In the early 1990s the writer and historian Charles L. Sullivan was comissioned by the Bennion Trust to create an oral history of winemaking in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Over a period of two years he interviewed many of the prominent winemaking families in the region, and compiled a 700 page document which provides a fascinating insight into the state of the appellation at the time as well, as the history over the previous century.

The book was self published by the Bennion Trust and was only available to those in the know who purchased a copy directly from Fran Bennion herself. $40 got you over 350 sheets of velobound copier paper.

Some years ago I contacted first Mr Sullivan and then the Bennion Trust, offering to host a copy of the manuscript on the internet, to bring it to a wider audience. The original source material was still in existence on early Apple Macintosh disks, and could have been converted to a modern format without too much difficulty. The offer was politely declined at the time, but I recently learned that the trust has since gone ahead with publishing a version of the project online.

At the present time it's still incomplete. All of the interviews are viewable as PDF scans; they are readable, but are not currently indexed or searchable. The quality is perfectly readable and I've successfully processed some of the pages with OCR software. The appendix - which consisted of various photographs and commercial documents from Ridge - are not yet present, nor is the original map of the appellation drawn by Jan Sherrill.

You can view the project at drbenniontrustfund.org

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"There is no doubt in my mind the Santa Cruz Mountains is the greatest and most overlooked terroir in the United States. Period. Actually, it is probably more accurate to distinguish between the eastern and western part of a mountain range divided by the San Andreas Fault. While quite different in terms of the characteristics, both parts of the mountains are capable of world-class wines. From the famed Bordeaux influenced reds produced at Ridge and other nearby estates to the extraordinary, age worthy Chardonnays and Pinots of Mount Eden, to the younger wineries like Rhys, Varner and Big Basin, there is no doubt in my mind the Santa Cruz Mountains is the single most exciting place to visit in California. No other region offers the same mix of history, innovation and what appears to be virtually unlimited potential. To be sure, these hillside sites are capricious and hard to work with. But they are also capable of producing riveting, emotional, world-class wines." -- Antonio Galloni in Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

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I've been an iPhone user since the first generation unit was released - in fact I'm still using the same one. I love it, despite the fact that it's made by Apple and forces you to use iTunes to do anything. It's probably the handiest gadget I've ever owned; a phone, camera, map, notepad and web browser all in one package.

One of the selling points of the phone is its extensibility through dedicated utilities and games; it's such a huge market that there are even TV commercials for iPhone apps. The wine world is no different; there are dedicated winery apps; Ridge has one which has details of current releases, photos, events and a link to the store. Then there's Cor.kz which offers an alternate interface to Cellar Tracker's inventory management and tasting note database.

I recently got an email announcing a new free app covering the wineries of the Santa Cruz Mountains, so thought I should try it and see how it compares to the competition. I already have a review copy of Winery Quest Pro.

I thought that I'd reviewed the Winery Quest app in the past, but it doesn't appear to be on the site. Not sure what happened there. There are two versions; a 'basic' version costing $4 and a 'pro' version costing $8. It's effectively an interface into the Wine Questers web site, showing the same winery data in an easier to read format. This means that if you're in a cellphone blackspot - such as large parts of the Santa Cruz Mountains - then it can't get any data. The interface opens up with a scrollable list of over 20 regions, from Mendocino to Temecula. The Santa Clara Valley wineries are classified as "Gilroy - Morgan Hill", so wineries outside that area such as J Lohr, Coterie Cellars or Casa de Fruta aren't counted. Overall the interface is a little confusing, but after a while you start to get used to it.

Winery Quest's key selling point is the accuracy of its maps - the developer visits each winery with a GPS rather than relying on Google's address mapping software; if the winery hasn't been visited then it's not on the list. Unfortunately the choice of icons results in a map that looks rather cluttered. The data is further limited to tasting rooms that are regularly open to the public, which means that many smaller wineries that are appointment only or only open at certain times aren't listed.

There are a number of 'just because we can' features, such as a 'spin the bottle' game that randomly selects a winery for you to visit. Overall it's a tool for someone who wants to plan a trip to a wine region for the first time and visit a few tasting rooms; it's not intended to be a guide for the serious geek looking to discover new hidden gems. The price may seem a little high for what you get, but it's less than a typical tasting room fee.

The new app, which bears the unwieldy title of Santa Cruz Mountains Winery Directory (though given the title of this blog I have very little room to talk), seems to target a similar audience. The main screen follows a more traditional grid layout of icons with functions at the bottom. Since it's a free app they've saved costs by using stock clip-art, so the differing icon styles look a little odd. Unlike Winery Quest the data seems to be stored locally, which means that it works offline. There's also elements of 'because we can' to it; for example in the list of wineries each entry has a picture next to it that's too small to be useful, is of varying size, and takes a while to load on my old phone.

The app uses the phone's location facility and groups the wineries by proximity. That would be fine if you were looking for the nearest winery to wherever you are, but if you're planning a trip it would be more useful to specify the start point, or to find wineries that are close to each other. It also doesn't help that the data isn't entirely accurate; last time I checked Ridge was still on Monte Bello Road, not at Stevens Creek and De Anza. The Google map is a little easier to read than the Winery Quest version, although the same colour pin is used for wineries and other locations which can be a little confusing.

Speaking of the maps, there's a rather unfortunate bug here; once you enter the map screen the button to go back doesn't work; the only solution is to quit and restart.

The free app has a different set of wineries to Winery Quest. For the most part they overlap, but not entirely; for example Windy Oaks is included but not Zayante. The set also includes around half of the Santa Clara Valley wineries. Once again, if there's a selection criteria it's unclear; with Fernwood and Martin Ranch included but J Lohr, Creekview and Jason/Stephens missing.

Overall for a free application it's hard to be too critical; it's worth the 2Mb or so of space that it consumes and presumably will continue to be updated since it must intend to somehow derive revenue from advertising.

Looking on the app store I see that there's also another app called Wineries Locator. It costs $5 but the reviews look terrible.

Maybe I should learn how to write iPhone apps.

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Last weekend was the SCMWA's Pinot Paradise event, an annual event where most of the region's Pinot producers get together to show off the latest releases. It's always a great event, well organised and supported. The food looked and smelled lovely, but I was trying to concentrate on the wines.

Last year I moaned a little about the number of dump buckets and lack of water on the table; I'm pleased to say that the organisers took care of that this year; I didn't see a single table without a bucket and the staff ensured they never got too full. Thank you!

I was disappointed not to see McHenry or Ahlgren there; I hope that all is well with them both.

As usual I struggled to get to everyone, managing to visit about 2/3 of the tables. Apologies to everyone I missed. I'm sure that Richard Jennings and Wes Barton will fill in the gaps.

All wines are from the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA unless noted otherwise.

