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This stunning bottle of Chardonnay under our Anonymous Wine Collective label really captures the complex terroir of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The wine comes from two unique vineyard sites in very different sub-regions of the AVA, each contributing a distinct character to the finished blend. One vineyard is extremely coastal, sitting just a few miles from Monterey Bay and receiving daily fog along with consistent cooling winds off the ocean. Sandy soils and a long, slow growing season produce a bright, focused style of Chardonnay with wonderful verve, vibrant acidity, and a distinctly saline mineral character. The second vineyard sits on the opposite side of the mountain range, looking down toward Silicon Valley. Here, a warmer climate and rocky Franciscan shale soils yield a more powerful, structured expression of Chardonnay, with greater depth and breadth. The two components complement each other beautifully, creating a layered, complete wine where the sum is truly greater than its parts. The coastal site brings freshness, energy, and salinity, while the warmer mountain site adds weight, structure, and complexity. Together they form a compelling expression of the remarkable diversity found within the Santa Cruz Mountains. The finished wine was aged for 10 months in mostly seasoned French oak barrels (just 20% new oak) and 10% of the wine was fermented and aged in concrete egg.

Ridge made a Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet from 1978 through the late 1980s, before changing the naming to ‘Estate.’ With the 2023 vintage, Ridge had the opportunity to purchase fruit from along Montebello Road, as well as other sites throughout the Santa Cruz AVA. Made just like all the Ridge wines. The well-known Monte Bello structure leaps out at you, taut and lean, salty, but backed by ample cherry fruit and a touch of oak spice. This wine has concentrated and dark fruit, Bright and spicy, a mountain Cabernet through and through. There’s an approachability here, and that is the role of this Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet in the library of ageable Ridge wines. Elegance married to approachability. (CP)

Bid on this 3-bottle lot of 2016 Ridge Vineyards "Monte Bello" Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon (100VN, 98IWR, 97JD, 96RP, 96W&S, 96WS, 95DC, 95JS). Vinous: "The 2016 Monte Bello is a masterful expression of this lauded site in the Santa Cruz Mountains. It’s powerful, broad and infinitely layered, but it also possesses an incredibly finessed tannin structure that speaks clearly and forcefully but yields dutifully. Saturated blueberry, gravel, eucalyptus, charcoal, cedar and India ink build gradually and steadily through the long and sizzling finish. Just beginning to soften and develop beyond the primary stage, it wouldn’t be a crime to open a bottle now, but this has many, many lives left to live and should be even better (if you can fathom) in a few more years. This is what Monte Bello is all about. (BN)" (09/2024)

Bid on this 3-bottle lot of 2019 Ridge Vineyards "Monte Bello" Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon (99JS, 98DC, 98VN, 97RP, 95JD, 95WE, 95WS). James Suckling: "This is a very powerful Monte Bello with currants and blackberry, black licorice and smoked meat. Mint. Some sesame seed, too. It's full-bodied with incredible darkness and saltiness like volcanic salt. Umami. Grilled seaweed. Flavorful and captivating. It goes on for minutes. " (09/2022)

Bid on this 3-bottle lot of 2017 Ridge Vineyards "Monte Bello" Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon (100JD, 100RP, 99JS, 98W&S, 97VN, 96WS, 95WE, 94CG). Wine Advocate: "The 2017 Monte Bello is a towering triumph of California Cabernet Sauvignon. The final blend includes 15% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc. The colossal nose reads like a dictionary definition of young Monte Bello, with inky black fruits, fragrant dried herbs, treated leather and a refreshing, breezy lift that continuously bounds from the glass. The palate continues the immense heft and gravitas of the nose, with ample mid-palate richness buttressed by forceful, penetrating and vigorous tannins. The oak integration throughout is remarkable, its edges gently buffed rather than vigorously polished. Overall, this is an incredibly impressive, complex and multifaceted wine that should have no problem aging for five decades. (ML)" (04/2024)

Bid on this 6-bottle lot of 2015 Ridge Vineyards "Monte Bello" Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon (OWC - 100JS, 98JD, 98VN, 96DC, 95RP, 94CG, 94W&S, 94WE) in original wood. James Suckling: "The breathtaking nose of blackcurrants, forest berries, cedar and wet earth pulls you into this extremely concentrated but very elegant and precise masterpiece. The super-fine tannins are wrapped in perfectly ripe fruit right through the spectacular finish, with its notes of crushed stone and bitter chocolate. A cuvée of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. " (12/2022)

