Levi Dalton
Levi Dalton
I have been lucky enough to attend a couple of Mount Eden Vineyards retrospectives, spanning a few decades for the producer. This one was held on March 14, 2016, and Jeffrey & Ellie Patterson were in attendance. The bottles were from the winery cellar.
Jeffrey doesn't believe in recorking bottles, and has never done it.
A * means I particularly enjoyed the wine.
Pinot Noir flight-
All the Pinot Noir were decanted an hour ahead of the tasting.
2005 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Pinot Noir
This was the last year that Jeffrey innoculated the Pinot Noir, something he doesn't do any longer.
Only six barrels of the Pinot Noir were made in 2005. All of the cooperage was new in 2005 as well. They use a mix of François Freres, Rousseau, and one more cooper that I didn't catch.
RC Cola aromatics. Some wood is noticeable on the nose. Nice fruit on the palate. Cherry cola. Not as strict as I might expect- has a softness to it. Some caramel flavors peak through.
Jeffrey's notes: "late bud break led to a late flowering. An unusual winter-like storm occurred during bloom reducing the crop by 85%. Late harvest: Sept 15 but a wonderfully long season. The last year destemmed the entire vintage. 126 cases bottled."
2000 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Pinot Noir
This was from younger vines. The last old vine bottling was 1997, and the last time the young and old vines were mixed together for the Pinot was 1996.
Nice nose at first, then moves to a kind of sour candy. A touch of leafy green on the palate, as well as some dark cola. Texturally a little soft until the tannins kick in towards the finish. The finish is especially green at the beginning, and then as this sits in the glass those green notes of asparagus become more prevalent in the wine in general. Not my favorite of the lineup today.
1995 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Pinot Noir
Smells developed for sure. Dusty red cherry aromas. A bit overmature on the palate at first taste, showing hints of oxidation. On the palate this has some textural notes that are appealing. There is a sweetness to the red fruit that is a little simple. This finishes with a noticeable touch of brett. A good wine that is a little simple. Jeffrey says that this was a "learning vintage" for him in terms of brettanomyces.
Jeffrey's notes: "A very cool growing season and a late Sept 23-24 harvest. Two-thirds from very old Martin Ray vines (planted 1943) 386 cases bottled"
1990 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Pinot Noir
"A miracle vintage" says Jeffrey.
Smells great. Black pepper aromatics. Tastes very good too, with a green note and some black cola fruit. There is a slight mustiness that distracts, however.
"Exclusively old vines"
1987 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Pinot Noir
Red cola nose. Nice balance at the beginning, then shows more of a caramel character. There is a green stem note on the palate. This finishes with peppery, dark fruit. Like cactus juice, but with dark fruit. Somewhat subdued on the nose as well as the palate, this doesn't hit my palate fully. A hint of mustiness. Good, but a little simple. There is a nice development in the glass, and coming back to this later, I like it more.
"All old vines. 30% whole cluster. Bottled 338 cases"
* 1985 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Pinot Noir
Only 200 cases were made. This was 100% whole cluster and it was foot tred. It was 100% new oak. Outside of this year, Jeffrey generally avoided whole cluster for Pinot, up until 2007.
At this time there was a lot of variability of ripeness on the old vines because they weren't trellised. They had this system where they were trained in a kind of half circle. This meant overripe and underripe berries were on the same vine at harvest.
Smells great, but not what I think of as a typical Pinot Noir nose. Tobacco, smoke, and green gum. Also black cola. Jeffrey says that this is his favorite wine of his career, and I can see that. There is a slight mustiness in this wine to my palate, though.
"Small crop. 100% whole cluster, 100% old vines. Bottled 198 cases"
1980 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Pinot Noir
A lot of verve on the nose. Slightly musty. A bit of prune, and a bit of mulch at first. Though the vegetal character moves away with some air in the glass, this still retains an asparagus note. There is some punch to the green tones, which is appealing. This benefits from some air.
"Winter rains reduced the set by 50%. A very cool growing season and a very late harvest Sept 27-Oct 4. Crushed with stems, egg-white fined before bottling. All old vines. Bottled 166 cases" Jeffrey told me that he hasn't fined with egg-white for some time. He doesn't believe in it.