Alfaro Family

2007 Alfaro Family Vineyard
An odd plastic note quickly blew off to reveal an earthy, brambly nose. Smooth and spicy black cherry, with a tannic finish. 90
2007 Lindsay Paige Vineyard
Vanilla and tangerine on the nose. Much more tannin than the Alfaro Family Vineyard; flavours of tart cranberry and cherry. 89+

Martin Alfaro

2007 Lester Family Vineyard
Bright cherry aromas, with a little cinnamon. Rich, sweet cherry fruit, oak showing on the finish. 90

Bargetto

2007 Devery Vineyard
Smoky, tart nose with redcurrant and grapefruit. Flavours of bright cherry and grapefruit; light in both body and tannins, decent acidity. 88
2007 Estate
Smoky, earthy, berry nose. Sweet, simple fruit flavours with a little spice. Some tannin on the finish. 84

Beauregard

2007 Beauregard Ranch Vineyard. Ben Lomond Mountain AVA
The first vintage from new vines. Nose shows rose petals and cranberry. Flavours of earth, mushroom and black cherry; nicely structured. 90+
2007 Trout Gulch Vineyard
Interesting nose of orange with a hint of clove. Sweet red cherry flavours with a touch of smoke; nice acidity, fairly light tannins. 89

Big Basin

2007 Alfaro Family Vineyard
Floral oak and cherry aromas. Rich complex fruit with some cinnamon notes and a good long finish. 93
2008 Woodruffe Vineyard
Lighter nose, with violets and black cherry. On the palate it's got quite concentrated, smoky cherry flavours and a nice medium-length finish. 92

Black Ridge

2006 Estate
This has come together nicely since I first tasted it 2 years ago. Nice bright cherry, with smoother tannins. Drinking well now, but will hold. 90
2007 Estate
Has a richer nose than the 2006; still lots of tannin backed by plenty of black cherry and a medium length astringent finish. Still needs a couple of years. 90+
2008 Estate, barrel sample
This had an unusual nose, with mint, tangerine and sandalwood. Flavours of baking spice, redcurrant and cherry. 89-92

Byington

2007 Estate - Unfiltered
Definitely unfiltered - this was very cloudy indeed; almost soupy, and a little offputting. However the nose was interesting; stemmy and floral. Flavours of sweet cherry, raspberry and dough. Liquorice on the finish. 85
2007 Estate Block 4
Smoky nose with raspberry and orange. Rich, sweet fruit but fairly one-dimensional; light tannins on the finish 86

Clos LaChance

2007 Santa Cruz Mountains
Light nose with hints of barnyard, cherry and caramel. Lovely smooth cherry flavours with some baking spice and a long finish. Good value 92+
2007 Biagini Vineyard
A blend of four clones: 113, 114, 115 and Mount Eden.
Earthy yet rich with nice strawberry notes and good structure. 92
2007 Biagini Vineyard Nancys Block
Made solely from Mount Eden clone; I was particularly impressed by this one.
Nose has smoke, oak, cherry and spice. Lashings of good rich fruit, lots of spice and a long finish. Really nice. 94

Heart of the Mountain

2006 Estate
Light smoky nose. Rich, tart cherry, nice vanilla oak, medium finish. 91
2007 Estate
Similar nose to the 2006, though with a hint of stemminess. (More whole cluster?). Palate has darker fruit; brambly notes and a longer finish. 92

Hunter Hill

2008 Estate
Nose shows redcurrent backed by an oddly chemical note - perhaps a trace of va? Earthy, with cranberry, redcurrant and some minerality; nice acidity. 86

Kings Mountain

2005 Estate
The nose shows some bretty barnyard and band-aid characteristics. There's some good cherry and strawberry fruit behind it, with a mineral (possibly sulphur?) note on the finish. 88

Loma Prieta

2007 Saveria Vineyard
Lovely expressive nose, floral with notes of pine and earth. Rich earthy cherry flavours, but a harsh oaky finish spoils it. Hopefully that will resolve with time. 88+
2008 Saveria Vineyard
More earthy, forest floor notes than the 2007. Brooding, earthy black cherry and a very earthy finish. Interesting. 89+

Mountain Winery

Second vintage from the replanting of what was once one of the finest vineyards in the country. The young vines (777, 828 and Swan clones) are still getting established, but signs are good. In a sense history comes full circle, since the wine is being made by Jeffrey Patterson at Mount Eden. I expect great things from this label; I hear the Chardonnay is outstanding.
2007 Estate
Tart cherry and earth on the nose; Rich, spicy cherry flavours with a tart finish. Needed more air. 91+

Mount Eden

2006 Estate
Awesome rich, spicy nose. Complex, with plenty of spicy black cherry, and lots of tannin. Needs 5+ years. 92+
2007 Estate
I've already praised this wine enough, but I wasn't going to pass up the chance to taste it again. While the nose is more restrained than the 2006, the palate is superb, with loads of concentrated fruit. 95+

Muns

2006 Estate
Light cherry, berry nose. Good, balanced red fruit with some spice and an earthy finish. 90
2005 Estate
Nose shows pear drops and vanilla essence. Tart cherry and strawberry, with a medium finish. 86

Nicholson

The winery struggled a little in the earlier part of the decade, relying on consultants. In 2007 they took on Ian Brand as full-time winemaker; 2008 is the first vintage that he made from start to finish.
2008 Santa Cruz Mountains - Barrel Sample
Fruit sourced mostly from Corralitos. A light nose, with spice, oak and red fruit. It has a big, chewy mouthfeel with bright red cherry flavours and a medium length, tannic finish 90-92
2008 Estate - Barrel Sample
This has a brighter nose than the other sample; shows more oak, with nice flavours of cherry pie, good structure and a dry finish. 90-92

Pleasant Valley Vineyards

Formerly a tiny all-estate producer, now producing a range of additional wines with purchased fruit. Their Pinots and estate Chardonnays remain the outstanding centrepieces.
2007 Thelma Henrietta Block
It's full name is 2007 Dylan David Pinot Noir, Lester Family Vineyards, Thelma-Henrietta Block (Dijon Clone #115) and the wine is as much of a mouthful as the name.
Nose shows smoke and black fruit. In the mouth there's lots of concentrated black cherry and brambly fruit, with a good, long finish. 93+
2007 Willa-Louise Block
Sharing a similar name and pedigree, this is made from a block of Clone 667. Bright strawberry fruit on the nose; Rich red fruit - strawberry and raspberry - on the palate, with light, silky tannins. 92+
2007 Dylan David Estate
Here's a wine that I know from experience needs a lot of time and air to show its best; I got the first pour from a freshly opened bottle. The nose was restrained, not showing much beyond oak and earth. On the palate it's quite intense and earthy, with dark cherry and brambly fruit. 93+

Regale

First time attending Pinot Paradise for Regale, an impressive new property on Summit Road near to Burrell School. They have around 4 acres of Pinot planted as well as a little Chardonnay. 2007 was their first vintage from the young vines; less than 50 cases were made.
2007 Estate
Nose shows herbal notes - mint, lavender and liquorice. In the mouth there are concentrated black fruit flavours - berry, currant, cherry. A surprisingly intense wine from such young vines. 93
2008 Estate
As yet unreleased. This had a lighter, fruitier nose than the 2007, with some sulphur evident. A touch more elegant, but with nice black cherry fruit and lots of tannins. 92+

Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard

2007 Branciforte creek
Very earthy, spicy nose. Bright, intense cherry and cranberry flavours with a longish, tannic finish. 92+
2006 Baileys vineyard
Lighter than the Branciforte and with more acidity. Good cherry, cranberry fruit and a long finish. 92+

Sarah's Vineyard

Sarah's has a new winemaker. Ken Deis, formerly of Flora Springs has taken over from Robert Henson. The winery has recently launched a range made from Rhone grapes, as well as a fourth Pinot Noir.
2008 Santa Cruz Mountains
Sourced from the Regan and Veranda vineyards. Nose of raspberry and black cherry; floral, with flavours of sour cherry. Some nice tannins. Seems more substantial than the 2007. 91+
2009 Santa Cruz Mountains - Barrel Sample
Nose shows plenty of red fruit - redcurrant and raspberry. Lots of red fruit up front, tails off somewhat in the middle. 88-91
2007 Rebhahn Vineyard
A tough vineyard to deal with, out of the way on a steep hill. The clusters are unusually small.
Black fruits on the nose, particularly blueberry. Dark, rather high acidity and quite tannic. Certainly needs time to come around. 88

