For a while the wine world talked about New California—the wave of new producers like Arnot-Roberts, Cruse, and Donkey & Goat, that made wines of finesse and drinkability—in contrast to the point-seeking monsters of the... Read More

For a while the wine world talked about New California—the wave of new producers like Arnot-Roberts, Cruse, and Donkey & Goat, that made wines of finesse and drinkability—in contrast to the point-seeking monsters of the Parker era. But critics were quick to dispute the "New" designation, because California had a long history of making elegant wines. They pointed to famous producers like Ridge, Mayacamas and Heitz.

Those names are well known. Here is one that may be new to you: Santa Cruz Mountain Winery.

The Napa Valley is California's most famous wine region, but many think that the greatest terroir is actually in Santa Cruz. Here you have a range of altitudes, a complex mix of soils, and a strong ocean breeze. On the western, ocean-facing side, you have particularly cool sites perfect for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Facing the Silicon Valley, you have warmer sites that are capable—just—of ripening Bordeaux varieties. Anyone who has tasted Ridge's Monte Bello or Rhys's top Pinots knows the sub-region's great potential.

Several years ago we stumbled upon some Pinot Noirs made by the winery in the 1970s, mixed in with some better-known wines that we had acquired. We started reading and were amazed to discover tasting notes on their website of Pinots going back to 1975. They noted that the wines could need up to 30 years of cellaring, and that Frenchmen confused them with the great wines of Burgundy. Really?

So we tasted, and were stunned. These were 30- to 40-year-old Pinots that had aged better than 90% of Burgundies from the same era. We had questions. What happened to this winery? Did they still make wines? Why has no one heard of them? Can we get more?

It took a few years, but everything has come together. The winery, of course, is still around, and they visited our shop and we tasted some wine. The line-up was brilliant, and exactly in the style we imagined. These were Old examples of New California, elegant wines of balance and finesse that promised drinkability and pleasure in their youth, but also longevity and complexity for the patient.