Petite Sirah thrives amid the hot summer afternoons of northern Paso Robles. Here, Ancient Peaks Winery co-owner Karl Wittstrom planted 13 acres of Petite Sirah to capture this natural synergy between climate and grape variety. Temperature swings of 50 degrees within a 24-hour period are not uncommon at Wittstrom Vineyard during the summer months, demonstrating the daily interplay of inland warmth and incoming marine air. Wittstrom Vineyard is planted with progressive high-density vine spacing, resulting in low-yielding vines that produce fruit with dense, rich flavors. The vineyard rows run west to east to capture the prevailing coastal breezes, further enabling the grapes to achieve balanced ripeness. The fruit from this wine comes specifically from an elevated knoll where yields are the lowest, further intensifying the fruit character.