Overlook the Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley. The Santa Cruz Mountains signify a few of the most rugged winemaking areas in California, if not the U.S. as a complete. This excessive, steep area towers over Monterey and Silicon Valley on one aspect, the Pacific Ocean on the opposite. A few of California’s earliest winemaking operations — together with Paul Masson — hail from this area, together with a few of its most prized bottlings — a lot of which I used to be capable of style over two days of Zoom classes with winemakers from the area.
The wines right here may be uncommon and surprising, the varietal traits abstracted, muted, or twisted in distinctive (and pleasant) methods. To delve into that in earnest, we finally tasted via 12 completely different bottlings — chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, and pinot noir — whereas listening to tales of untamed climates, historical vines, and the hand-dug cellars which are half and parcel of the area.
Ideas observe.
Chardonnay
2021 Beauregard Vineyards Chardonnay Ben Lomond Mountain Bald Mountain Winery – Plenty of citrus paired with a reasonably creamy base, a steely, saline-dusted, and evenly mineral-laced high quality rising from there. There’s a modest spice component within the combine, hinting at ginger and sharpening up the end. “Crushable” to a fault, with a delicate floral high quality lingering on the again finish. A / $65
2019 Thomas Fogarty Chardonnay Langley Hill Winery – Contemporary and evenly buttery, with notes of lemon curd and a moderated salinity, fading gently into conventional California-inspired notes of vanilla and a few coconut. Properly rounded and interesting from begin to end, the crisp wine warms to disclose some notes of guava and baking spice, complementing an approachable and vigorous assault. Pleasant from starting to finish. A / $85
2021 Sandar & Hem Chardonnay Mountain Vineyard Winery Santa Cruz Mountains – From the storied Mountain Vineyard, this chardonnay kicks off with only a contact of ever-so-slightly bitter “pure”istic funk earlier than settling right into a extra conventional oak-butter-almonds-lemon curd groove. Guava and delicate coconut notes give the wine a extra conventional northern California vibe later within the sport, the end displaying as toasty with touches of oak and brown butter lingering on the palate. Full citcle. A- / $50
Cabernet Sauvignon
2019 Ridge Monte Bello – 82% cabernet sauvignon, 9% merlot, 8% petit verdot, and 1% cabernet franc. The jewel of the Ridge universe, and probably the most notable blue chip wines of California, it is a wine I received to style out of the barrel (completely different classic) when visiting with famend winemaker Paul Draper a number of years in the past. The person’s a legend, and the wine nonetheless holds up after his retirement. Opulent and wealthy notes of blackcurrants segue into flavors of chocolate and spice, layered with touches of oak (largely American, surprisingly). There’s tobacco and earth right here, with a touch of balsamic on the end nodding to the truth that this wine continues to be at a really early in its life. Ridge says this gained’t be able to drink till 2029, so cellar, decant, or each. A / $215
2018 Mount Eden Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Cruz Mountains – 85% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot, 3% cabernet franc, and a couple of% petit verdot. Nonetheless taking part in issues a bit near the vest, this bottling feels prefer it has a number of extra years earlier than it hits its peak — and may most likely maintain out for a decade or two after that. Chewy and earthy, however balanced by acidity, the plummy, cherry-driven notes that emerge ending on a tart be aware. Drink it now if you happen to should, however one other few years ought to show productive. A / $115
2019 Vöcal Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Bates Ranch Winery Santa Cruz Mountains – A considerably lighter model of wine than anticipated given the prior two bottlings, right here we see Santa Cruz pouring on the pink fruit together with some lighter chocolate notes. Brighter and more energizing, the austerity of Monte Bello is lengthy gone right here in a wine that feels completely approachable proper this second, bursting with raspberry and cherry, and only a mild squeeze of currants on prime. Touches of spearmint and a few licorice enliven the end and add complexity. A- / $70
Pinot Noir
2019 Large Basin Vineyards Previous Corral Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains – A bit on the earthy aspect, with cranberry notes pairing in fascinating style. Very mild in coloration, there’s quite a lot of youth right here, mild tannins and a beefy chunk giving the wine a peppery, savory high quality. A traditional iron fist in a velvet glove expertise. Could be fascinating to trace its improvement over a number of years. B+ / $65
2021 Alfaro Household Vineyards Pinot Noir Lindsay Paige Winery Santa Cruz Mountains – Juicy, nearly jammy, with overtones of chocolate and caramel sauce. Some of the exuberantly fruit-forward pinot noirs on this lineup, with a zippy, spicy edge that tempers a few of these sweeter notes. My intuition says to pair this one with a hearty or spice-driven meal. B+ / $48
2019 Thomas Fogarty Pinot Noir Will’s Cabin Winery Santa Cruz Mountains – An investigation into the pink wine aspect of Fogarty. A wealthy and complicated wine, albeit one dashed with balsamic notes, giving it a somewhat racy high quality. Layers of moist earth spar with notes of cherry and a few anise notes, the expertise turning into fairly sharp because it develops within the glass. Some tart orange peel and a contact of pink pepper proceed to drive into the end. A- / $85
2018 Windy Oaks Property Pinot Noir “Le Chaud” Particular Launch Santa Cruz Mountains – Most likely the lightest and most approachable wine on this lineup, this mild pinot kicks off with mint earlier than showcasing a lightweight contact of graphite, dropped atop notes of strawberry and almond and strawberry. Fairly and ever so barely candy, the wine winds up with the lightest touches of baking spice and cola lingering on the end. Fairly atypical for the area. A- / $85
2021 Sante Arcangeli Household Wines Pinot Noir Break up Rail Winery Santa Cruz Mountains – One thing of an oddball on this assortment, the wine showcasing a beefy, Burgundian model that evokes some balsamic character, then a gently leathery high quality on the burly, nearly gruff end. Cola and a few spice notes add an edgy high quality to an already punchy wine that feels prefer it nonetheless has some creating to do. B / $59
2021 Madson Wines Pinot Noir Ascona Winery Santa Cruz Mountains – My least favourite wine within the lineup, however one with its personal degree of funky, rustic appeal. Notes of tobacco, anise, and turned earth dominate a heavy, somewhat weighty expertise that wants ample time to open up. The quiet licorice be aware on the end provides the wine a brooding high quality, however it finds a house alongside the soothing cherry character on the wine’s core. B / $55
2019 Ridge Monte Bello
$215
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