* 1973 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Pinot Noir
This was made by Peter and Dick Graff of Chalone.
Brown tobacco nose that is appealing. Soft, but delcious on the palate. This is pre-Jeffrey. Real sagacity on the palate. A presence that sinks in on the palate. Dusty red fruit with length. The red fruit is pure, I don't sense any musty note. Has notes of tobacco and earth on the palate, also perhaps some wood.
"All old vines crushed with stems. Bottled 404 cases"
Later, on another day, I would try the 1978 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Pinot Noir Which was also pre-Jeffrey, and that wine had dusty brown and red cola notes, as well as some sweaty notes and horse saddle. A good wine that was best right after it was decanted, not an hour later. Finished a bit short.
Chardonnay flight-
Jeffrey says he feel the analogue for this is Corton-Charlemagne, where the original cuttings may have come from (the cuttings originated with Louis Latour in Burgundy). Jeffrey says those cuttings were never heat treated, and definitely showed virus in the leaves. He said there tended to be a fair amount of shot berries, with hens and chicks, for the Chardonnay. The newer vines are trelissed and hedged. Jeffrey uses a mix of Francois Freres and another cooper. Although the Graff brothers (who were at Mount Eden prior to Jeffrey) were fans of batonnage, Jeffrey ended the practice at Mount Eden for Chardonnay.
2005 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Chardonnay
Jeffrey says that 2005 and 2002 were later harvests for the Chardonnay, and that he prefers to pick the Chardonnay somewhat earlier now (since 2006).
Big nose. Milky accent. Some gold straw. A bit thick. There is a mineral wash, and this is a decent wine, but ultimately a little simple.
"late harvest with a very small crop. Very ripe style, the last vintage I've made like it. 1,239 cases bottled"
2002 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Chardonnay
Golden oats and straw. A bit thick at first, but then picks up some more nuance with air. In the end this is not a head turner for me. A bit quiet, and a bit thick.
This was "before we decided to make two wines from estate fruit (2004). Bottled 2,191 cases."
* 1997 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Chardonnay
Still had some of the own rooted old vines at this point. Jeffrey says this was a large, early ripening harvest. This smells great. Coppertone hint on the palate, but not in a bad way. This is a good wine, with a lot to like. Finish shows hints of caramel and turns a bit simpler.
"Very unusual growing season in that the early bud break was followed by almost summer-like conditions."
1996 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Chardonnay
Jeffrey says this is a sub-par bottle.
Showing oxidation and copper on the nose. Falls off in the glass with some air.
"The last wine made which included some of the original Martin Ray vines. 1,481 cases bottled."
* 1992 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Chardonnay
"A benchmark for what I want to do," says Jeffrey.
Appealing. Onion skin, and Coppertone accent. A nice finish that showcases a wine that comes together at a point. That finish is pretty delicious, in fact. One taster mentions the viscosity here, and is right to do so, this is a viscous Chardonnay. Has that underripe and overripe character in the same wine that Jeffrey describes about the way the old vines were trained. Also has a shot berry character to it, like Stony Hill (old Wente clone) does. There is a wash of minerality. Richness is present, but also green character and lift. This is very enjoyable.
"A high percentage of old Martin Ray vines. 1,558 cases bottled."
1990 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Chardonnay
Golden hay, milky. The finish is clean and surprisingly fresh. There is a particular kind of Chardonnay signature here that I don't love.
"A drought year...880 cases bottled"
1988 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Chardonnay
A real depth of flavor, but still has some freshness. This falls off a lot in the glass, but it maintains some interest.
"A drought year...High concentration vintage due to the lack of rain. 719 cases bottled"
1984 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Chardonnay
This was a very dry year, Jeffrey says.
I would have guessed there was botrytis here, from the aromatics, but Jeffrey says no, there wouldn't have been any botrytis in 1984. Still very fresh and delicious on the palate. Zippy, even. Cream puff and golden hay notes. I am perplexed by the nose, and some aromatics that seem odd.
"All old vine. 797 cases"
Cabernet Sauvignon flight-
2000 was the last vintage with the old vines of Cabernet.
