Notes from Mount Eden Vineyards:

"The heritage of Mount Eden Cabernet Sauvignon dates back to the 1890s, when the famed viticulturist Emmett Rixford of Woodside, California, obtained selected cuttings from Chateau Margaux in Bordeaux, France. Rixford planted his famous La Questa Vineyard with these selections, in the same proportions as found at Margaux.

In the late 1940s Martin Ray planted his first Cabernet vineyard with cuttings from the La Questa Vineyard. The present-day Estate Cabernet Sauvignon vines were planted in the early 1980s using cuttings taken from these vines. Yields are low, typically one to two tons per acre. Soils are very thin (1-12 inches), with a dominant base of Franciscan shale. The climate is cool, especially for Cabernet, and influenced by the vineyard’s altitude and its proximity to San Francisco bay and the Pacific Ocean. The vines are trellised in a modern fashion, which allows for a more uniform ripening. The vineyard also contains small blocks of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Many people don’t know, but Mount Eden’s place in the world of California Cabernet is unique. Surrounded by miles of rugged forest, our vineyards are an island on the mountaintop.

Originally planted in the early 1950s, our Cabernet Vineyards are the longest producing Cabernet vineyards at elevation in any coastal appellation. The combination of our cool coastal climate and mountain soils produce a wine like no other in California.

2017 was a fabulous year for our estate. Generous winter rainfall allowed our vineyards to recover from the previous drought years. The crop size was average, and the weather at the final stages of ripening was comfortably cool.

Aromas of pine forest, black currant, sage, and vanilla abound. The flavors are saturated with blackberry and currant, complexed with difficult to describe earth notes. The structure is firm, as to be expected of our current forty-year-old, dry-farmed vines, yet balanced. The soft tannins complement the power of the wine"