Mount Eden Vineyards

The area around Mount Eden has a long history of wine production, which began when Paul Masson bought the property in 1900 and planted chardonnay and Pinot Noir from cuttings he brought from his native Burgundy. He originally was quite successful in producing sparkling wine, but Prohibition was tough on the business. His neighbor, Martin Ray, who actually grew up working under Masson, swooped in to purchase the property. He used cuttings from the Masson property to plant Mount Eden to Pinot Noir and chardonnay on his neighboring estate–which he called Martin Ray. Eventually, a small amount of Cabernet was planted on the property as well. Ray eventually lost control of the property to a group of investors, who renamed it as Mount Eden in the early 1970s, and the first vintage was produced in 1972.

One of California’s pioneering winemakers, Merry Edwards, was the winemaker from 1974-1976 and was responsible for producing some of the most age-worthy in California. Jeffrey Patterson took over in 1981 and has been there ever since. He and his wife, Ellie Davis, who runs finance and marketing, live in the original Martin Ray house. The winemaking is traditional, with fermentation and malolactic happening in barrels, 100% French for the chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and a mix of French and American for the cabernet. The wines all have extended elevage in barrel before spending additional time in bottle, one of the keys to the complexity and longevity of these wines. The wines are never fined or filtered, with a result that is always elegant, and alcohol usually around 13-13.5%. Production is miniscule here, but the wines are worth seeking out not only because they are some of the most compelling wines being produced in California but also because they harken back to a time when wines were given time to develop in the winery and with those who collect them.