Seeking the soul of Gap's Crown

Gap’s Crown Vineyard is 140 planted acres (57 ha) in the Petaluma Gap AVA. Thirty-one different wineries make wine with the vineyard’s name on the label and over the years the site has garnered a reputation for quality.

In 1998, Richard Wollack, a real-estate developer, and William Hill, a vineyard developer, launched Premier Pacific Vineyards (PPV): a company aimed at finding, developing, and then selling premium vineyard properties on the west coast of the United States.

In 2002, PPV secured a $100 million dollar...