Winemaker Notes
2014 was probably the worst year of our recent drought. Only fourteen inches of rain fell that winter which was unprecedented. Concerned about dry-farming old vines with so little precipitation, we decided to prune way back to reduce the crop size; indeed the harvest was small, yet significant. There is so much to say about our Cabernet: It is grown at elevation in a coastal mountain range; the vines are mature, planted in 1979 and 1984 from budwood sourced in the 1890’s from Chateaux Margaux; and the vines are low-yielding, averaging just above one ton per acre, allowing our terroir to express its highest level. Thirty and forty year-old bottles are still remarkably vibrant and fresh.
Critical Acclaim
All Vintages"This has unusual, kind of soft tannins that are not typical of this wine," Jeffrey Patterson says. "It was an unusual vintage, and tannin structure is not at all hard." The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is made up of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Medium to deep ruby, it has a seductive, layered nose of licorice, loamy soil, warm redcurrant, black cherries, woodsmoke, pencil shavings, dried herbs, cedar and dried flowers with cocoa powder hints. It's medium-bodied and intense in the mouth with layers of ripe fruits, spices and savory notions, framed by soft, grainy tannins and juicy freshness and finishing very long and savory.
Mount Eden Vineyards is a small historic wine estate perched at 2000 feet overlooking Silicon Valley in the Santa Cruz Mountain Appellation, about 50 miles south of San Francisco. Founded in 1945, it is recognized as one of the original “boutique” California winery properties, focusing on small lots of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Mount Eden’s lineage of estate bottled Chardonnay and Pinot Noir is the longest in California. Planted in austere, infertile Franciscan shale on a cool, exposed mountaintop, these low-yielding estate vineyards have consistently produced world-class wines for over a half-century. In 2007 Mount Eden acquired an additional 55 acre wine estate in the Saratoga foothills, which was christened Domaine Eden.
Mount Eden Vineyards also produces non-estate Chardonnays from the central coast, primarily Edna Valley. They have great success making Chardonnay from the Wolff Vineyard and are continually recognized as making outstanding wines from that region.
Since 1981 Jeffrey Patterson has guided the winemaking and grape growing at Mount Eden. His emphasis is on wine growing rather than winemaking; and an obsession with gentleness and naturalness in the handling of the grapes and wines is his ongoing passion.
A rugged and topographically diverse cool-climate appellation with a rich history, the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA stretches from Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco, to the northern border of Monterey County. Elevations range from 800 feet to upwards of 3,000 and microclimates vary substantially depending on which side of the mountains the vineyards lie; cool ocean winds and fog play an important role here. This can be a challenging region in which to grow grapes, but it is well worth the effort. Santa Cruz Mountains wines are noted for balanced acidity levels, often showing great aging potential. Wine has been made here since the 1800s, most notably from the legendary Ridge Vineyards, whose Monte Bello vineyard garners international admiration.
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the stars of this region, while Merlot and Zinfandel also perform quite well. Organic and sustainable vineyard practices are becoming increasingly common.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.