* 1997 Mount Eden Vineyards "Old Vine Reserve" Cabernet Sauvignon
"A personal favorite, one of my favorites of the 1990s" says Jeffrey.
This was from the original vineyard, and 100% Cabernet.
Cherry cola nose, with a leafy green accent. Really good, and get better on the palate with more air. Has a nice clip of acidity towards the finish. Some oak is noticeable, but this wine is a stunner. So good.
"Very ripe, prolific vintage...407 cases bottled" This was two years in wood.
* 1995 Mount Eden Vineyards "Old Vine Reserve" Cabernet Sauvignon
Original vineyard, 100% Cab.
Black cola character that is reminiscent of Forman Cabernet for me. Delicious. Really excellent. Dark fruit, etched character on the palate. Not super dry, there is a little sweet boysenberry in there. So amazing, this wine!
"Very late year...442 cases bottled" This was two years in wood.
* 1990 Mount Eden Vineyards "Old Vine Reserve" Cabernet Sauvignon
Original vineyard, 100% Cab.
This needs some time in the glass to pick up some interest. It begins a little flat and herbaceous, but with sagacity. Then gets more and more lively.
"The Old Vine Reserve labelling ended after the 2000 vintage when we pulled up the original vines...448 cases made" This was two years in wood.
1990 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Cabernet Sauvignon
This was from the young vines (10 years old at this time) in the new vineyard, on trelissing. Has 4% Merlot in the blend.
Good wine, but a bit thin. Some greeness that is more of an aura on the nose. Doesn't hit the bottom of my palate, lacking heft. The finish is a bit simple. A decent wine that suffers here by being in a flight of significantly better wines.
* 1988 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Cabernet Sauvignon
Original vineyard, 100% Cab.
Excellent. A stunner, even. Darker fruit tones. This is still young, and has a long way to go. This will be amazing in the future.
"This is before we came out with the OVR designation, but it is from the original Martin Ray vines. A drought year...507 cases bottled" This was egg-white fined.
* 1983 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Cabernet Sauvignon
Original vineyard, 100% Cab. Jeffrey's first year as the accredited winemaker.
Deep, dark, etched. A stunner. Some asparagus. Some cooking chocolate. Not sweet, but not sharply dry, either. The zip of the acid keeps in check what may be some sweetness to the fruit. The concentration is amazing. Brine and saline notes add character.
"An 'El Nino' rain pattern...500 cases bottled"
1975 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Cabernet Sauvignon
This was a Merry Edwards vintage at Mount Eden. She did 20-21 days on the skins for Cabernet (Jeffrey does 9, typically).
Good. A little flat, this feels like it has lost a step with the age. Some browned fruit, and some oxidation. Browned fruit again on the finish. Ok, but not great.
1973 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Cabernet Sauvignon
Original vineyard, 100% Cab. This was made under Peter and Dick Graff of Chalone.
Seems to speak of a hot vintage. Creamy, with milk chocolate notes. Milk duds. Black-and-white cookies. Some menthol, but mostly seems monolithic. There is some nuance, and some complexity, but not in a way that comes together for me.
"A small harvest...egg-white fined and aged in new chateau barrels. 165 cases bottled."
Having tasted a fair amount of Mount Eden Vineyards wines at this point, I find that I disagree with Jeffrey. He speaks about Cabernet as being a puzzle to him in his early career at the winery, and specifically he doesn't like the pyrazines that used to characterise the wines from off the old vines that hadn't been trelissed. I think this is a palate difference between myself and Jeffrey, as I do find that I enjoy those pyrazines. This is no big deal as I see it, as this is a disagreement that could be said for many people- there are a lot of people who aren't drawn to pyrazines. However, I do like them. And I also find the Cabernet Sauvignon from Mount Eden to be the most consistently satisfying of the three varieties they bottle. The Chardonnay can be sometimes thick, and some older bottles I have had have been oxidized. The Pinot Noir seems like a good version of American Pinot Noir, if slightly rusticated. But not super consistent. There are highs and lower highs. The Cab is generally a winner, though, at least in my eyes, and one of my favorite Cabernet from California. This is especially true when the old vines are involved. John Gilman of "View from the Cellar" was also at the tasting in March, and expressed a similar admiration for the Cabernet.
