De Tierra Vineyards

About Winery and Wines

De Tierra started as a dream for owner, Tom Russell, who wanted to build an estate vineyard utilizing the organic and sustainable farming practices he was using with his successful produce company. With the help of good friends familiar with the wine world, De Tierra has blossomed into a thriving artisanal brand complete with vineyards, a winery, and a tasting room. De Tierra is SIP Certified featuring organic varietals, estate offerings, and several wine club options. In addition to the tasting room in downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea, De Tierra offers a delightful event venue for weddings, other special occasions, or a quiet vacation retreat amongst the grapevines in Steinbeck country. De Tierra boasts the first certified organic wine in Monterey County (2001 Russell Estate Merlot and Russell Estate Chardonnay); 90% of our grapes are estate grown (only 5% of the wineries in California use estate grown grapes); There are four micro-climates on the Russell Estate property which allow for a unique representation of terroir, and allows multiple varietals to grow well on a small ranch; Being in a valley isolated from Salinas Valley agriculture, along with our separate aquifer at Russell Estate Vineyards, our grapes are protected from invasive yeasts and cross-contamination from pesticides and herbicides used in conventional farming; The calcium-rich limestone soil of the area is ideal for grape-growing; De Tierra wines are made with as little intervention as possible (minimal sulfur additions, minimal filtering and fining) to highlight the natural flavors and nuances of each varietal;