Silver Mountain

2007 Miller Hill
Light nose - mineral and tart cherry. Bright acidity on the palate and lots of tannin. Some red fruit, with an earthy finish. 86+
2007 Estate
An initial odd, plastic note, which soon blew off revealing some cranberry. Nice flavours of redcurrant, cranberry and gooseberry, with good acidity. 89

Thomas Fogarty

2008 Santa Cruz Mountains
Nose is floral, with oak and red fruit. Sweet red cherry and strawberry with a hint of cocoa. 91
2007 Windy Hill
Dark fruit and undergrowth with some stemmy notes. Nice sweet red fruit flavours; the stemmy notes return on the finish. 91

Trout Gulch

2007 "La Source"
A light, tart nose, with notes of mineral and cherry. Good flavours of sweet cherry and raspberry, with a nice finish. 91
1999 Estate
Clearly a mature nose, reminiscent of apple cider. Rich and meaty on the plate with flavours of dried cherry and cranberry, and some pastry. Still plenty of tannins. Interesting. 89
1990 estate
Odd nose that reminded me of blue cheese! Mature, earthy flavours with some dried cherry. Probably a little past its peak for my tastes. 87

Windy Oaks

Perhaps more than any other winery on show, Windy Oaks needs time or air to show its best. In particular I got surprisingly little out of the 2007 Wild Yeast, which is odd as I've really enjoyed the 2006. I suspect with a few hours of air I would have scored each of these a few points higher, particularly the first two.
2007 Wild Yeast
Nose showed a little sulphur and red cherry. Nice cherry with notes of fresh earth and quite a lot of stemmy tannin. 90++
2007 Cuvee
Bright nose of earthy cherry. Fruitier and a little lighter than the Wild Yeast, with good acidity. 91++
2007 Henry's Block
Lovely perfumed nose showing roses and raspberry. Rich smooth fruit, nice complexity. 92+
2007 Whole Cluster
Floral - rose petal nose with earthy notes. Fuller and richer than the Henry's Block. Fresh earth, sappy tannin, less pronounced fruit. 92+

Woodside

2006 Estate
A nice earthy, spicy, smoky nose. Rich and complex with dark cherry and a long, spicy finish 93

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Chris Watkins, tasting room manager at Monte Bello and Ridge's blogger-in-chief, recently invited a few local bloggers up the mountain for what is hopefully the first in a regular series of events. As you probably know, the influential critic Robert Parker Jr recently reviewed some recent vintages of Monte Bello for the first time in several years. Chris thought it might be interesting to get the opinions of some of us wine blobbers as Mr Parker disparagingly calls us, and see how our opinions equated to those of His Bobness.

Never ones to decline an opportunity to drive up the beautiful mountain, my friend Wes Barton and I headed up on a glorious spring morning. Also in attendance were Thea "The Wine Brat" Dwelle, Amy Cleary, Gary "Iron" Chevsky and Liren Baker

I've added Mr Parker's scores where available. For the record I was pretty sure I could quote his scores for the Monte Bellos but couldn't remember what he'd scored the others beyond the fact that I thought they were all 90+



We began with a couple of whites. Jimsomare is the lower of the Monte Bello vineyards, lying below the fog line. The 500 acre ranch has supplied fruit for over 40 years and is currently under a 30 year lease. In the past Ridge have made both Cabernet and Zinfandel from the vineyard, but this is the first Jimsomare designated Chardonnay.
In 2008 the Chardonnay yields were quite good. During the selection for the Monte Bello and Santa Cruz Mountain Chardonnays it became evident that a few lots showed a particular character that didn't fit the profile. In all around 8 barrels were identified, and as a result this one-time blend was created. As yet unreleased, it will probably be priced below the Santa Cruz Mountains, in the mid $30s.

2008 Jimsomare Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains
14.8% alcohol. Typical pale straw colour that Ridge Chardonnays usually have.
Nose shows tropical fruit, lemon and fig. There's some minerality, but less than usual. On the palate it's creamy and smooth, with lemon and sweet green apple. Nice longish finish, with a hint of caramel. Showing well for a young Ridge Chardonnay - one to drink young. 91

2008 Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay
Nose shows lemon, pear and toasty oak. There's significantly more acidity than the Jimsomare, and more minerality, with less immediate richness and a crisp, lemony finish. This needs a year or two. 91+

Now on to some flights of Zinfandel. The East Bench comes from a vineyard in Dry Creek Valley that is newly replanted with cuttings taken from Lytton Springs. The first vintage was in 2006.

2008 Zinfandel, East Bench, Dry Creek Valley
Not yet released.
Light, herbal nose with raspberry and cherry notes. Lots of tannin, flavours of "red vines" and liquorice; there's some good bright acidity but a fairly short finish. 87 (RP90-92)

We were supposed to be tasting the 2007 East Bench too, but it was unavailable so the 2006 was substituted. Just out of interest, here's my note on the 2007 from a tasting in January:
2007 Zinfandel, East Bench, Dry Creek Valley
Ripe nose, with raspberry and date. Big, rich brambly fruit with a herbal note. Good structure, tannin shows on the finish. 90 (RP90+)

2006 Zinfandel, East Bench, Dry Creek Valley
A more expressive nose than the 2008, with spicy oak and sweet berry aromas. In the mouth it's rich and smooth, with lovely raspberry and spice flavours. 89

Geyserville and Lytton Springs are the pinnacle of the Ridge Zinfandels. Two very different wines, each is a field blend which often contain less than 75% Zinfandel and thus are no longer explicitly designated as such. Both have an enviable track record for ageability; typically I find the Lytton Springs to be more approachable when young.

2008 Geyserville, Sonoma County
20% Carignan 6% Petite Sirah, 2% Mataro
Smoky nose, with dark, brambly fruit. Full bodied and a good mouthfeel and nicely balanced. Complex flavours of raspberry and black fruits. Dry, astringent finish. Drink some time after 2012 92 (RP90-92)

2007 Geyserville, Sonoma County
22% Carignan, 18% Petite Sirah, 2% Mataro
There are toffee, cedar and floral notes on the nose. A dark and brooding wine, with the additional Petite Sirah really showing. Lots of chewy tannin partially masks the black fruit; here's a wine that needs 3-5 years to show and will last 20+ years. Tough to rate; right now for me it's a 91+ but in time will most likely rate 2-3 point higher. (RP91)

2008 Lytton Springs, Dry Creek Valley
21% Petite Sirah, 5% Carignan
This had a lovely brambly, raspberry, spicy nose. Very fruit forward, with concentrated raspberry, black cherry and allspice. Showing well now but posessing enough structure to merit ageing. 92 (RP91-93)

2007 Lytton Springs, Dry Creek Valley
The nose is more integrated nose than the 2008, with dark brambly fruit and smoky oak. Good concentrated fruit and a fairly long, tannic finish.. More structured than the 2008, this needs 2-3 years. 92+ (RP92)

Then we switched to the local juice. Starting in the late 1970s Ridge began producing a second Cabernet Sauvignon called the Santa Cruz Mountains Estate. Lots that were considered too fruit-forward, less structured went into this second label.
Starting with the 2000 vintage the wine developed a specific identity, becoming a blend that typically contains around 40% Merlot and under 60% Cabernet. Consequently the Santa Cruz Mountains is no longer designated as a Cabernet Sauvignon.