Jeffrey doesn't believe in recorking bottles, and has never done it.
A * means I particularly enjoyed the wine.
Pinot Noir flight-
All the Pinot Noir were decanted an hour ahead of the tasting.
2005 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Pinot Noir
This was the last year that Jeffrey innoculated the Pinot Noir, something he doesn't do any longer.
Only six barrels of the Pinot Noir were made in 2005. All of the cooperage was new in 2005 as well. They use a mix of François Freres, Rousseau, and one more cooper that I didn't catch.
RC Cola aromatics. Some wood is noticeable on the nose. Nice fruit on the palate. Cherry cola. Not as strict as I might expect- has a softness to it. Some caramel flavors peak through.
Jeffrey's notes: "late bud break led to a late flowering. An unusual winter-like storm occurred during bloom reducing the crop by 85%. Late harvest: Sept 15 but a wonderfully long season. The last year destemmed the entire vintage. 126 cases bottled."
2000 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Pinot Noir
This was from younger vines. The last old vine bottling was 1997, and the last time the young and old vines were mixed together for the Pinot was 1996.
Nice nose at first, then moves to a kind of sour candy. A touch of leafy green on the palate, as well as some dark cola. Texturally a little soft until the tannins kick in towards the finish. The finish is especially green at the beginning, and then as this sits in the glass those green notes of asparagus become more prevalent in the wine in general. Not my favorite of the lineup today.
1995 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Pinot Noir
Smells developed for sure. Dusty red cherry aromas. A bit overmature on the palate at first taste, showing hints of oxidation. On the palate this has some textural notes that are appealing. There is a sweetness to the red fruit that is a little simple. This finishes with a noticeable touch of brett. A good wine that is a little simple. Jeffrey says that this was a "learning vintage" for him in terms of brettanomyces.
Jeffrey's notes: "A very cool growing season and a late Sept 23-24 harvest. Two-thirds from very old Martin Ray vines (planted 1943) 386 cases bottled"
1990 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Pinot Noir
"A miracle vintage" says Jeffrey.
Smells great. Black pepper aromatics. Tastes very good too, with a green note and some black cola fruit. There is a slight mustiness that distracts, however.
"Exclusively old vines"
1987 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Pinot Noir
Red cola nose. Nice balance at the beginning, then shows more of a caramel character. There is a green stem note on the palate. This finishes with peppery, dark fruit. Like cactus juice, but with dark fruit. Somewhat subdued on the nose as well as the palate, this doesn't hit my palate fully. A hint of mustiness. Good, but a little simple. There is a nice development in the glass, and coming back to this later, I like it more.
"All old vines. 30% whole cluster. Bottled 338 cases"
* 1985 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Pinot Noir
Only 200 cases were made. This was 100% whole cluster and it was foot tred. It was 100% new oak. Outside of this year, Jeffrey generally avoided whole cluster for Pinot, up until 2007.
At this time there was a lot of variability of ripeness on the old vines because they weren't trellised. They had this system where they were trained in a kind of half circle. This meant overripe and underripe berries were on the same vine at harvest.
Smells great, but not what I think of as a typical Pinot Noir nose. Tobacco, smoke, and green gum. Also black cola. Jeffrey says that this is his favorite wine of his career, and I can see that. There is a slight mustiness in this wine to my palate, though.
"Small crop. 100% whole cluster, 100% old vines. Bottled 198 cases"
1980 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Pinot Noir
A lot of verve on the nose. Slightly musty. A bit of prune, and a bit of mulch at first. Though the vegetal character moves away with some air in the glass, this still retains an asparagus note. There is some punch to the green tones, which is appealing. This benefits from some air.
"Winter rains reduced the set by 50%. A very cool growing season and a very late harvest Sept 27-Oct 4. Crushed with stems, egg-white fined before bottling. All old vines. Bottled 166 cases" Jeffrey told me that he hasn't fined with egg-white for some time. He doesn't believe in it.
* 1973 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Pinot Noir
This was made by Peter and Dick Graff of Chalone.
