Allen Vineyard sits on Westside Road in the Russian River Valley, planted across seven blocks — three devoted to Pinot Noir (North Hill, South Hill, and West Hill) and four to Chardonnay. The site is close neighbors with Rochioli Vineyard, which tells you something about the ground beneath it.
Howard Allen didn’t arrive here by accident. He and his wife Ann had grown grapes in Napa’s Oakville before making the move to Sonoma County in 1970, convinced the Russian River Valley’s cool climate and soils were a natural match for Pinot Noir. That conviction was not widely shared at the time. Howard pulled out a former prune orchard and pasture, planted within a year, and got to work. His approach was simple: do what was best for the grape. He and neighbor Joe Rochioli pushed each other in that direction for decades.
Williams Selyem has sourced from Allen Vineyard since 1980 — one of the foundational grower relationships in the winery’s history. Howard got to know Burt very well as they trod the fields together. As Howard put it: “It’s the working together with the winemaker that creates great wine.” He continued that work with Bob Cabral, and watched the same grower-first philosophy carry forward. “They’re keeping the same philosophy,” he said, “and I couldn’t ask for better people to work with.”
Howard Allen passed away in 2013. Andrew and Anne Allen carry on the legacy.
