Vineyards
Six Sigma Ranch has 31 acres of high-altitude vineyards, placed among thousands of oak trees. The vineyards stand between 1400 and 1700 feet in elevation, and they are named after the members of the Ahlmann Family who founded them.
We’ve found that a key to sustainable farming is to observe the vineyard very closely and to use only organic pesticides that keep a natural balance between plant-eating insects and their predators. We use a no-till approach to managing the vineyard floor with the goal of minimal input.
Else’s Vineyard
Else’s Vineyard is located two miles east of the front gate, in the hills by Asbill Valley. It was planted in the fall of 2001 on a picturesque slope near the site of the stage coach house that now serves as our tasting room. The vineyard contains 2.1 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon. Rootstocks are 101-14 and 3309. Spacing: 6 by 4. It is named after Else Ahlmann, proprietor and wife of Kaj Ahlmann, and it was first harvested in 2004.
Christian’s Vineyard
Christian’s vineyard was planted in the fall of 2002 in the Diamond Mine area in the southeastern part of the ranch, about four miles from the front gate. The Diamond Mine earned its name from the “Lake County Diamonds,” which are small volcanic-made pieces of quartz that litter the red volcanic soil and glimmer in the sunlight almost like real (carbon-based) diamonds. This vineyard contains 1.6 acres of Pinot Noir, 5.1 acres Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2.2 acres Tempranillo. Rootstocks are 101-14 and 44-53. Spacing: 7 by 5. The first harvest was in 2005. It is named after Christian Ahlmann, eldest son of proprietors Else and Kaj Ahlmann.
Michael’s Vineyard
Michael’s Vineyard is located in Asbill Valley, adjacent to the front gate of the property at Spruce Grove Road. This vineyard was planted in the spring of 2004, and it contains 9.1 acres of Sauvignon Blanc vines, placed in irregularly sized vineyard blocks among the ancient oak trees. Although the irregular blocks are less cost-efficient to develop, we believe it is worth the extra effort to keep the natural landscape. Rootstocks are 101-14, 5BB, SO4, and St. George. Spacing: 8 by 5. The first harvest was in 2006. This vineyard is named after Michael Ahlmann, the youngest son of Else and Kaj Ahlmann.
Marianne and Annette’s Vineyard
We planted Marianne and Annette’s Vineyard in the Diamond Mine area in the fall of 2007 and the spring of 2008. Marianne’s vineyard blocks contain 4.3 acres of Tempranillo, 2.0 acres of Syrah, and 0.03 acres of Graciano. Annette’s blocks are planted with 1.9 acres of Merlot and 1.0 acre of Petit Verdot. Small lots from these vineyards were harvested in 2009 and 2010, including our award-winning 2010 Syrah. Rootstock: 101-14. Spacing 6 by 3. The vineyard is named after Marianne and Annette, the daughters of Else and Kaj Ahlmann.
Winery
Six Sigma Winery was inaugurated on September 28th, 2005, when we processed our first grapes, a beautiful vintage of Tempranillo harvested in Christian’s Diamond Mine Vineyard. We focus on small lot, high quality wines, with gentle handling and hand-sorting of the grapes, ensuring that only the best fruit is used in each of our wines.
Winemaking philosophy
We have one simple goal in mind for producing our wines: To share the story of the season, the place, and the people who made them. Our story is in every single bottle of Six Sigma wine. We take a sustainable approach to winemaking as well as farming. Working with Six Sigma methods allows us to take a hands-off philosophy, as we only manage the parameters that are critical to the quality of our wines. We know, for example, that if we carefully control the time and temperature of our fermentations, it creates a stress-free environment for the yeast to naturally produce a complex bouquet and balanced palate.
Process
We pick our grapes when temperatures are below 80 degrees Fahrenheit, often at night. The grapes are transported from the vineyards to the winery just a couple of miles away. Here they are unloaded on a sorting belt, where we cull clusters that don’t meet the winemaker’s specifications. After sorting, we remove the grape stems in a de-stemmer and transfer the grapes to stainless steel tanks or small open-top fermenters. Fermentation takes place under close supervision of the winemaking team, and the temperature of each tank is carefully controlled with heating or cooling as necessary. With this precision, we can fine-tune the style of each wine, showing off its best attributes.
Cave
While our white wines are aged in stainless steel tanks after the fermentation, our reds are transferred to age in French oak barrels in our small wine cave. Built into a hillside, the cave naturally keeps the wines at an optimal temperature and humidity, allowing them to develop fantastic aromas and mouth-filling texture.
The cave mural was painted in 2022 by Ben vanSteenburgh, inspired by genuine Stone Age art.