Bid on this 2-bottle lot of 2014 Ridge Vineyards "Monte Bello" Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon (98JS, 97JD, 97RP, 96VN, 95DC, 94WS). James Suckling: "A deep well of black fruit, together with notes of raw meat, savory and walnuts. Considering how compact and powerful this wine is, it has startling freshness and lightness of touch on the front- and mid-palates. The serious tannins build to a stunning crescendo at the imposing, velvety finish. A cuvee of 75% cabernet sauvignon, 18% merlot, 5% cabernet franc and 2% of petit verdot. " (12/2022)

Polished boysenberry aromas are ripe and accessible but pleasantly smooth on the nose of this bottling. The wine lands with more serious flavors of soy, pepper and light lavender, as that baked boysenberry tone lingers in the background. (MK)

The 2019 Pinot Noir La Vida Bella Vineyard is a bright, pungent wine. Beams of supporting tannin give the 2019 its spine and overall sense of drive. Black cherry, sage, mint, lavender and dark spice nuances all come together nicely. I would cellar this for at least a year or two. Drink 2024-2034. (AG)

Mayo lays off the oak for the 2024 Pinot Noir Volkmann Vineyard, another 50% whole-cluster fermented Pinot that spends just 10 months in neutral French barrels after the grapes go through native malolactic fermentation. From a site that sits mid-mountain at 600-feet elevation surrounded by persistent fog, the wine is light-bodied, with a sappy forest floor-like intensity. There are about 1,400 cases made. Drink now through 2034.

A sweet floral perfume lifts from the glass of the 2021 Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountain, which has a dark ruby color. Its notes of raspberry preserves, crushed flowers, cedar, and a hint of sassafras are followed by a medium-bodied, elegant red with ripe tannins, great, fresh acidity, and a ripe, balanced finish. (AF)

A radically different wine from previous iterations of this cuvée, the 2024 Pinot Noir is effectively a "super cuvée" of all of Fogarty's estate parcels, as well as La Vida Bella, Deertheart and Mindego Ridge. Its character reflects its makeup throughout, effortlessly fusing a deep, brooding, dark-fruited core with floral overtones, hibiscus, crushed stones and alpine herbs. The palate is seamless, dense and muscular yet lifted by a beguiling elegance that flows through an intensely structured and saturated finish. This is already fantastic, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it bloom further after a few years in bottle; and I imagine it will age well into its second decade. 95+

Bid on this 3-bottle lot of 2016 Rhys "Horseshoe Vineyard" Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir (97VN, 96JD, 94JG, 94RP, 92BH). Vinous: "Even better than it was from barrel, the 2016 Pinot Noir Horseshoe Vineyard is a flat-out stunner. Crazy, beautiful, deeply spiced aromatics literally explode from the glass. Broad and ample on the palate, with tremendous intensity, the Horseshoe has a lot to offer. Orange peel, mint and spice overtones add an exotic flair. This is an utterly captivating Pinot Noir from Rhys. (AG)" (08/2018)

Bid on this 3-bottle 2013 Rhys Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir tasting lot, including 2 bottles of Rhys “Alpine Hillside” Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir (99JG, 96RP, 96VN) and 1 bottle of Rhys “Alpine Vineyard” Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir (95DC, 94JG, 94RP, 94VN, 92BH). Of the 99-point Alpine Hillside, John Gilman writes: “The bouquet is pure, complex and absolutely stunning in its youthful magnificence, offering up notes of black cherries, black plums, a stunning base of minerality, a potpourri of botanicals, a touch of gamebird, graphite... On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and light on its feet, with a sappy core, great transparency, moderate, beautifully integrated tannins and a long, tangy and still fairly youthful finish... This rare and utterly brilliant young wine!” (08/2015)

Bid on this 2-bottle lot of 2020 Ridge Vineyards "Monte Bello" Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon. Jancis Robinson: "Organically grown estate fruit from one of California's most famous vineyards in a vintage made notorious by the wildfires further north: 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Just 76.4 tons from 66 acres because of rain during flowering – after a mild spring – and summer fog. 36 of 58 lots were selected and blended before ageing in barrel for another 12 months. Bottled June 2022.Deep lustrous crimson. Very complex balsam, sage and ripe Cabernet, including blackcurrant leaf, on the nose. Extremely subtle and layered. Quite marked acidity on palate entry and then supple tannins enclose the fruit. Definitely worth stashing away for many a long year but nowhere near ready. If it has a fault, it's that it lacks a very long finish. 17++/20 points (JR)" (03/2024)

