New Release and past vintages of Mount Eden Vineyards

“Mount Eden’s combination of approachability and ageability is nearly constant”

Wine Advocate’s Matthew Luczy

“For decades Mount Eden has been doing something highly unusual for a California boutique winery: making brilliant, long-lived Burgundian-style Chardonnays and graceful Pinot Noirs from its own vineyards, but also stunning, sinewy estate Cabernet Sauvignons that have Bordeaux-like ageability”

– Decanter

We are thrilled to offer you not only the new release of the 2020 vintage of California’s Mount Eden today, but also some fantastic lines from past vintages. Planted in the 1940s this is one of Santa Cruz’s Mountains oldest vineyards (with the Cabernet Sauvignon vines rumored to be propagated from Chateau Margaux cuttings from the 1890s).

For the Wine advocate Matthew Luczy, “few California wineries can boast the longevity and consistency of Mount Eden, let alone pass it on to consumers for reasonable prices”.  Decanter also highlights Mount Eden’s value by saying that “Mount Eden remains under the radar compared with many much-hyped Napa and Sonoma wineries, despite wines that are much better value”.

With praise like this and having even been served at the most recent royal weddings wedding reception, Mount Eden is an unmissable addition to collectors’ and drinkers’ cellars and tables. There is also barely anything of past vintages in the market, making this a fantastic opportunity for buyers to get their hands on some.

Highlights of the selection here include the 96+ scoring 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, which Luczy describes as being “a definitive example of the quality and complexity attained at this property”. Also included is the 2018 cabernet Sauvignon, which scores 95 points and is “a lovely, age-worthy expression of the Santa Cruz Mountains”.

The 2018 and 2014 Chardonnays are also on the list, both scoring 94 points each. The 2014 is said by Luczy to combine “a flashy, nearly flamboyant nose with a linear, precise structure” while the 2018 “ admirably balances oak-influenced richness with the vibrancy and clarity this property is historically known for”.

With 2020 being an incredibly difficult vintage, Luczy points out that the 2020 Pinot Noir is still “an impressive showing from a difficult vintage where it was nearly impossible to win”. The 2020 Chardonnay meanwhile, still scores 91 points with Luczy calling it a “solid effort considering the immense challenges of the vintage”.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you would like to order any of the below cases:

2020 Mount Eden Vineyards Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir

£588 per case (12*75cl OC) in bond – 10 cases available

 89 points Matthew Luczy

“The 2020 Pinot Noir Estate leads with aromas of roasted coffee grounds and black tea melded with faint traces of smoke due to the conditions at harvest. The palate is svelte and impressively pretty, propped up with balancing acidity and mellow tannins. The finish is savory but short, taking on herbal qualities with aeration. While I cannot say that this wine is entirely sound, it is an impressive showing from a difficult vintage where it was nearly impossible to win.”

2020 Mount Eden Vineyards Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay

£550 per case (12*75cl OC) in bond – 26 cases available

 91 points Matthew Luczy

“The 2020 Chardonnay Estate is ripe and tropical on the nose, displaying its new oak élevage with aromas of mango, papaya, crushed stones, toffee and crème brûlée. The palate is glossy and round before livening up on the finish, which wraps around a subtle but consistent core of acidity. This is a solid effort considering the immense challenges of the vintage.”

2018 Mount Eden Vineyards Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon

£904 per case (12*75cl OC) in bond – 10 cases available

 95 points Matthew Luczy

“The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is a prime example of the transparency provided by this vintage throughout California. The nose is a beautifully balanced mixture of mulberry, redcurrant, pumice and charred herbs. The palate displays classic Mount Eden elegance and bristles with soft but persistent acidity. The finish is bracing, tannic and chewy, with a tight core of dark fruits gaining intensity in the glass. A lovely, age-worthy expression of the Santa Cruz Mountains.”

2018 Mount Eden Vineyards Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay

£516 per case (12*75cl OC) in bond – 6 cases available

 94 points Matthew Luczy

“The 2018 Chardonnay Estate admirably balances oak-influenced richness with the vibrancy and clarity this property is historically known for. The nose leads with intense aromas of caramel, butterscotch, citrus oil and pineapple rind balanced with a streak of herbal energy. The palate is weighty and forward but retains succulent, tangy acidity with great length on the finish. This should continue to develop further complexity in the cellar over the next decade.”

2014 Mount Eden Vineyards Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay

£633 per case (12*75cl OC) in bond – 2 cases available

 94 points Matthew Luczy

“Coming from an extreme drought vintage with minuscule yields, the 2014 Chardonnay Estate combines a flashy, nearly flamboyant nose with a linear, precise structure. Aromas of yellow apple, Asian pear, chalk dust and smoke waft from the glass. The texture features substantial mid-palate concentration propped up by quenching streaks of acidity that propel the finish of crushed stones and baking spices. Extended aeration congeals the split personality of this wine, making for one of the more fascinating vintages in the modern era of Mount Eden.”

2013 Mount Eden Vineyards Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon

£994 per case (12*75cl OC) in bond – 1 cases available

 96+ points Matthew Luczy

“Barely peering out of its primary stage, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is a definitive example of the quality and complexity attained at this property. It has a knockout nose with intense, explosive aromas of pencil shavings, graphite, autumn leaves, black fruit compote and wet moss. The palate is velvety, ripe and multidimensional with impressive width and length. Its youthfulness is evidenced in the persistent and commanding tannin structure, which is still quite drying and granular. This is a classic vintage for Mount Eden that should drink confidently for several decades.”

Offered subject to final confirmation and remaining unsold. Available in the UK in 2-4 weeks except the 2020 which is available early next year. Offer expires 18th October 2024.