2007 Santa Cruz Mountains Estate
58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot.
Big nose of blackcurrant, menthol and coffee. Lots of plum and blackcurrant backed by nice herbal notes. Great fruit without being too fruit-forward; nice structure - lot of tannin on the finish. A great food wine; approachable now with air but will repay cellaring. 93 (RP88)

2006 Santa Cruz Mountains Estate
56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot 2% Petite Verdot
Nice bright nose - lots of blackcurrant. The small amount of Petite Verdot contributes some floral violet notes. Initially very tannic, though there's good fruit in the background. Nice notes of grilled meat and dried herbs. Needs time. 91 (RP91)

2005 Santa Cruz Mountains Estate
58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot.
Elegant nose; meaty, brambly and smoky, with a touch of mint. This is now nicely integrated; the tannins are much smoother than the younger examples. Tart brambly, blackcurrant fruit and a good, longish finish. Everything is in the right place. 93+ (RP92)

And finally a wonderful vertical of young Monte Bellos. We began with a barrel sample of the 2008 and ended with an interesting older example.

2008 Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains Barrel sample
A blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Merlot. None of the Petite Verdot or Cabernet Franc made the final selection.
Savoury nose; ash, brambles, red currant and meat. On the palate there are soft, silky tannins and smooth black fruit. Unsurprisingly it's still very primary. 91-94 (RP94-96)

2007 Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains
This was only opened that morning and on the initial showing I can see why Parker didn't rate it as highly as I did.
The nose showed smoked meat, black fruit, mint, pencil shavings. In the mouth there is concentrated black fruit but it's very tight and not showing anything like as well as it did the last time I tried it.
So having tasted though the rest of the line-up I came back to it. By then it had opened up quite a lot and was showing far more fruit and less of the tannin. Still very primary, but good delineation, nice black fruit and a long finish. I'm right, Parker is wrong. 95+ (RP92)

2006 Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains
Nose is floral, with violets and black fruit. Silky tannins, great black fruit and nice herbal notes with a longish finish. 93+ (RP94)

2005 Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains
What a great nose this wine has. Intense and smoky, with rich black fruit. On the palate it's very concentrated and chewy. Wes had warned that the last bottle he had was closing down, but there was no sign of that here. Full bodied, rich and smooth, elegantly structured with great black fruit and a long lingering finish. Amazingly drinkable right now for a young Monte Bello, but try to keep your hands off it. A true classic. 96+¹ (RP97+)

2004 Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains
Interesting grassy, straw nose with some blackcurrant fruit. In the mouth it's tannic, herbal and earthy, with some bell pepper notes and a dry, medium length finish. This is the only release I've passed on since 2001; it will be interesting to see what happens in 10 years. 91 (RP91)

2003 Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains
The nose had an unusual 'grain silo' note, along with the typical black fruit and violets. Smooth rich fruit - blackcurrant blackberry, coffee and camphor. Tannins are pronounced on the finish. 94 (RP95+)

1996 Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains
Deep brick red colour. The nose has signs of brett, with earthy, barnyard and leather notes. There are layers of rich fruit; black berry, pomegranite, cherry. The hint of brett also provides interesting secondary flavours of leather and cigar box. Smooth, fine tannins. Long finish.
Still very youthful; hopefully the brett won't continue to develop and end up overpowering the wine. Worth keeping an eye on. 94

I'd like to thank Chris and Darren for hosting us and opening such an array of great wines. Here's hoping that this turns out to be a regular event.

¹ Just as an aside, since I adopted the 100 point scale 96+ is the highest score I've awarded.

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I normally begin my posts with a brief overview of the winery in question, but for Stefania I've already said everything there is to say. Instead I'll start this one with a whole slew of disclosures: these wines were received as trade samples and were not tasted blind. Add to that the fact that Paul and Stef are friends, I've been a fan of their wines since release and have purchased every wine they have released to date.

Okay, so with that out of the way, what do we have? The Stefania Spring release comprises a brace of Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignons. One is a blend from several vineyards that Paul and Stef manage, together with a significant portion from Harvest Moon/Martin Ranch. As you'll know from my previous post this vineyard is located in a valley at the south-east end of the appellation.

By contrast, the other wine is from the Chaine d'Or Vineyard in Woodside. This is at the northern end of the AVA, not far from the historic La Questa vineyard and close to Summit Road. It's significantly cooler up there. So what we have is a quite interesting contrast. I therefore decided to open the wines side by side and drink them over two nights. The bottles were recorked but not refrigerated.

2007 Stefania Cabernet Sauvignon, Chaine D'Or Vineyard
Not decanted. On first opening all I got was oak; it took quite some time before the fruit started to show on the nose, along with some smoke. Similarly on the palate the first impression was of tartness, austerity and light weight. Over the next hour it loosened up to reveal complex black fruits - cherry, currant and berry with fine tannins.

On day two the nose had earth, oak and fruit right from the start. It seemed to have significantly more weight than before, good blackcurrant and black cherry flavours with fresh earthy notes. A light and elegant wine. I'd give this at least 5 years. 91+ $24

2007 Stefania Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains
Not decanted. This has a lot more fruit on the nose. It's smoother, fuller bodied and significantly more opaque than its sibling, with plenty of up-front black fruit. Over the next hour it seemed to tighten up; the tannins and oak became more pronounced.

On day two it was much the same story; some more smoke on the nose, brambles, blackcurrant and mint, good structure. Drinking nicely now, but will certainly last a while. 92 $40

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Photo by Richard Jennings
Local wine collector Ross Bott organises a wine tasting group that meets twice a week. Last Thursday's theme was a retrospective of Cabernet Sauvignons from 1984. Now my experience of older wines is limited, and that's putting it mildly, so I was very interested to try them; particularly when I saw the wines in the line-up.

Each taster brings 8 glasses. The wines are opened then bagged, and are poured using a measuring cup and minimal agitation. You are asked to rank them in order of preference, 1-8. This turned out to be much more difficult than I imagined.

The first thing that struck me was that the colours were all very consistent; wine #7 was slightly darker (although I got some sediment in that glass), but the others seemed identical; lovely warm brick red colours.

Another thing that became apparent was the way the wines continually evolved in the glass. One that appeared tight at first opened up after 30 minutes in the glass. The nose changed on each pass, and new flavours emerged. All the wines were very good and sound, without flaws or oxidation. I'd be pleased to have any of them in my cellar.