Brown tobacco nose that is appealing. Soft, but delcious on the palate. This is pre-Jeffrey. Real sagacity on the palate. A presence that sinks in on the palate. Dusty red fruit with length. The red fruit is pure, I don't sense any musty note. Has notes of tobacco and earth on the palate, also perhaps some wood.
"All old vines crushed with stems. Bottled 404 cases"
Later, on another day, I would try the 1978 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Pinot Noir Which was also pre-Jeffrey, and that wine had dusty brown and red cola notes, as well as some sweaty notes and horse saddle. A good wine that was best right after it was decanted, not an hour later. Finished a bit short.
Chardonnay flight-
Jeffrey says he feel the analogue for this is Corton-Charlemagne, where the original cuttings may have come from (the cuttings originated with Louis Latour in Burgundy). Jeffrey says those cuttings were never heat treated, and definitely showed virus in the leaves. He said there tended to be a fair amount of shot berries, with hens and chicks, for the Chardonnay. The newer vines are trelissed and hedged. Jeffrey uses a mix of Francois Freres and another cooper. Although the Graff brothers (who were at Mount Eden prior to Jeffrey) were fans of batonnage, Jeffrey ended the practice at Mount Eden for Chardonnay.
2005 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Chardonnay
Jeffrey says that 2005 and 2002 were later harvests for the Chardonnay, and that he prefers to pick the Chardonnay somewhat earlier now (since 2006).
Big nose. Milky accent. Some gold straw. A bit thick. There is a mineral wash, and this is a decent wine, but ultimately a little simple.
"late harvest with a very small crop. Very ripe style, the last vintage I've made like it. 1,239 cases bottled"
2002 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Chardonnay
Golden oats and straw. A bit thick at first, but then picks up some more nuance with air. In the end this is not a head turner for me. A bit quiet, and a bit thick.
This was "before we decided to make two wines from estate fruit (2004). Bottled 2,191 cases."
* 1997 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Chardonnay
Still had some of the own rooted old vines at this point. Jeffrey says this was a large, early ripening harvest. This smells great. Coppertone hint on the palate, but not in a bad way. This is a good wine, with a lot to like. Finish shows hints of caramel and turns a bit simpler.
"Very unusual growing season in that the early bud break was followed by almost summer-like conditions."
1996 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Chardonnay
Jeffrey says this is a sub-par bottle.
Showing oxidation and copper on the nose. Falls off in the glass with some air.
"The last wine made which included some of the original Martin Ray vines. 1,481 cases bottled."
* 1992 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Chardonnay
"A benchmark for what I want to do," says Jeffrey.
Appealing. Onion skin, and Coppertone accent. A nice finish that showcases a wine that comes together at a point. That finish is pretty delicious, in fact. One taster mentions the viscosity here, and is right to do so, this is a viscous Chardonnay. Has that underripe and overripe character in the same wine that Jeffrey describes about the way the old vines were trained. Also has a shot berry character to it, like Stony Hill (old Wente clone) does. There is a wash of minerality. Richness is present, but also green character and lift. This is very enjoyable.
"A high percentage of old Martin Ray vines. 1,558 cases bottled."
1990 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Chardonnay
Golden hay, milky. The finish is clean and surprisingly fresh. There is a particular kind of Chardonnay signature here that I don't love.
"A drought year...880 cases bottled"
1988 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Chardonnay
A real depth of flavor, but still has some freshness. This falls off a lot in the glass, but it maintains some interest.
"A drought year...High concentration vintage due to the lack of rain. 719 cases bottled"
1984 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Chardonnay
This was a very dry year, Jeffrey says.
I would have guessed there was botrytis here, from the aromatics, but Jeffrey says no, there wouldn't have been any botrytis in 1984. Still very fresh and delicious on the palate. Zippy, even. Cream puff and golden hay notes. I am perplexed by the nose, and some aromatics that seem odd.
"All old vine. 797 cases"
Cabernet Sauvignon flight-
2000 was the last vintage with the old vines of Cabernet.
* 1997 Mount Eden Vineyards "Old Vine Reserve" Cabernet Sauvignon
"A personal favorite, one of my favorites of the 1990s" says Jeffrey.
