The winery is located in the remote Dunnigan Hills, a rolling area of Yolo County about 30 miles northwest of Sacramento. John Giguiere’s family began farming here in 1946, since when the estate has grown to almost 2,300 acres of vineyards as diverse and attractive as most in Napa or Sonoma. The undulating hills in the area rise to 400 feet, many covered with vines. Typically though, the soils in Phillips’ vineyards are well-drained gravelly loams on the uplands and high terraces while in the valleys the soils are silty or chalky clay loams and clay over sandstone. The Giguieres are innovators, constantly trying new approaches to grape growing and winemaking. In the vineyard they are implementing sustainable agriculture principles such as monitoring pest populations, using low-risk pesticides only when necessary, and enhancing habitat for beneficial insects. It has begun the process of certificating one of the vineyard blocks as organically farmed.