In 2001, Joe Wagner (whose family owns Caymus Vineyards) created Belle Glos, which focuses on vineyard-designated Pinot Noirs from throughout California’s best coastal wine-growing regions. He chose the name Belle Glos to honor his grandmother, Lorna Belle Glos Wagner. Lorna was a co-founder of Caymus Vineyards, an inspirational figure to Joseph and an avid lover of Pinot Noir.

Belle Glos showcases 3 distinctive single-vineyard Pinot Noirs from coastal locations: Dairyman (once an old dairy farm situated in the southern alluvial plains of the Russian River Valley), Clark & Telephone (located near the corner of Clark Avenue and Telephone Road in the Santa Maria Valley), and Las Alturas (located in one of the highest-plantable sites in the Santa Lucia Highlands of Monterey County).

In addition to these 3 annual releases, Belle Glos produces a limited offering of Pinot Noir from the Taylor Lane Vineyard (which is subject to sometimes ruthless fog and winds from the Pacific Ocean) and a dry rose wine, Oeil de Perdrix Pinot Noir Blanc.

The Clark & Telephone Vineyard was established in 1972 and planted with own-rooted, Martini clone vines. Located just 13 miles from the ocean and situated on a west-facing slope, this vineyard experiences weather patterns that move from west to east, bringing cool coastal fog and breezes inland.

This climate makes for later-ripening, longer-hanging grapes with delightful fruitiness, great acidity and underlying flavor nuances that contribute additional complexity. Due to intensive pruning and crop-thinning, the vines produce loose clusters with small, intensely flavored berries. The result is dense, dark-berry fruit and abundant, sweet, baking-spice characteristics that are synonymous with the Martini clone.