OUR STORY
KNIGHT’S VALLEY HERITAGE
Located along the scenic route connecting the well-known wine country destinations of Calistoga and Healdsburg on the eastern edge of Sonoma County, the small appellation of Knights Valley has gained a reputation for growing grapes used to produce world-class red wines that are built to last and truly express the character of the unique vineyard sites. One of these elite sites is the Totem Ridge Vineyards, nestled between the Mayacamas Mountain range and the flank of Mount St. Helena. Four years after purchasing 74-acres of hillside property in this majestic winegrowing region in 1986, Ken and Susan Piters planted the first 10- acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot vines at 800-feet in the rocky, volcanic soils on the north-facing slopes of Mount Saint Helena. The family followed their dream of launching their boutique brand, Petrified Forest Vineyards, in 2009.
PROPRIETORS
Ken & Susan Piters
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WINEMAKER
Dan Fitzgernald
Daniel Fitzgerald is a Northern California native with 20 years experience in winemaking and grape growing in Napa, Sonoma, Europe and Australia. After beginning his wine career working in Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley, he spent a few years “harvest hopping,” going back and forth between two hemispheres to work two harvests a year. His experience in viticulture and deep knowledge of the land allows him to create elegant, age-worthy wines that capture an authentic sense of place, reflecting the specific site, season and source of their origin. Fitzgerald attributes his winemaking style to his experience abroad, as he has developed a style that is more delicate and balanced while creating wines that are true to their natural varietal character. His experience spans the spectrum from artisanal (Williams Selyem, Robert Sinskey, Pellegrini Vineyards) to large-scale (Brack Mountain Wine Co), which he has consistently done with both critical and economic success.
HISTORY & TRADITION
Totem Ridge
Named after the historic totem poles found near the original 19th century farmhouse and barn on the property, Totem Ridge has a rich local history dating back to the 1800’s.
Timeline
1864: Kenesaw Place
The first owner of the property was Edward Gibbon, a doctor and lawyer who migrated from the East Coast on the maiden voyage of the steamship Republic. He is most known as the Mayor of Oakland in 1864, and later as a California State Senator in 1873. He called the property “Kenesaw Place” and lived there until his passing in 1886.
Booth Ranch
Dr. Gibbon’s daughter married William Booth, a native of Berkeley, CA and the property subsequently became the “Booth Ranch.” Mr. Booth was a shareholder of the Petaluma Cooperative Dairy, which opened in 1914, and cows and a bull resided on the property.
Totem Ridge
Mr. Booth had a talent and penchant for carving totem poles, many of which still remain on the property and are dated, with fanciful names like “The Imp”, “Pan”, “The Faun”, “Montezuma” etc. Many are dated from 1902-1921. Adopting a new name for the property, “Totem Ridge”, was an obvious choice.
Remaining structures
The old Booth Home is now in disarray, made from redwood with square nails, no doubt made with the mill that was found on the property. The old barn where the Dairy’s milking equipment resided still brings its character to the land as well.
1987: Ken & Susan Piters
After buying 74 acres of the original 250 acre land with it’s 3 acres of Sauvignon Blanc, the Piters family subsequently planted their first 8 acres of Cabernet and 2 acres of Merlot in 1990 with additional planting of Malbec in the mid 1990’s. In 2012 an additional 3 acres of Cabernet was planted.
