Paso Robles, CA. (February 13, 2025)– Ledge is excited to announce the addition of Chris Hammell to their estate Vineyard team. Hammell was formerly the long-time vineyard manager of historic Bien Nacido Vineyard, and was at the helm there for Ledge’s 2021 Bien Nacido Syrah, which garnered a perfect 100-point score and 2024 Top 100 Wine of the World award from renown critic Jeb Dunnuck.
Photo credit: James Joiner
“Chris helped put Bien Nacido on the map,” Ledge co-owner and winemaker Mark Adams said. “We’re beyond excited to continue working closely with him, except this time on our own Adams Ranch Vineyard.”
“After several years of working with Mark at Bien Nacido, where he crafted truly mind-blowing Syrah, it is an honor to now collaborate directly with Mark and Ciera at Ledge as part of the Coastal Vineyard Services team, “said Hammell. “The terroir at Ledge is incredible—unique to the area and brimming with world-class potential.”
Ledge winemaker Mark Adams was raised on Adams Ranch, the Templeton property he and his wife and Ledge co-owner Ciera now farm. In 2004, Mark became an intern and eventually the first employee for his childhood friend Justin Smith at Saxum, which neighbors Adams Ranch. It was during his time at Saxum, amidst their James Berry Vineyard, that Adams learned to farm world-class wine grapes and craft consistently highly-rated wines. In 2005 Adams and his wife Ciera personally planted their first vineyard block at Adams Ranch with Estrella clone Syrah cuttings from JBV. The estate vineyard grows steadily year after year and is planted to Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Roussanne, Cinsaut, Counoise, Grenache Blanc and Clairette Blanche.
Alongside Adams Ranch, Ledge sources fruit from the James Berry Vineyard and Bien Nacido. To get your hands on the wines, Adams suggests signing up for their as-of-now still-open wine club. With continuous high scores across the board and the pedigree and terroir of Adams Ranch, Ledge is still somehow an obtainable, fairly priced best-kept secret on the verge of the ‘cult wine’ moniker.
Info at LedgeVineyards.com.
