Owner Stuart Bewley announces the decision to cease vineyard operations in the face of industry downturn
LAYTONVILLE, Calif. /CitizenWire/ -- After 33 years as one of California's most singular and pioneering vineyards, Alder Springs Vineyard, the remote, high-elevation Mendocino County site, announced today that the 2026 harvest will be the last vintage farmed under founder and owner Stuart Bewley. After more than three decades, Bewley will step back from financing the vineyard's farming and will cease supplying grapes to the market after the 2026 season.
The decision follows a multi-year contraction across the wine industry. The downturn has hit growers hardest, who bear the fixed costs of farming regardless of demand.
"We can't take a year off the vineyard. We've got to prune, water, and take care of it, and a huge amount of that is manual labor," explained Bewley. "At some point, the numbers have to pencil. Right now, they don't - not because of the vineyard, but because the market for this kind of fruit isn't there yet."
First planted in 1993, Alder Springs, whose fruit has supplied many of California's most acclaimed and adventurous wineries, became known for doing what few believed possible. Bewley pioneered organic frost protection to grow high-quality fruit on a rugged mountain site at elevations between 1,700 and 2,700 feet; committed to no-till farming from the outset to protect the salmon-bearing streams that run through the property; and spent 15 years transitioning the vineyard to regenerative practices. Today, it grows 43 commercial varieties - among them rarities in California such as Petite Arvine, Mencía, Counoise, Pelaverga and Aligoté - alongside ongoing trials of hundreds of variety, clone, and rootstock combinations.
Over the years, Alder Springs fruit appeared in a wide range of highly rated wines from dozens of significant California producers.
Looking ahead, Bewley will redirect his focus to other profitable enterprises, including his carbon-sequestration company, Carbon Storage Solutions LLC, land-stewardship work, and his role on the board of the Pacific Forest Trust. Some members of the Alder Springs team will transition to those businesses alongside him; the vineyard is assisting others in finding new opportunities in the industry.
Bewley will retain ownership of the ranch with no intention to sell.
"We have loved this business and working with each of the producers who came here," said Bewley. "The wine industry has had a major downturn, and it hit them. Had our customers been able to weather it, they would have kept buying fruit, and we'd still be growing."
Bewley and his team will farm through the current season with the same commitment that has defined the vineyard from the start.
"We will be making 2026 our very best vintage in our 33 years in this business," said Bewley.
About Alder Springs Vineyard
Founded in 1993 by Stuart Bewley, Alder Springs Vineyard is one of California's most distinctive high-elevation winegrowing estates. Known for pioneering regenerative mountain viticulture and an exceptional diversity of grape varieties, it has supplied fruit to many of California's most respected wineries for more than three decades, earning a reputation well beyond its size. For more information, visit https://www.alderspringsvineyard.com/vineyard/
Learn More: https://www.alderspringsvineyard.com/
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