About Ascona Vineyards

Our Story

Ascona Vineyards was born from the vision of Dave Nagel, a seasoned Silicon Valley executive and lifelong outdoorsman, who purchased the property in 1995 as a personal retreat and long-term passion project. Tucked just 20 minutes from downtown Santa Cruz, the rugged mountain site offered the perfect blend of elevation, ocean influence, and natural beauty—ideal for cultivating distinctive, high-elevation varietals.

What followed was a thoughtful transformation. The land was cleared and carefully prepared, with an emphasis on soil health and vine balance from the start. A Tuscan-style cottage now sits at the heart of the property, overlooking the vineyards rows and serving as a tranquil setting for the occasional private event.

Ascona vineyards has since matured into a boutique estate known for its quality and integrity. While we don’t operate a tasting room, our grapes are a trusted source for some of the region’s most acclaimed wines. Estate-grown fruit from Ascona is featured in bottlings by award-winning wineries throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains and beyond, celebrated for their depth, balance, and expression of place.

Today, the vineyards is guided by Ken Swegles and Abbey Crystal, co-founders of Rhizos Viticulture, whose expertise in regenerative farming and precision viticulture ensures every vine is nurtured with purpose. Their stewardship reflects the vineyard’s founding principles—care for the land, pursuit of excellence, and a deep connection to place.

The Terroir

Situated at 2,400-2,500 feet above sea level, Ascona Vineyards enjoys a rare microclimate—cool ocean breezes, mineral-rich soils, and optimal diurnal shifts that produce balanced, complex grapes. Our high-altitude terroir imparts structure, vibrancy, and a signature minerality that defines our fruit.

Well-drained Vaqueros sandstone soils, with relatively high calcium carbonate content.

• Excellent Drainage

• Maintains concentration in minerality in the grapes

• Shallow soil, above baserock

Surrounded by “airoir” - pine, forest floor, cedar, sticky resinous compounds, bay laurel, wild flowers, native plants, herbaceous, terpenes release on to the fruit and into the wine, adding unique aromatic qualities.

Sustainability & Stewardship

We believe that true luxury is sustainable. Our vineyard thrives on organic farming principles:

• No synthetic pesticides or herbicides—only natural, regenerative solutions

• Cover crops & biodiversity—preserving soil health and vine longevity

• Hand-harvesting & low-intervention methods—ensuring precision and care in every cluster

• Balance Cost & Environmental Efficiency – machinery for some, by hand for others, keep costs down, keep the grapes and wines more affordable.

Regenerative Farming & Viticulture

At Ascona Vineyard, our approach to farming is rooted in regeneration over intervention—a philosophy that honors the land's natural intelligence while producing fruit of exceptional purity and balance. By stewarding the land through low-input, biologically rich farming, we not only protect the vineyard’s future—we allow the terroir to speak clearly through the fruit. The result is wine that is both a sensory experience and a reflection of a truly living landscape.