Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/856465
254 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 7 H igh above Carmel Valley atop an oak-studded ridge, a brisk ocean breeze kisses the flushed cheeks of Garrett Bowlus, nearly toppling his jaunty beret. The wind is part of an almost spiritual experi- ence that Bowlus never takes for granted. His family legacy lives and breathes up here, so much so that he set up a wooden picnic table and umbrella to be alone with nature and com- mune with ghosts from the past. At an elevation of 1,250 feet and seven miles from the ocean in view to the west, Bowlus tends vineyards on this unique piece of land near Laureles Grade, producing world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay under the label Albatross Ridge. Garrett and his father Brad fulfilled this shared dream in 2008; the plan hatched when the two toured Burgundy to celebrate Garrett's college graduation. Garrett Bowlus returned to France later to learn the art of winemaking, and then used those skills in Oregon, a hotbed for Pinot Noir. Today he makes wines in the Burgundian style, taking advantage of the unusual combination of sedimentary mineral rock—from an uplifted ancient seabed—and cool maritime winds. The Bowlus clan chose this spot on a whim after Garrett and his wife Cassia vacationed in Carmel and impulsively returned to Oregon to pack their belongings for a move south. Father and son wanted to dabble in wine- making; perhaps buy a few acres somewhere and make enough juice to keep the family cellar stocked. But there was something about this spot that called to them. So they went all in—against all practical advice—buying 244 acres (18 for Pinot Noir and seven for Chardonnay). "We came here and it was a lot more than we were thinking," says Garrett. "We wondered On a ridge above Carmel Valley, 1,250 feet above sea level and seven miles east of the ocean, the Bowlus family creates award-winning wines. They are meticulous in their production techniques, using the Burgundian style.