Bid on this 2-bottle lot of 2018 Ridge Vineyards "Monte Bello" Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon (99RP, 97JS, 97WS, 96VN, 96W&S, 95JD, 95WE, 94DC, 93CG). Wine Advocate: "he 2018 Monte Bello is as classic a release from this storied site as ever. It contains 17% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. A ravishing, multidimensional nose of wet clay, cocoa powder, peperoncini, cured meat and eucalyptus endlessly expands and congeals with further aeration. The palate precisely stitches together supple concentration and firm, coarse tannins that give sturdiness and intensity to its otherwise medium-bodied frame. The finish is amazingly long and delicious and begins to close down after a few hours, telling me this timeless wine should be left alone for the next 10-12 years. Superb through and through, this wine should excel past its 50th birthday. (ML)" (04/2024)

Bid on this bottle of 2013 Ridge Vineyards "Monte Bello" Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon (100DC, 100JS, 100RP, 98VN, 96WS, 95WE, 94W&S). Wine Advocate: "The 2013 Monte Bello is a very special vintage for this great wine... On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, powerful and multidimensional, with a lavishly textural attack that segues into a stunningly layered, richly structured mid-palate endowed with incredible depth and concentration underpinned by succulent acids. The finish is long, vibrant and beautifully delineated. The 2013 is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot, and it attained 13.6% natural alcohol... This profound Monte Bello will begin to blossom as it reaches age ten and should prove practically immortal. (WK)" (05/2018)

The 2021 Pinot Noir is 90% from Domaine Eden, with the remainder both from Mount Eden and some from grower vineyards, all cool-climate sites. It’s made in a rich, softer style than the Mount Eden, with no new oak, instead aged in 2- to 5-year-old barrels used previously for Mount Eden. It tastes of wild mountain strawberry, raspberry and a hint of forest floor, melding together into a seamlessly balanced, medium-bodied expression of great winemaking from great sites. Drink now through 2031. (VB)

The 2021 Chardonnay Langley Hill Vineyard is the most complete and multifaceted example of the Fogarty estate whites. The nose marries the oily richness of the Damiana with the treble-driven tones of the Portola Springs, with aromas of citrus oil, yellow apples, crème fraîche and almond skin. The palate offers plush generosity and agile tension, concluding with a spry, lengthy finish of crushed rocks and citrus rind. A clear favorite of this lineup, this is delicious already, but I look forward to following it for over a decade. (ML)

Tremendous complexity from this mountain Chardonnay from Santa Cruz, plonked into a towering forested area along the ridges at Thomas Fogarty. Coming from the first vineyard planted on the Fogarty estate in 1977 or 78. It shows a note evocative of Savennieries with waxy and savoury aromas that then pick up a richness of juicy Meyer lemon pulp. Honeyed, juicy, and salty, it's a dazzling bottle of a great American Chardonnay. (CP)

There’s sharp pithiness to the nose of this wine, with touches of sour cream and the slightest hints of flint and toast. The palate is much warmer and very textural, ranging from brisk citrus to creamy stone fruit. A comforting and lingering brioche note arises on the finish. Drink now–2034. Cellar Selection. —M.K

This is a fascinating showcase of how graceful Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon can age. Now 15 years old, this bottling still shows complex aromas of roasted strawberry, ashy wood, mashed olive, espresso bean and damp mushroom. The palate remains as fresh as many new Cabs, with polished tannins offering dark fruit, dried porcini and bittersweet cocoa flavors. *Editors' Choice* (MK)

The 2018 Pinot Noir La Vida Bella Vineyard envelops the palate with its breath and inviting contours. Black cherry, cloves, licorice, sage, menthol and coffee bring out the darker side of Pinot. There’s real fruit richness, substance and inner perfume to play off the wine’s natural structure. Gorgeous.

A wine with tremendous lineage and ageability, the 2021 Chardonnay Estate offers a depth of golden nectar, pear, and toasted oak, with a prestigious length and breadth that only begins to suggest its ability to age another 25-30 years. (Winemaker Jeffrey Patterson has been driven for decades by a dedicated vision of longevity for these wines.) The high levels of acidity lead toward a refined palate of elegantly demure fruit, a quench of Meyer lemon, and nuanced, integrated oak, just a touch of hazelnut accenting the long finish to great effect. With its pedigree for aging wines, this should drink best 2031-2046. (VB)

The 2021 Pinot Noir has bright, fresh, lifted red fruit and citrus with a wealth of balanced acidity. Aged sur lees for 11 months, it is bottled unfiltered, barrel to barrel rack in March so it can rack from barrel to tank for bottling without picking up lees. The grapes are grown on five separate vineyards and blended together, exuding mountain terroir of earthy pine, tea, and raspberry, layered in waves of juicy texture. Enjoy best 2028-2036. (VB)

