Most Underrated AVA in California

[M_Dildine]

@Dan Kravitz

Santa Cruz Mountains has the most votes and no comments.

OK, so I’ll say it’s the best Appellation in California, not just the most underrated.

OK, you don’t agree.

I agree.

[Tim_Telli]

@Ian Brand

Larry
Chalone Estate ~280
Brosseau I think is 25-30
Rodnick (nee Antle, nee Graff) 20 ish
Michaud is 30-40 I think
Boer, Graff, Naylor about 10 between the three

Total: 370 acres +/-. Not large in acreage, but it bears saying that the top end of Chalone is on par with probably anything else on the west coast excepting Monte Bello in my experience in the winery and in the glass, so it’s not really size that matters.

Ian

One way of looking at it is that the To-Kalon vineyard has more planted acres than the entire Chalone AVA!

Chalone is easily the most isolated and least visited of these AVA’s. The only people who might pass through the area are on their way to the Pinnacles NP, as there is pretty much nothing else out there.

[Dave_McCloskey]

@Nick.G

My Vote is for Santa Lucia Highlands, Pinot Noir is phenomenal!

Check out @chicago.wine.dude on Instagram for more about underrated wineries across the U.S.

That’s the AVA I voted for in this poll.

[Peter_Shurman]

underrated and under the radar … Sierra Foothills …

[Frank_Murray_III]

I voted for Chalone, as I really dig the Copain Brosseau syrah that has been a part of my cellar now for almost 10 years. That wine for me rings true for everything I dig about syrah.

I do have a special fondness for SLH syrah, and have enjoyed Rosella’s and Susan’s Hill for going on close to 15 years now but I know the area gets attention, not though like Chalone deserves.

[Drew_Goin]

One recently read article on Santa Clara County winemaking/grape growing:

• “Wine story: Oldest wine region in California is here in South County” by Marty Cheek (2014)

Wine story: Oldest wine region in California is here in South County - Morgan...

[Drew_Goin]

Upping the Antle in Chalone

Chalone: Monterey County's unlikely appellation

[JohnP]

Sierra Foothills - Syrah
Santa Lucia Highlands - best Pinot QPR in CA

[Craig_G]

@larry schaffer

I would not recommend my own wines

That’s unexpected, but thanks for the tip.

[JohnP]

@Peter Shurman

underrated and under the radar … Sierra Foothills …

Totally agree! The Syrah coming out of Auburn (ex Pruett) can compete with any Syrah in CA. Once more money and wine experience come to these hills, there will be a gold rush!

[Sean_Devaney]

@Dan Kravitz

Santa Cruz Mountains has the most votes and no comments.

OK, so I’ll say it’s the best Appellation in California, not just the most underrated.

OK, you don’t agree.

So please do a blind tasting of 20 - 40 year old Cabernet Sauvignon from Mount Eden and/or Monte Bello against any other California Cabs.

So please also do a blind tasting of 10 - 30 year old Chardonnay from Mount Eden and/or Monte Bello against any other California Chards.

And those two are not the only producers to try. Just the easiest to find.

Dan Kravitz

I would also throw in Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard Bates Ranch cab and Ahlgren (RIP) Bates Ranch cab as wines that age great.

Oh and Kathryn Kennedy Winery for fantastic cab that ages beautifully.

[Dan_Kravitz]

Sean,

A big ‘plus 1’ on the Bates Ranch Cabs from Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard and Ahlgren…

I had (and IIRC posted on) a 1979 from SCMV about a month ago, cost me (again IIRC) $165 from a restaurant list, a place that bought it on release and cellared it at 50 degrees. Very great wine.

Silver Mountain Vineyard is now also making Bates Ranch Cabernet, fully worthy, reasonable priced (especially compared to anything out of Napa Valley) and available.

The only reason I didn’t mention these in the first place was because Ridge and Mount Eden are the most easily found of all of the Santa Cruz Mountain producers.

And I’ll be posting soon on a couple of Mount Eden Chardonnays I enjoyed over the weekend.

Dan Kravitz

[M_Dildine]

An AVA with Rhys, Ridge and Mount Eden is hard to miss! It is well appreciated.

[Peter_Simpson]

@M. Dildine

An AVA with Rhys, Ridge and Mount Eden is hard to miss! It is well appreciated.

But not underrated.

I still don’t understand how world class Cabernet and world class Pinot can be grown at vineyards only two miles apart. Are the SCM the only place in the world where this happens?

[T_Welch]

@Peter Simpson

@M. Dildine

An AVA with Rhys, Ridge and Mount Eden is hard to miss! It is well appreciated.

But not underrated.

I still don’t understand how world class Cabernet and world class Pinot can be grown at vineyards only two miles apart. Are the SCM the only place in the world where this happens?

Different tectonic plates?

[M_Dildine]

@Peter Simpson

@M. Dildine

An AVA with Rhys, Ridge and Mount Eden is hard to miss! It is well appreciated.

But not underrated.

I still don’t understand how world class Cabernet and world class Pinot can be grown at vineyards only two miles apart. Are the SCM the only place in the world where this happens?

This is pretty amazing. The two properties are within eyesight of one another.

[Peter_Simpson]

@M. Dildine

This is pretty amazing. The two properties are within eyesight of one another.

And they are at the same elevation. I’m guessing the difference has to be how soon the fog burns off or rolls in, maybe Kevin Harvey can shed some light?

[Kevin_Harvey]

@Peter Simpson

@M. Dildine

This is pretty amazing. The two properties are within eyesight of one another.

And they are at the same elevation. I’m guessing the difference has to be how soon the fog burns off or rolls in, maybe Kevin Harvey can shed some light?

Peter,
Monte Bello is about 2 miles further from the ocean than our Skyline vineyard. To put that in perspective, the difference in annual mean temperature between Bordeaux and Burgundy is about 1C degree through the growing season.

[Sean_Devaney]

Another SCM Cab producer to look out for is House Family Vineyards. Their estate vineyard is between Mount Eden and Kathryn Kennedy. Jeffery Patterson is the consulting wine maker. Really great Cabs that I’m sure will age well.

[Dan_Kravitz]

Thanks to Kevin for the reply. I don’t think it’s an overstatement to say that he knows as much about this as anybody.

Elevation, distance from the ocean, soil, aspect… there are vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains that from elevation and ocean distance would seem to be warmer, but are sheltered from the sun, thus cooler. Others that are higher and closer to the ocean but exposed to long hours of sun might be warmer. There are soils that absorb heat, soils that reflect heat. It really is a fantastically complex patchwork of microclimates and terroirs. I am so glad that Masson, Ray, Bennion, Draper, Patterson, now Kevin Harvey and countless others have done and are doing the amazingly hard work it takes to make wine here.

Notes to follow soon on last weekend’s wines, including '07 Mount Eden Saratoga Chardonnay and '05 Mount Eden Estate Chardonnay. I needed something to accompany the lobsters.

Dan Kravitz