Food & Wine USA - (04)April 2020

64 APRIL 2020

B

O

T

T

L

E

S

E

R

V

IC

E

ONE OF THE ABIDING MYSTERIES of Cali-

fornia wine is why more people don’t

know about—and therefore love—the

Santa Cruz Mountains wine region.

Part of the explanation may be that it’s

small, with only about 1,600 acres of

vines (Napa Valley has 46,000); part of

it may be its divided nature, since the

region lies on both sides of the San Fran-

cisco Peninsula ridge of the Pacific Coast

Ranges (it was, in fact, the first American

Viticultural Area, or AVA, to be defined

by a mountain range). Yet right now

it’s producing some of the state’s best

Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, as well as

several benchmark Cabernets—unlikely

bedfellows but for the dramatic varia-

tions in climate and soil here. And the

region is also beautiful, with wineries

tucked away amidst conifers and oaks

and, on the western side, often graced

with stunning views of the Pacific. You

owe it to yourself to investigate.

California’s Best-

Kept Secret

Never had a wine

from the Santa

Cruz Mountains?

Now’s the time.

CHARDONNAY

2016 DOMAINE EDEN

SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS

CHARDONNAY ($32)

Jeffrey Patterson’s deft

touch shows through in this

lightly toasty, savory white.

If you enjoy it, next time

splurge on his famed Mount

Eden Estate Chardonnay,

one of California’s greatest.

2017 MINDEGO RIDGE

SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS

CHARDONNAY ($48)

From a small vineyard on the

Santa Cruz side of the appel-

lation, Mindego Ridge makes

top-notch Pinot Noir and

Chardonnay. This white’s

light lime notes float above

creamy golden-apple fruit.

2016 RHYS VINEYARDS

HORSESHOE VINEYARD

SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS

CHARDONNAY ($79)

Rhys has, in a short time,

become a California super-

star. This delicate yet intense

white reveals why, its com-

plex flavors shot through

with stony minerality.

PINOT NOIR

2016 THOMAS FOGARTY

SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS

PINOT NOIR ($38)

This longtime Santa Cruz

Mountains producer offers

remarkable levels of quality

across its entire line. For a

good introduction, check out

this fragrant, black cherry–

rich, lightly savory red.

2018 SANTE ARCANGELI

SPLIT RAIL VINEYARD

PINOT NOIR ($49)

The Split Rail Vineyard is

a mere five miles from the

Pacific. That coastal proxim-

ity lends a silky elegance to

this transparent ruby Pinot,

while a touch of oak adds a

spicy top note to its flavors.

2017 BIG BASIN ALFARO

FAMILY VINEYARD PINOT

NOIR ($60)

Big Basin made its name

with Syrah, but winemaker

Bradley Brown makes excel-

lent Pinots as well, among

them this garnet-hued wine,

full of raspberry, rhubarb,

and spicy flavors.

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

2016 RIDGE ESTATE

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

($65)

Ridge’s Monte Bello Cab-

ernet is a California bench-

mark, but don’t overlook the

winery’s excellent estate

Cabernet. Dark currants and

cassis, cola and mint—it’s

both complex and delicious.

2016 VÖCAL BATES

RANCH SANTA CRUZ

MOUNTAINS CABERNET

SAUVIGNON ($65)

Ex-sommelier Ted Glennon

makes wines that express

the “sommelier style”—less

fruity, less alcohol and oak.

Here, that’s tart red cherries

and savory tobacco notes.

2015 KATHRYN KENNEDY

ESTATE CABERNET

SAUVIGNON ($285)

The late Kathryn Kennedy

planted her vineyard in 1973;

her son Marty Mathis has

made the wines—like this

utterly beguiling, tobacco-

scented, red currant–rich

Cabernet—since 1981.

FW_0420_BottleService.indd 64 FINAL CONTENT 2/19/20 11:08 AM