The Santa Cruz Mountains AVA holds a special distinction: It is home to the only two estate-bottled mountain-grown Cabernets that are truly influenced by the Pacific Ocean. Both have been at it awhile. The first is Ridge Monte Bello (1962), the second is Mount Eden Estate. In 1945, legendary vintner Martin Ray began to develop Mount Eden’s estate vineyard on a rugged mountaintop in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Today, the site consists of 40 acres of low-yielding vines. Planted in infertile Franciscan shale, the vineyards are 25 kilometres from the Pacific Ocean, and enjoy a cool yet sunny climate above the fog line. The growing season there is long, and naturally low yields, along with slow, steady maturation, result in incredibly intense fruit.

If you appreciate the qualities that result in Bordeaux varietals grown on the edge – namely, low alcohols, earth-driven flavours, and unique terroir – Cabernet from the Santa Cruz Mountains are prime examples. These are lower alcohol wines with full flavours that evolve beautifully with time.

Estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon is a Bordeaux-style blend of approximately 75% Cabernet, 22% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Fruit is macerated in small open-top stainless steel tanks, and then fermented by naturally occurring yeast. The young wine was aged in new French oak for nearly two years before it was bottled, unfiltered and unfined, and aged another two years prior to release. It has a long life ahead. The winery prides itself in an “Old World” style, and note that this is the most compelling vin de garde they’ve produced in the last three decades.

There is a notable depth of flavour, texture, vibrancy, and richness. The nose is all nuanced black currant, graphite, and mountain flowers. Fine integrated tannins buttress characteristic flavours of red currant, blackberry and earth. Recommended cellaring is ten to fifteen years, after which you will be rewarded with a complex and vibrant California Cabernet that shines among wines that cost over twice the price!

“If, like me, you believe plants make a difference, the cabernet vines at Mount Eden have a pedigree that’s worth noting. Jeffrey Patterson, now the proprietor of the estate, planted these vines in the 1980s, from a selection he propagated using cuttings from the vines at Mount Eden that had been planted in the 1940s by Martin Ray. Ray, in turn, had sourced his original cuttings from La Questa, a vineyard planted in the 1890s by Emmett Rixford, using cuttings from Château Margaux. Sensitively farmed in a hospitable New World terroir, those immigrant vines have thrived at Mount Eden, producing a classical, herb-scented cabernet in 2018, its blue-fruit clarity layered with earthen tannins. Gracious, supple and approachable, even as complexity lays in wait, this wine has a firm grip that sustains its lasting flavors without a hint of excess. (1,306 cases)” 94 points, Wine & Spirits, December 2022

“Mushroomy aromas of stewed shiitake and dark mahogany meet with crisp fruit on the nose of this complex bottling. Very dry tannins frame the sip in a serious veil, as flavors of sandalwood, graphite and dried dark fruit converge. This wine will last a long time. Drink 2024–2042.” 94 points, Matt Kettmann, Wine Enthusiast, November 2022

“Burly and tightly wound, with a racy, taut structure, this has a rock-solid core of damson plum, mulberry and loganberry fruit along with mouthwatering savory, cassis bush and sage accents. The long finish ripples with a note of warm gravel, giving this a decidedly old-school feel. Will be a lot of fun to watch this age in the cellar. Best from 2024 through 2038. 1,341 cases made.” 93 points, James Molesworth, Wine Spectator, November 2022