Mount Eden Vineyards

If you were around the shop last week, then you may have caught a wine tasting that we were doing on Friday evening, with Mount Eden Vineyards! Everyone who came by to try it thought it was a hit, so we thought that we would let you know a little bit about the vineyard and their story!

Billed as one of the original boutique California wineries, Mount Eden Vineyards is a small but historic estate that is located about 50 miles south of San Francisco. It sits about 2000 feet high, overlooking Silicon Valley. The Vineyard has a history of focusing on small lots of Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Mount Eden’s lineage of estate bottled Chardonnay and Pinot Noir is the longest in California. Jeffery Patterson has led the winemaking operations at the Vineyard since 1981, and his emphasis is said to have been placed more on wine growing as opposed to wine making. In 2007 Mount Eden acquired an additional 55 acre wine estate in the Saratoga foothills, which was christened Domaine Eden. We tasted both Mount Eden and Domaine Eden wines at the store last Friday, and both were a hit!

Estate Chardonnay Profile: “The full-bodied Estate Chardonnay displays fine underlying acidity and a long finish. Hints of cardamom, anise and hazelnut add interest to the core lemon, mineral flavors. Of all Mount Eden’s estate-grown wines, the Chardonnay is most in need of further bottle aging at release, requiring an additional two to four years to fully reveal its true character. Many vintages are still fresh and enjoyable after fifteen years, explaining why Mount Eden Estate Chardonnay is considered one of California’s longest-lived white wines.”

Estate Pinot Noir Profile: “Due to the soils in the vineyard, the Estate Pinot Noirs’ elegant, transparent style is more Burgundian than Californian, emphasizing wild strawberry, earth, blueberry and dill varietal characters. Cellaring the wine from five to twelve years pays handsome rewards.”

Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Profile: “Mount Eden Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is a Bordeaux-style blend of approximately 75% Cabernet, 22% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, although the cepage varies by vintage. This high mountain, cool coastal vineyard is an unusual site for California Cabernet Sauvignon, reflecting its refreshing acidity and moderate alcohol. Fine integrated tannins buttress characteristic flavors of red currant, blackberry and earth. Recommended cellaring is ten to fifteen years.”