Next week, Paul Draper and his team at Ridge Vineyards will pause from their work at the legendary Monte Bello vineyard and raise a glass to 50 years of winemaking, high above the streets of Cupertino.
Ridge's milestone offers the opportunity to look at the broader neighborhood. The Santa Cruz Mountains - less a cohesive wine region than a patchwork of vineyards from Woodside to Watsonville - is a downright puzzle. It hosts some of California's defining wines and vineyards, and yet fame has eluded the region itself.
Thirty years ago, wines from David Bruce and Ken Burnap's Santa Cruz Mountains Vineyard drew attention - and controversy. Today, Pinots made by Jeff Emery, Burnap's successor, radiate a clarity of flavor, even though their style can be rough-edged. But always, the quality of fruit shines through.
