An alluring blend of pioneer ambition, meticulous viticulture and dreams of better wine, California heritage clones are those historic grapevines that were collected from the Old World over the past 125 years, identified for beneficial traits (like hearty yields or intense flavors) and then planted in vineyards across the Golden State. This category is dominated by dozens of selections of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, most originally from Burgundy, but there are also a handful of Rhône and Bordeaux clones, as well as examples of lesser-known varieties like Négrette, Pinot Blanc and Valdiguié.
Many of these vines were legally imported during the pre-Prohibition era, whereas others are considered “suitcase clones,” brought in under the radar from famed (though
