acres. These vineyards can never be duplicated. The Husic Family is very grateful for the beautiful land they live on, and the incredible grapes produced by their three, small, rocky, steep vineyards over looking the Stags Leap District.

The Husic's vineyards are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, and a tiny amount of Petit Verdot for blending. The vineyards go from the Valley floor to approximately 900 feet up the hillside. Some of the lower vines are planted in the "official boundary" of the Stags Leap District, and the remaining vineyards lie above the "line" of the appellation. It took four years to reach a mature crop, so the first year harvested and crushed was in the fall of 2001.

Husic Vineyards produces six wines: the estate grown Husic Vineyards Cabernet and Palm Terrace Cabernet, Husic Vineyards Chardonnay, and the Husic Vineyards Pinot Noir, Husic Vineyards Late Harvest Semillon and Palm Terrace Rosé from Pinot Noir. The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes are purchased from vineyards on the "true" Sonoma Coast, near Occidental.