A totally stunning wine from a warm vintage, the 2022 Ridge ‘Monte Bello’ combines nearly all Cabernet Sauvignon (86%) with 10% Merlot and small parts Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot from their estate vineyard high atop the Santa Cruz Mountains. Silky tannins frame a generous core of dark currants, roasted figs, dark chocolate shavings, anise seed and shades of black licorice on the palate. The remarkable power, intensity and minerality leads to a mouth-watering effect on the palate. A dazzling and dense wine that has some great cellaring potential, try to resist this beauty for another year. Drink 2026-2046.

Pure fruit. This is just a fruity little fun guy, just super enjoyable and fun to hang out with but also delicious and easy going. This is a super juicy Pinot Noir that also has a nice structure and great acidity, making it one of the easier bottles to recommend to people on an ongoing basis. It's always got super pure and pretty fruit on the front, and this vintage is no exception,. Cherryberry in the best of ways, there's that strong line of acidity pushing through driving the fruit and cutting through the tannins with every sip. Another absolute banger from Assiduous.

Wow, a vivid, mouthwatering white with great breadth and depth on a surprisingly light body. So layered, rich and concentrated, lush in texture yet also lively and buoyant from acidity at the same time. Starts with lemon blossom aromas, then Bosc pears, lemon curd and mineral flavors that linger in the finish. (JG)

A 50% whole-cluster fermented Pinot, the 2024 Pinot Noir Lilo Vineyard is from a site near Trout Gulch, very cool and acid-driven, where vines struggle and the soils are thin. It surely showcases this location in its ethereal, exceptionally light-bodied layers of crunchy red fruit and salinity, aged 12 months in neutral French oak. This is for lovers of cool-climate, contemplative wines and should drink well now through 2034.

Bid on this bottle of 2016 Ridge Vineyards "Estate" Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon (94DC, 94JD, 94JS, 94VN, 93RP, 92WS, 91W&S). Vinous: "Once again an overachiever, Ridge's 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is regal. Aromatically intense and deep on the palate, the 2016 proves to be utterly captivating from the very first taste. Dark fruit, chocolate, licorice, dried flowers, leather and menthol infuse the 2016 with remarkable complexity. In 2016, the last year of the drought cycle Ridge made one of the very best editions of this wine. Just as remarkably, the 2016 is incredibly harmonious for such a young wine. (AG)" (10/2019)

This wine is a blend of Mount Eden and some additional clonal material. From Mount Eden’s southern property, this wine is a blend of grapes from both the Domaine and Mount Eden sites. A fleshy ripeness that is brilliantly balanced on the palate with bright acidity and fresh lemon zest. There’s a touch of salinity on the nose, with fresh minerality, stoniness, and taut to complement the ripe fruits on the palate. Lemon cream, pear and baked apples, ripe but with great balance.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is everything this wine should be and can be. Floral, deep and yet also light on its feet, the 2019 is a model of total elegance. Crushed flowers, herbs, menthol, rose petal and sweet pipe tobacco run through a core of red-toned Cabernet Sauvignon fruit. The 2019 is perhaps not quite as explosive as the best wines in this range, but it does possess magnificent finesse and tons of personality. Don't miss it. (AG)

Immediately appetizing, this gives off a come-hither fragrance suggesting orange zest, red raspberries and apple skin. It’s Anderson Valley Pinot presented with clarity and freshness, the structure compact, with an implicit earthiness that keeps the fruit frisky—a wine to pop open for grilled salmon in its energetic youth.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is in its infancy today, but it’s absolutely seductive and sizzling, stacked floor to ceiling with intriguing layers that just need some time to coalesce. Cooling mint, black raspberry, juniper, leather and high-percentage dark chocolate open gradually, unfurling into a soft-textured, caressing, broad wine of sheer class. Oak is very much at the forefront for now, but the juicy freshness and old-school/new-school juxtaposition are really appealing. The 2021 is certainly not short on pure, clear fruit. Give this a couple of years to settle into itself.

From a Prudy Foxx-farmed site, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Bates Ranch Vineyard is full-bodied and youthfully fruity on the nose, made from a 50-50 selection of both old and new vines. The older vines give it leathery tobacco-like savory flavors and a supple mouthfeel, while featuring ample palate length, weight, and good, strong tannins. Dusty cocoa flavors coat the palate as it opens, as gorgeous aromatics of sage and cassis rise in intensity. The wine is aged 16 months in American oak, 20% new. Bates continues to be one of the standard-bearers of classic Cabernet in the Santa Cruz Mountains at an approachable price. Drink now through 2035.

