Mount Eden Vineyard

Santa Cruz Mountains AVA

Owners: Jeffrey Patterson Manager: Jeffrey Patterson Size: 40 acres Varietals: Pinot Noir (7 acres), Chardonnay (20 acres), Cabernet Sauvignon (13 acres), Merlot, Cabernet Franc First Planted: 1942 Age of vines: Varies. Replanting began in 1984 Location: Above Saratoga, 15 miles west of the pacific ocean.

Mount Eden vineyard was originally planted in 1942 by Rusty Ray. The Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines were sourced from the Paul Masson vineyard and were grafted to native rootstock. In 1975 Merry Edwards selected various Pinot cuttings and sent them to U.C. Davis for heat treatment (to remove virus) and propagation. This field selection became UCD clone 37, known as the Mount Eden clone and is used in several vineyards throughout California. According to Ray's biography the Cabernet was sourced from Emmett Rixford's La Questa vineyard in Woodside, though this claim has been questioned.

In 1984 the current owner Jeffrey Patterson began a programme of replanting, since the vines were old and heavily virused. As well as the Mount Eden clone he selected seven others; Dijon clones 115, 667, 777, and 828, Winery Lake, Swan and Calera. The replanting was completed in 1998, and the last wine made from the original vines was a limited release in 1997.

The vines are dry farmed.

Note that the Peter Martin Ray Vineyardwas also planted by Rusty Ray, though at a later date, and is believed to still contain the original vines.