Martin Ray planted pinot noir at Mount Eden in 1942. The budwood came from Paul Masson's original vineyard near Mount Eden. Because Masson was a good friend of the Louis Latour family of Burgundy, it’s likely the selection came from one of Latour’s best vineyards and was brought by Masson to California during the 1880’s. The faith Ray demonstrated in this most difficult of red varieties, at a time when America had little appreciation of fine wine, was remarkable. Today, our pinot noir vines occupy seven acres of our estate vineyard and typically yield a meager 1 to 1.5 tons per acre.

Wine maker notes

The varietal character emphasizes wild strawberry, earth, blueberry and dill. Elegance and transparency is the key to our style. Cellaring from five to twelve years will pay handsome rewards. The soil in our estate vineyards and our cellar practice give a more Burgundian style rather than a Californian one.