Domaine Eden is a mountaintop wine estate purchased by Mount Eden Vineyards in 2007. It was initially planted with select Mount Eden clones of Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, and evolved to include Pinot Noir from various Dijon and California selections. The viticulture at Domaine Eden is approached with the same degree of sustainability and attention to natural patterns as Mount Eden’s estate vineyards. The soils, however, are different from the estate’s Franciscan shale. This means that although Domaine Eden is a mere mile away “as the crow flies”, the wines express more varietal fruit and expansive mid-palate flavour than the somewhat leaner spine of minerality that characterizes Mount Eden’s estate releases.

As always, this bottling blends Chardonnay from the winery’s estate vineyards and Domaine Eden property. It is produced in the same cave, with the same barrel-fermentation practices and the same sur-lie aging as the estate wine: following fermentation in small barrels and nine months maturation on fine lees, it was bottled without fining. The one key difference is the absence of new oak. The resulting wine is complex, with great ageing potential.  Displaying classics Santa Cruz Mountains acidity, the wine is just starting to evolve in the bottle; a sign that suggests a long life.

A solid core of youthful citrus, orange blossom and honeysuckle aromas combine with broad, savoury flavours and a long, seamless finish. Still a baby, it should drink well for another decade.

“Some people love Montrachet. I love this. A blend of fruit from two ridgetop vineyards, this gives the mineral intensity from Mount Eden’s vines grown in Franciscan shale soils buffered by the fruit richness of Domaine Eden’s chardonnay grown in loam. It brings on green lime freshness and plump richness — or is it the richness of porky ramen broth? Wines like this will be a cool memory in the future. Buy it now to have access to what mountain-grown chardonnay can do in a climate before the tipping point.”
95 points, Joshua Greene, Wine & Spirits, October 2023

“Rich and complex, with notes of salted hazelnut, fresh lemon curd, tangerine and Honeycrisp apple, showing a striking, steely accent of minerality and fresh acidity that help the flavors pop and the structure firm up. Reveals a whiff of white pepper.”
92 points, MaryAnn Worobiec, Wine Spectator, April 2024

“There’s a tropical kick to the nose of this bottling, with fresh aromas of lemon meringue and white flower riding a steely minerality. The palate pops with acid-powered lemon-peel flavors as toasted nuts arise on the finish.”
90 points, Matt Kettmann, Wine Enthusiast, December 2023