1984 Ridge "York Creek Vineyard", Napa Valley (12.9%)
Nose had a hint of volatile acidity, but that blew off. I decided to taste it last just in case. When I came back to it the VA seemed less obvious and was showing vanilla and rose petals.
The palate was surprising smooth, with light acid. The VA wasn't as evident as I feared, and was showing rose hips and currant. 90

1984 Rodney Strong "Alexander's Crown", Alexander Valley (13.8%)
The initial nose showed cedar and leather, with some brambly fruit. A later pass showed more of a meaty character.
This showed the most fruit of all the wines, there was a rich, concentrated blackcurrant note, backed by meaty (I wrote "oxo cube") and mushroom notes. 92

1984 Chateau Pichon Lalande, Pauillac (12.3%)
Nose showed a distinct bretty, underbrush character, with red cherry, smoke and caramel.
Seemed lightweight by comparison to the others. Some black cherry and blackcurrant fruit, with leather on the finish. I guessed this as the Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains. 88

1984 Joseph Swan "Estate", Northern Sonoma (12.5%)
This had a earthy yet perfumed nose with some brambly fruit.
It had good balance and bright acidity, with plenty of blackcurrant fruit. Cranberry showed later. A nice herbal, medium length finish. Really opened up during the tasting. 93

1984 Girard "Reserve", Napa Valley (12.5%)
Tart cranberry nose with musty notes.
Lots of acidity. Raspberry, brambly notes with some mushroom and a nice finish. 92

1984 Ridge, Santa Cruz Mountains (12.0%)
Funky nose (brett?) with dried herbs and leaves.
Palate showed lots of leather and cedar, but no fruit to speak of. I later tried it again after eating some bread and cheese and noticed some black fruit in the background. Earthy, herbal finish. I guessed that this was the Bordeaux. 87

1984 Mount Eden "Estate", Santa Cruz Mountains (12.8%)
This had the darkest colour of all the wines.
The nose had lively fruit with notes of pencil shavings.
Good acidity, nice tart blackcurrant and graphite, and an interesting finish. 89

1984 Ridge "Montebello", Santa Cruz Mountains (12.9%)
An earthy, smoky nose. This was the first wine I tasted; it seemed rather closed. The palate was tart and savoury but there wasn't much in the way of fruit. With time the raspberry, brambly fruit started to come out. Had the most tannin of all the wines. I marked it down because it wasn't as open as the rest; perhaps that should have been my clue. Several of the more experienced tasters quickly recognised this as the Monte Bello. Clearly still has plenty of life. 91

Wes Barton's notes are http://bartonorchard.blogspot.com/2010/02/84-cabernet-blind-tasting-2410.html>here.
Richard Jennings' notes are here.

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Last week I visited Woodside Vineyards for their barrel tasting. If you read my write-up you'll know that this wine was being poured close to a smoky wood fire where chestnuts were being roasted. It seemed unfair to rate it based on a flawed tasting, so I brought one home.

The nose is nice, with lemon, vanilla ice-cream and a minerality, like a fresh mountain stream (that might sound pretentious, but I can't think of a better descriptor). However on the palate it's like chewing oak staves. There's no smoke, but the wood is if anything stronger than it seemed last time, probably because my palate was trying to compensate. The nice lemon and lime component in the background is overpowered by the wood that really bites on the finish. It's not your typical mellow buttery oak that mars so many generic Californian Chardonnays, it's a harsh wood which gives me hope that given time it'll soften and let the fruit show. 82 $25

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I recently became curious as to just how many acres of vineyards there are in the Santa Cruz Mountains and Santa Clara Valley AVAs; surprisingly it's not an easy question to answer. Mapping county figures to the AVAs is tricky, as the AVAs cross county lines. According to the official figures from the National Agricultural Statistics Service there are just 377 acres of vines in Santa Cruz County, with 358 producing fruit in 2008. Similarly in Santa Clara County there are 1462 acres planted, with 1432 in production.

There are approximately 300 acres of vineyard in the Santa Clara AVA which lie inside the San Benito County border, and there is probably a similar amount of vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA that lie within Santa Clara or San Mateo Counties. So at a rough estimate, there are probably around 700 acres of vines in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA and at least twice that in the Santa Clara Valley AVA.

There are few large vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains; the rugged terrain isn't easily farmed. Anything over 20 acres is considered to be extensive. The largest, and most famous, is Ridge's Monte Bello Vineyard. This is in fact a number of smaller vineyards located at different elevations, giving a total of 108 acres. Other well known vineyards include Mount Eden and the Regan Vineyard owned by Bargetto, both of which are over 40 acres.

In Santa Clara Valley, most of the acreage is concentrated in a few large vineyards, several of which are located along Highway 152 in the San Ysidro District and Pacheco Pass AVAs. San Ysidro District lies to the east of Gilroy on Highway 152. While the AVA may be small at just 2,340 acres, it is home to two of the largest vineyards in the area. Mistral Vineyard and San Ysidro Vineyard sit side by side to the north of Highway 152.

Mistral is slightly the larger of the two, with 260 acres planted from a total of 375. It is understood to contain mainly Chardonnay and Merlot which is sold to large producers, though there is a small amount of the port grapes Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cao and Tinta Madeira. Until its sale in 2007 the vineyard was owned by Millbrook Wine of New York, through their Pebble Ridge Vineyards subsidiary. (I have yet to determine who the new owners are.) Millbrook also own the highly regarded Williams Selyem winery in Sonoma, who have produced a port-style wine from the vineyard. The San Ysidro Vineyard has around 250 acres planted. A little over half is Pinot Noir with the remainder being Chardonnay and a small amount of Merlot. It is owned by the San Ysidro Corporation, the parent company of United California Citrus.

Further along, just before the 152 meets the 156 is the Dunne Ranch Vineyard, the largest in the AVA. As the road rises towards Pacheco Pass the vineyards are to the right, in the valley below. This 1000 acre ranch is owned by the Blackburn family, who also own the Pietra Santa winery in nearby Cienega Valley, but if you have $20M to spend it's understood to be for sale. Pietra Santa use only a fraction of the fruit; the majority is sold. The vineyard has around 300 acres of Chardonnay, 66 acres of Gewurztraminer and 10 acres of Pinot Gris; this alone makes Chardonnay the most planted variety in the AVA, and also makes Gewurztraminer the second most planted white variety. The western portion of the vineyard lies within the Pacheco Pass AVA. Further still, and also within the Pacheco Pass AVA, lies the San Felipe Vineyard; it covers some 122 acres and is evenly divided into Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. It is also owned by the San Ysidro Corporation.

Between them, these four vineyards account for over 1,000 acres of vines, yet their names rarely appear on any labels. It's understood that much of the Chardonnay goes to large producers such as Kendall Jackson, Au Bon Climat and Beringer; the owners don't like to talk about who their clients are. Some fruit is used by local producers; Storrs, Picchetti and Cronin have all produced Merlot from San Ysidro, and Calera use Chardonnay from the San Ysidro and San Felipe vineyards.

I would be interested in any additional information about any of these vineyards; if you can help please contact me.

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Located off Watsonville Road, Clos LaChance is one of the area's larger wineries. In addition to the 150 acres of estate vineyards the winery installs and manages a number of small Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains through their CK Vines subsidiary, and purchases fruit from Monterey county.

The wines fall into three ranges; the "Hummingbird" series are good value everyday wines, the "Estate" series are more structured and will typically reward cellaring and the "Special Selection" series are small, usually vineyard designated lots. Although the winery is located at the heart of the Santa Clara Valley AVA the wines carry the wider Central Coast appellation.

The winery tasting room is open daily from 11-4:30. There is a $5 tasting fee (not refunded with purchase) which includes at least 5 wines; possibly more depending what happens to be open.

