Al Scheid first purchased property in Monterey County in 1972, a 10-acre parcel located on the edge of the town of Greenfield. Monterey wine grape growing was in its infancy and Al was drawn to the region for its untapped potential. He consulted with Professor A.J. Winkler, a viticultural authority at the University of California at Davis, who had published a report in 1960 classifying grape growing regions by climate. Monterey County was classified as Regions I and II, comparable to Napa, Sonoma, Burgundy and Bordeaux, making it one of the most climatically suitable regions in the state for growing high quality wine grapes.