Terra de Promissio Vineyard

5Sonoma Coast

Grape Stats

Varietal:
Pinot Noir

Clones:
777, 115, 97, 943 and Field Blend

Rootstock:
101-14

Vineyard Stats

Number of acres:
50 acres, 5 acres goes to WS

Positioning:
Southwestern exposure

Topopgraphy:
25-40% slope

Elevation:
188 feet

Soil type:
Adobe

Trellising:
Cane

Irrigated:
Yes

Cover crop:
Clover, native grasses

Charles and Diana Karren are both very passionate about growing grapes. It has been their dream to plant, manage and raise a family on the vineyard. Their story together began in 1998 when they met on the Caspian Sea. After a year of dating, Charles proposed to Diana in 1999 at the Temple of Bacchus in Baalbek, Lebanon. She said, ‘yes’! Afterward, Charles and Diana celebrated at the famed Chateau Kefraya in the Bekaa Valley.

Upon returning to the United States, Charles and Diana began their search for their land. They had looked at over 100 sites in Napa and Sonoma when they came across a beautiful 53-acre ranch, overlooking the town of Petaluma. The ranch was on two rolling hills, had the right soil profile and fresh water from a well. Most importantly, the hills faced southwest, which would get both the sun exposure and the wind and fog of the Petaluma Gap. All these characteristics are ideal for cool climate style Pinot Noir grapes.

“We chose the name Terra de Promissio because as farmers, the land is about the “promise”. The promise that every new season brings the possibility AND the hope of a bountiful harvest. And as we were both born, have lived and worked overseas, It is the promise of American and the American Dream. We very much appreciate what this country represents. America is truly the land of promise and we are grateful for the freedom, liberty and opportunities that the United States offers to all of us.”

Charles and Diana Karren oversaw the planting 33,000 vines in 2002. During that summer, they bought a used trailer, a tractor and an American Flag. They then brought Diana’s parents and sister Alina from Russia to help manage the vineyard. Terra de Promissio had its first harvest in 2005 and sold to 3 wineries. In 2007, after renting a house in Petaluma, they converted a barn into a home and moved to the vineyard full time. In 2012 and 2013, they planted an additional 18,000 vines to bring the total planted acreage of Terra de Promissio to 50 acres.

Charles and Diana Karren are both second-generation grape growers. Both of their parents grew grapes as hobbies—Charles’ parents in Glen Ellen, California, and Diana’s in Russia.

Charles is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, and Diana is a graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Together, with their two children, Christian and Grace, and Diana’s parents, Vadim and Sanya, they live and work on the vineyard.

“As a family run and operated vineyard, as well as our home, we are strong believers in being God’s stewards of this land and custodians of its future. We employ hands-on sustainable farming practices that not only produce the finest Pinot Noir grapes, but also ensure the livelihood of the environment for us, our son and daughter, and the generations that will follow them. Terra de Promissio does not belong to us, we belong to it…”