2008 Estate Viognier
Very fragrant; floral with, peaches, apricots, sherbet and wet stone. Crisp yet fruity with peach, mandarin orange and orange pith, and a long, mineral finish. Recommended 91 $22

2007 "Glittering-Throated Emerald" Chardonnay
An unoaked Chardonnay from Scheid Vineyard in Monterey County
Fresh nose of green apple and lemon. On the palate it's crisp and drywith notes of lemon and lime, and some limestone. Dry finish. A little expensive at the $15 RRP, but it was on offer at 30% off in the winery and can often be found at retail under $7. Based on that it's a Value 88 $15

2006 Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains
Attractive nose of vanilla, lemon curd and toast. Made in the buttery style, it's creamy with vanilla and lemon, and a nice mineral finish. Value 90 $20

2007 Charsonnay, Biagini Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains
Lighter on the oak than the 2006 SCM, the nose has lemon, apple and peach. Rich and full bodied with complex, creamy lemon, fig and mineral notes and a long toasty, smoky finish. A knockout. Recommended 93 $35

2007 Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains
2007 seems to be a very good year for Pinot everywhere. This example has a beautiful, fruity nose - cherry, raspberry, clove and nutmeg. Full bodied, with nice cherry and raspberry fruit, a little earthiness and a dry finish. Well balanced. Recommended 91 $30

2005 Estate Cabernet Franc
This will be the last vintage for this wine; in future the small amount of Cabernet Franc grown here will be used for blending.
A perfumed nose, hinting at dark fruits, tobacco, mushrooms and sandalwood. Perhaps a faint touch of volatile acidity. Good structure; flavours of brambles and tobacco, with an earthy finish. 90 $30

2005 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Tart nose of blackcurrant and fresh baked cookies, with a hint of smoke. Quite tannic with good acidity, blackberry and blackcurrant, and a medium length, earthy finish. 90 now with plenty of potential to improve over the next 3-5 years. $40

2006 Estate Grenache
Nose shows redcurrant and vanilla, with a hint of oxidation (poured from a half-empty bottle, presumably opened the day before). Smooth, with bright acidity, simple currant flavours and a quick finish. 83 $30

2006 Lila's Cuvee
An estate Rhone blend. Shows dark, jammy fruits and some oak on the nose. Rich and peppery, with spicy plum and blackberry flavours; well structured, with a good, long finish. 91 with potential. $40

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The disparity between life in Silicon Valley and the Santa Cruz Mountains never ceases to amaze me. As a high-tech flatlander I find it difficult to imagine life without broadband internet, cellphone service and TiVo. Simple things like electricity and fresh running water are just taken as read.

But up in the mountains things are different. Take Dexter and Val Ahlgren for example. They built their wooden cabin on a secluded hillside on Highway 9, outside Boulder Creek. There is no water supply, not even a well; instead they catch rainwater in huge tanks and occasionally have it brought in by tanker. So it's somewhat surprising to realise that this is also the home of Ahlgren Vineyards.

Val Ahlgren was a teacher who began making wine in the garage of their Sunnyvale home in the 1960s out of whatever fruits were available. In the early 1970s Dexter sold his engineering business and the couple purchased their idyllic property. The winery is in the cellar below the house; it was bonded in 1976.

Grapes are sourced primarily from a couple of well known and highly regarded sources; Bates Ranch in the Santa Cruz Mountains and Ventana Vineyard in Monterey County. They also source Zinfandel and Semillon from Livermore and Pinot Noir from the Santa Cruz Mountains. There is a small 1 acre vineyard (with the potential for maybe 5 more acres) which is planted to Pinot Noir; the first successful crop was in 2007, when one barrel was made.

The winery is open to the public on Saturdays from 12-4PM. There is no tasting fee.

2007 Chardonnay, Ventana Vineyard, Monterey County
Nice nose of tropical fruit and caramel. Sweet, creamy flavours of asian pear and pineapple; rich and full bodied with balanced acidity and a long finish. Recommended $27

2004 Merlot, Bates Ranch, Santa Cruz Mountains
Super-ripe, plummy nose leading into sweet, rich, heavy plum fruit and a big finish. Surprising acidity and lack of heat given the 16.2% alcohol. $30

2004 Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains
Sourced from a vineyard near Aptos. Lovely cherry nose, nice fresh cherry flavour and bright acidity. $30

2007 Estate Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains
Unreleased; only 25 cases made. (Will be available to wine club members only.)
Nose of rose petals and ruby grapefruit. Light, fresh flavours of red cherry; good balance, nice tannins. $NA

2002 Syrah, Ventana Vineyard, Monterey County
Black fruit and tobacco on the nose. Dry, tart black cherry and plum with a little white pepper; lots of acidity and good mouthfeel. $15

NV Zinfandel Livermore Valley
2% residual sugar, 16.9% ABV
Spicy raspberry notes with some heat on the nose, but not so evident on the palate. Sweet candied fruit; raspberry and loganberry with a slightly port-like finish. $35

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This weekend was the final - or more accurately latest - assemblage of the 2008 Monte Bello. Right now the individual components are still in barrel; the staff have been evaluating each lot to see whether it should be included in the blend, if it adds or detracts from the whole. It's a difficult job, involving lots of blind tastings and group decisions. Having tasted some of the components in March we now get to see how things are progressing. But before we get to that...

2007 Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains
A decidedly mineral quality to the nose, with candied lemon and vanilla. First sample was too warm and just showed alcohol, the problem with pouring outdoors on a hot day. It's got a nice, rounded mouthfeel and flavours of lemon, melon, guava and wet stone. Quite an oaky finish. Recommended

2008 Monte Bello Barrel Sample
The current blend is 71%Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot. Neither the Cabernet Franc nor the Petite Verdot have made the cut, though in the case of the latter there has been much debate. The winemakers will continue to monitor its evolution and it may yet come around; if it doesn't then this will be the first Monte Bello since 1985 that the blend has only contained two grapes. Not a lot of change since the first assemblage; some additional parcels of Cabernet and Merlot have been added, but the decision was tough.

Nose of violets, plums and blackberries. Flavours of blackberry, plum and tart blackcurrant backed by smoke, meat and pencil shavings, with a hint of mint, eucalyptus and liquorice/anise on the long finish. Good acidity; tannin is evident but not overpowering or puckering. Surprisingly drinkable even now, but has the backbone to be a particularly long-lived vintage. Recommended

Now onto some older vintages. These wines were all decanted and then returned to their bottles prior to pouring.

1999 Monte Bello
72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petite Verdot. 13% ABV
The nose on this seems much older than you might expect; it shows a distinct note of Dijon mustard and a hint of what seemed like oxidation. On the palate it's rounded and quite concentrated, showing brambles, mint, eucalyptus and meat. Though it has good structure it seemed to be significantly more advanced in development of the three; if you hold any of these it would be a good idea to open one to make sure that you're happy with the direction that it's heading.

Note: See my notes on the retasting at Ridge

1997 Monte Bello
85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petite Verdot. 12.9% ABV
The low percentage of Merlot is explained by the fact that in 1997 Ridge bottled a Santa Cruz Mountains Merlot.
Nose of smoked meats and cassis. Rich, smooth and balanced with good acidity. Flavours of blackberry, blackcurrant and cedar leading into a long finish. A lovely wine that's yet to peak. Recommended

1995 Monte Bello
69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petite Verdot.
Lovely rich nose of roast meat, brambles, graphite and notes of blackcurrant and violets. A second sample from a different bottle showed more cedar. Great balance; smooth with a long finish. Far more youthful than the 1999. Recommended

2005 Monte Bello
Rich, spicy berry and slighly floral nose. Great blackberry and blackcurrant flavours backed by smoky, meaty notes and a good long finish. Unsurprisingly it's still very primary, showing the most tannins of all, but still very tasty. Recommended

Then onto some of the other Ridge wines:

2007 East Bench Zinfandel, Dry Creek
8% Petite Sirah. 15.4% ABV.
Nose of raspberries and fresh white mushrooms. On the palate there's lots of raspberry, white pepper and toast. Good, medium length finish. $30

2005 Nervo Zinfandel
4% Petite Sirah, 3% Carignane
A lighter berry nose than the East Bench. Concentrated and meaty with sweet black fruits. A really good Zinfandel. Recommended $33

2005 Lytton Estate Syrah/Grenache
Nose shows earth, bell pepper and black olive. Smooth on the palate, with black fruit, cardamom and orange peel and a savoury finish. $33

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It seems that value Pinot Noirs are like buses; you wait ages for one then a bunch come along together. The 2007 Downhill Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains is a well made Pinot with nice fresh cherry fruit, balanced with light tannins and a clean, fairly short finish. Like the Sarah's Central Coast that I tried recently it's intended for the trade market; it isn't listed on the winery's web site. The only known retail outlet is Johnny's Liquors in downtown Boulder Creek, where it sells for $16. If you spot it on a restaurant wine list it's definitely worth a shot. Value.