The appellation cuvée is a blend of mostly contracted sites, including La Vita Bella and Mindego Ridge on the western oceanside, as well as unclassified estate fruit, representing a full slate of organic sites. A delightful Pinot Noir, red fruited and floral on the nose with popping candied red fruit on the palate. Aged 12 months in 20% new French oak barrels, with punchdowns during native fermentation, followed by light crossflow filtration on the appellation wines. There’s a light, spicy character with bright notes of cranberries, blood orange, and candied raspberries. The estate features California heritage clones and organic farming, allowing the high alpine viticulture of the region to shine through. The appellation cuvee sees about 30% whole cluster. (CP)

Established in 1981, the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA notably uses elevation to help define its boundaries. Assiduous’ 2024 Bates Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon connects a named vineyard with this historic California mountain appellation, placing site and regional identity at the center of the wine.

So powerful, structured and young, promising many years of interesting development to come. Bold in striking fruit flavors like black cherries, black currants and strawberries, all wrapped in persistent fine-grained tannins for a firm, lip-smacking texture that's so inviting. Super well-balanced, taut and agile. Drinkable now but best from 2030. (JG)

An elegant year for this medium-bodied wine that's a junior to Ridge Monte Bello cabernet. So poised, flavorful, savory and well-balanced, with fine-grained tannins supporting black-olive, black-cherry, bay-leaf, cocoa and iron flavors. Moderate alcohol at 13.4%. Drink now or hold. (JG)

Aromas of dark cherries, wild raspberries, cocoa beans, blueberry bush and blood plums. The palate is medium- to full-bodied with a generous texture and finely integrated tannins. Very plush and round, with underlying freshness. Drink or hold.

Established in 1981, the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA is defined largely by elevation, tracing the mountainous terrain above surrounding lowlands. Assiduous’ 2024 Regan Vineyard Chardonnay carries a single-vineyard designation within this distinctive California appellation, connecting the wine directly to one named site in the coastal mountain range.

The newer ownership of this historic brand is doing a solid job of keeping the Rhône vibe and mission alive. This blend of 69% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 14% Cinsaut and 2% Petite Sirah offers fresh red currant aromas that are layered in earth and herb elements. The palate pairs raspberry and strawberry flavors with fennel pollen and cracked pepper, making for a very drinkable glass.

A bright, airy, summery white Rhône blend for the first name in the varieties in the US. With six different varieties coming from 10 different Paso Robles vineyards, it's Tablas' take on the region; it's fresh, lively, and loaded with citrus. Aromas of sweet blossom, green mango and dried wild herbs finish with a touch of salinity. (CP)

There's a focused line of blackberry to the core of the nose of this bottling, as well as warmer caramel and brown-spice elements, with black peppercorn on the edges. There's intense wood spice to the palate, with cracked pepper and herb lifting the core berry fruit. (MK)

One of the very best deals in California Chardonnay. Entirely estate-grown Chardonnay from Alfaro's home estate and newly purchased Trout Gulch Vineyard.

Bid on this 6-bottle lot of 2013 Rhys "Alpine Vineyard" Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir (95DC, 94JG, 94RP, 94VN, 92BH). Decanter: "It was Jeremy Seysses of Burgundy’s Domaine Dujac who alerted me to the amazing things that Kevin Harvey and his team at Rhys are doing, and that seems appropriate as the wines certainly seem to nod to Dujac’s style. The 2013 Alpine Vineyard Pinot Noir is one of the most compelling young wines I’ve tasted from Rhys. Its youthful and savoury bouquet of crisp red and black cherry, fresh herbs, cinnamon and rich forest floor is followed on the palate by a wine of impressive vibrancy and depth. Rhys wines are built for the cellar, and the handful of older bottles I’ve encountered suggests that patience really is rewarded. (WK)" (02/2016)

Bid on this 2-bottle lot of 2022 Beta "Mariana's" Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon.

The 2024 Sauvignon Blanc Ascona Vineyard is a potent, tightly wound wine. Lemon peel, chalk, mint, slate, dried herbs and sage are all finely cut in this chiseled, nervy Sauvignon Blanc. Brisk saline top notes frame the persistent, salivating finish. The 2024 was fermented in stainless steel and aged in neutral wood. It is very nicely done. (AG)