This was from the original vineyard, and 100% Cabernet.
Cherry cola nose, with a leafy green accent. Really good, and get better on the palate with more air. Has a nice clip of acidity towards the finish. Some oak is noticeable, but this wine is a stunner. So good.
"Very ripe, prolific vintage...407 cases bottled" This was two years in wood.
* 1995 Mount Eden Vineyards "Old Vine Reserve" Cabernet Sauvignon
Original vineyard, 100% Cab.
Black cola character that is reminiscent of Forman Cabernet for me. Delicious. Really excellent. Dark fruit, etched character on the palate. Not super dry, there is a little sweet boysenberry in there. So amazing, this wine!
"Very late year...442 cases bottled" This was two years in wood.
* 1990 Mount Eden Vineyards "Old Vine Reserve" Cabernet Sauvignon
Original vineyard, 100% Cab.
This needs some time in the glass to pick up some interest. It begins a little flat and herbaceous, but with sagacity. Then gets more and more lively.
"The Old Vine Reserve labelling ended after the 2000 vintage when we pulled up the original vines...448 cases made" This was two years in wood.
1990 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Cabernet Sauvignon
This was from the young vines (10 years old at this time) in the new vineyard, on trelissing. Has 4% Merlot in the blend.
Good wine, but a bit thin. Some greeness that is more of an aura on the nose. Doesn't hit the bottom of my palate, lacking heft. The finish is a bit simple. A decent wine that suffers here by being in a flight of significantly better wines.
* 1988 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Cabernet Sauvignon
Original vineyard, 100% Cab.
Excellent. A stunner, even. Darker fruit tones. This is still young, and has a long way to go. This will be amazing in the future.
"This is before we came out with the OVR designation, but it is from the original Martin Ray vines. A drought year...507 cases bottled" This was egg-white fined.
* 1983 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Cabernet Sauvignon
Original vineyard, 100% Cab. Jeffrey's first year as the accredited winemaker.
Deep, dark, etched. A stunner. Some asparagus. Some cooking chocolate. Not sweet, but not sharply dry, either. The zip of the acid keeps in check what may be some sweetness to the fruit. The concentration is amazing. Brine and saline notes add character.
"An 'El Nino' rain pattern...500 cases bottled"
1975 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Cabernet Sauvignon
This was a Merry Edwards vintage at Mount Eden. She did 20-21 days on the skins for Cabernet (Jeffrey does 9, typically).
Good. A little flat, this feels like it has lost a step with the age. Some browned fruit, and some oxidation. Browned fruit again on the finish. Ok, but not great.
1973 Mount Eden Vineyards "Estate" Cabernet Sauvignon
Original vineyard, 100% Cab. This was made under Peter and Dick Graff of Chalone.
Seems to speak of a hot vintage. Creamy, with milk chocolate notes. Milk duds. Black-and-white cookies. Some menthol, but mostly seems monolithic. There is some nuance, and some complexity, but not in a way that comes together for me.
"A small harvest...egg-white fined and aged in new chateau barrels. 165 cases bottled."
Having tasted a fair amount of Mount Eden Vineyards wines at this point, I find that I disagree with Jeffrey. He speaks about Cabernet as being a puzzle to him in his early career at the winery, and specifically he doesn't like the pyrazines that used to characterise the wines from off the old vines that hadn't been trelissed. I think this is a palate difference between myself and Jeffrey, as I do find that I enjoy those pyrazines. This is no big deal as I see it, as this is a disagreement that could be said for many people- there are a lot of people who aren't drawn to pyrazines. However, I do like them. And I also find the Cabernet Sauvignon from Mount Eden to be the most consistently satisfying of the three varieties they bottle. The Chardonnay can be sometimes thick, and some older bottles I have had have been oxidized. The Pinot Noir seems like a good version of American Pinot Noir, if slightly rusticated. But not super consistent. There are highs and lower highs. The Cab is generally a winner, though, at least in my eyes, and one of my favorite Cabernet from California. This is especially true when the old vines are involved. John Gilman of "View from the Cellar" was also at the tasting in March, and expressed a similar admiration for the Cabernet.