Update on June 21st: According to the comments it's sold out at Johnny's, but is in stock nearby at Boulder Creek Liquors for $14.99

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I caught up with Paul and Stef Romero at a distributor tasting event in San Jose. (More notes from that event to follow.) They were pouring their latest releases, including their 2006 Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced mainly from some smaller vineyards that they manage.

2007 Syrah, Eaglepoint Ranch, Mendocino
Having opened the 2005 last weekend; this was a good opportunity to try the other vintages. The 2007 sees a touch more oak than previous vintages; 1/3 as opposed to 1/4
It has a lovely floral nose, with black fruits. On the palate there's good fruit and a big twist of black pepper, particularly on the longish finish. Good acidity, nice balance.

2006 Syrah, Eaglepoint Ranch, Mendocino
A much brighter, fruitier nose than the 2007. On the palate there's more red fruits - redcurrants - than black. Nice finish, but less than the 07. While it's a nice wine, I prefer the 07.

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Uvas Creek Vineyard, Santa Clara Valley
Nose of blackcurrant jam on toast. Great, soft valley fruit - blackberry/blackcurrant, lovely rich mouthfeel and a good medium-length finish.

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains
Lots of mint and eucalyptus on the nose, backed by blackcurrant fruit. These come through on the palate too. The tannins are fine and soft, and the finish is longer than the Uvas. Great stuff.

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Ahlgren
2007 Veranda Vineyard
Floral, rich cherry, good balance. Hint of liquorice on the finish.

Alfaro Family
2006 Lindsey Paige Vineyard
As always, a very structured wine; needs time for the fruit to show.
2007 'A' Estate
Blend of 3 vineyards. A deep, rich wine with flavours of liquorice and good tannins.

Bargetto
2006 Reserve
Earthy, mushroom nose. Lots of dark fruit and bold tannins.

Beauregard
2006 Bald Mountain
From the Ben Lomond Mountain AVA. Savoury, gamey nose. Sweet cherry fruit and a good finish.
2006 Trout Gulch Vineyard
This vineyard was planted in 1982 by the Winemaker Ryan's father, Jim Beauregard. Shows brighter fruit than the Bald Mountain, and a little heat. Good structure.

Big Basin
Bradley Brown produces 2000 cases a year. This is his 6th vintage.
2007 Branciforte Ridge
Good, bright fruit. Nice flavours of black cherry. Good acidity.
2007 Alfaro Family Vineyard
Rich and savoury. Young but showing bright fruit. Little tannic, but less so than the Alfaro wines. Very nice.

Black Ridge
2006 Estate
A big, rich wine with good balance.
2007 Estate
Nice earthy, herbal nose. Long, tannic finish. Needs a couple of years.

Burrell School
2005 Estate
Nose shows bright cherries and nutmeg. Earthy with a tannic finish.
2006 Estate
Some pear drops on the nose. Bright cherry fruit; decent acidity and tannins. Oak shows on the finish.

Byington
2006 Santa Cruz Mountains
Good balance. Plenty of dark fruit. Finishes with a tarry, smoky note.

Cinnabar
2006 Santa Cruz Mountains
Earthy, with mushrooms backed by good cherry fruit.
2007 Santa Cruz Mountains
Not yet released. Fruity nose. Rich flavours of caramel, cherry and coffee.

Clos LaChance
2006 Santa Cruz Mountains
Nice cherry fruit; good balance
2005 Biagini Vineyard
Nice "funky" nose. Rich, concentrated fruit. Smooth finish.

Clos Tita
2005 Santa Cruz Mountains Cuvee
Barnyard on the nose. Rich and full. Earthy/loamy with hints of violets and peppery spice. Long finish.
2005 Estate
Lots of acidity. Flavours of black cherry and liquorice. Long, tannic finish.

Domenico
2008 Santa Cruz Mountains barrel sample
Very primary. Notes of lavendar and violets. Medium bodied; good acidity
2007 Santa Cruz Mountains barrel sample
Clearly more evolved than the 08, but still showing bright acidity. A bit more structure and less fruit.
2006 Santa Cruz Mountains
Earthy, with notes of wild strawberries and cherries. Nice acidity.

Hallcrest
2005 Terra Serena Vineyard
This Corralitos vineyard has gone by many names including Matteson, Ciardella and Woodruff.
Odd nose; hints of ginger and aldehyde. Full bodied; chocolate notes. Lot of tannin.
2006 Vista del Mare Vineyard
Pear drops on the nose. Full bodied with lush cherry fruit.

Heart O' The Mountain
2006 Estate
A big, rich, structured wine. Hints of barnyard, mushroom and loam. Good cherry fruit.

Hunter Hill
2007 Estate
Lots of oak on the nose. Smooth cherry flavours. What it lacks in acidity it makes up for in tannins.

King's Mountain
2005 Estate
A spicy nose with hints of nutmeg and clove. Rich and earthy with chocolate and cherry notes. Coffee on the finish.

Loma Prieta
2005 Saveria Vineyard
Deep colour. A tight, heavy wine with lots of tannin slowly revealing some nice cherry fruit.
2006 Saveria Vineyard
A much lighter colour than the 05. Lots of espresso coffee; fruit is in the background.

McHenry
At under $30, the McHenrys makes some of the best value Pinot in the region.
2005 Estate
Bright, floral nose. Soft with rich fruit and a long finish.
2006 Estate "Swan Clone"
Similar, showing more dark fruit at this stage than the 05.

Mount Eden
What can you say about Mount Eden? Jeffrey Patterson consistently produces some of the best Pinots in the country.
2005 Estate
Beautiful perfumed nose. A rich, concentrated wine with lots of fruit.
2006 Estate
More barnyard 'funk' on the nose than the 05. Good structure and acidity. More earth, less fruit on the palate.

Muccigrosso
2005
Earthy 'funk' on the nose with notes of cola. Sweet black fruit and a long finish.
2006
Rich and full, with deep fruit flavours and cedar notes.

Nicholson
Did not taste

Pelican Ranch
Did not taste

Pleasant Valley
2006 sees the launch of two additional Pinots from the nearby Lester Family (formerly Deer Park) Vineyard. The wines are from two distinct blocks within the vineyard, which are planted with different Pinot clones, and were vinified and bottled separately (though you have to look closely as the labels are very similar). Initially just 75 cases were produced, increasing to 250 cases in 2008.
2005 Dylan David Estate
Complex, floral nose. Rich, concentrated cherry fruit and a long finish
2006 Dylan David Lester Family Vineyard, Willa Louise's Block
Dijon 667 clone. Bright strawberry nose. Sweet cherry fruit on the palate.
2006 Dylan David Lester Family Vineyard, Thelma Henrietta’s Block
Dijon 115 clone. Savoury nose. Rich, with a long, tannic finish.
It was interesting to compare these side by side. These are the best young wines I've tasted from Deer Park.

Roudon-Smith
Tasted; no note.

Santa Cruz Mountains Vineyard
Since taking over at SCMV, Jeff Emery has introduced a subtle stylistic change. He's trying to make the wines more accessible when young; less tannic and acidic, but hopefully without sacrificing their ageworthiness. As a result his 2005 Branciforte was named one of the SF Chronicle's top 100m wines last year.
2005 Branciforte Creek
A big, earthy, spicy wine. Nicely balanced with good acidity. Tastes good now, will get better.
2005 Bailey's
Earthy with big cherry fruit flavours and a great finish.

Sarah's Vineyard
Did not taste.

Silver Mountain
2005 Miller Hill
Berry/strawberry notes. Good acidity; mineral finish.
2006 Miller Hill
Alison loved this. Soft and fruity - she described it as "Cherry, cherry and cherry". Notes of pepper on the finish.
2006 Muns Vineyard
Much more structured and darker cherry/fruit flavours.

Sonnet
2006 Muns Vineyard
Lots of tannin. Good acidity, nice mouthfeel, but needs time to unwind.
2007 Muns Vineyard
Showed more cherry fruit at this stage than the 06 did. Hints of nutmeg, still plenty of tannin.

Soquel
2007 Saveria Vineyard
A rich, full, fruity wine. Decent structure and a long finish with cedar notes.

Storrs
2006 Santa Cruz Mountains
Very spicy and peppery. Nice cherry flavours and good acidity.
2006 Wildcat Ridge
Again, spicy with rich fruiot flavours, notes of cedar and cola. Good finish.

Thomas Fogarty
Did not taste

Trout Gulch
Did Not Taste

Vine Hill
Did not taste

Windy Oaks
2006 Wild Yeast
Elusive but beautiful nose. Cherry fruit with violet, lavender and earthy notes. Great structure. One of my favourites.
2006 Diane's Block
Tasted; no note.

Woodside
2005 Estate
Savoury, meaty nose. Deep, rich and concentrated flavours, with a long finish showing hints of truffle.
2006 Estate
Much more forward than the 2005. Lots of sweet cherry fruit.

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Last Sunday was the 5th annual Pinot Paradise, the opportunity to sample almost every Pinot Noir producer in the Santa Cruz Mountains. (Though while it might be possible to try all of them in theory, I've yet to manage it.)

The event is held at Villa Ragusa in downtown Campbell. It's a nice, big venue, easy to reach and ample parking nearby. It doesn't get too crowded, though the $20 extra for the VIP session from 1:00-2:00 is money well spent even if you don't do the official tasting tour, since you get free run of the place.

I'll raise my minor complaints first to get them out of the way; there's not enough space in the program to write tasting notes, though granted most people who are serious about taking notes will have brought their own notebook. There weren't enough spittoons , which meant that you were constantly having to squeeze past people. Last year I thought that plastic Dixie cups were provided, which helped. And finally there really needs to be water jugs (not iced) on each of the pouring tables.

On to the tasting. Lots of people pouring multiple vintages, which gives a good opportunity to compare. Generally the 2006 vintages seems to be showing more fruit at this stage; the 2005s more structure. The 2007s mostly seemed young and tight.

Big Basin was the only new winery from last year. Testarossa were not listed and I didn't find Trout Gulch or Vine Hill. I'll post the tasting notes later in the week once I've had chance to write them up.

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On a slope overlooking Lexington Reservoir sits the 70 acre Black Ridge estate. Grapes were grown on the site before Prohibition; it later became a prune farm and more recently grew Christmas trees.

The site has great views of the Santa Cruz Mountains and downtown San Jose. Several impressive buildings have been erected, including one which may house the winery that is still under construction.

Beginning in 2000 owners Fred Faltersack and Jim Landes began planting vines. Around 22 acres are planted, with 11 different varieties. The first vintage was produced in 2005 by Jeffrey Patterson of Mount Eden Vineyards; subsequent vintages have been made by Bill Brosseau at Testarossa. All wines use 100% estate fruit

2007 Viognier
The only white currently produced, it has a lovely fresh fruity/floral nose, with apricots and canteloupe. Flavour soft pear and vanilla with a rich, creamy mouthfeel and a crisp, oaky finish.

2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
Smoky, brambly nose. Plenty of acidity and tannin, but the fruit seemed a bit muted.

2006 San Andreas Red
69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
Bright, fruity nose showing redcurrant. Good balance, with plum and blackberry flavours. Tannins on the finish seemed a little harsh.

2006 Cabernet Franc
Nice tobacco and cedar notes backed by blackcurrant and blueberries. Rich, well structured. Dry, tannic finish.

Also on offer were barrel samples of a 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, made by assistant winemaker Ashley DuBois. A sample from neutral oak showed bright, pure brambly fruit with a rich, smooth finish. The sample from new French oak added notes of caramel and coffee, while the fruit remained pure and focused. This looks like being an excellent debut release for Ashley.

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The Santa Cruz Mountains has many winemakers who are enjoying a second successful career. Unlike most of them, Frank Ashton isn't a high-tech refugee. Instead he ran a specialty retail business for over 20 years before selling the company and taking on the role of general manager and winemaker at Byington Winery.

Not content with that, Frank has launched a side project of his own: Downhill Winery. The wines are made in Byington's facility and are occasionally available to taste there. I got a notification of two new releases, so went over to try them.

2008 Torrontés, California
The fruit is sourced from a small vineyard in Lodi whose owner has an interest in unusual varietals. Torrontés is a grape that is popular in Argentina and is believed to be related to Malvasia and to a similarly named grape found in Galicia, in Spain.
On first impression it resembles Viognier, having a fresh, floral nose with hints of peach. But on the palate it's closer to a Sauvignon Blanc, or possibly Gewurztraminer, with clean, fresh fruit and a hint of spice. The use of neutral oak rather than steel has given a rounded mouthfeel.

2008 Rosé of Barbera, California
A light, crisp summer rosé. Nose of wild strawberries. Bone dry, with flavours of fresh dough and a nutty finish.

2007 Chardonnay, Sleepy Hollow Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands.
A remarkably fresh Chardonnay, made with only 20% new oak and 50% malolactic. A crisp wine with good mouthfeel and nice apple and tropical fruit flavours. Great value; wines from Sleepy Hollow typically retail for at least $10 more.

2007 "Alessia" Barbera
While I'm not ordinarily that keen on Italian varietals, this is a nice wine. The earthy nose also shows smoked meats; the rich palate has currant fruit and more smoke with a round finish. Good acidity, light tannins.

2006 Pinot Noir, Peter Martin Ray Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains
The Peter Martin Ray vineyard used to be part of "Rusty" Ray's property. While most of the estate (considered by some to be one of the finest Pinot Noir vineyards outside Burgundy) is now Mount Eden, the family retained a small parcel.
Light in colour it appeared to be already showing some bricking (though the lighting didn't help). A beautiful perfumed nose, hinting at roses and cinnamon. Rich mouthfeel with good cherry flavours and a good, longish finish.

2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Giuliani Vineyard, Yountville, Napa Valley
Good fruity nose, with some traces of tobacco and mint. Nice blackcurrant flavours and a touch of coffee. A wine that can easily stand up to more expensive Napa brands.

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