History
The Mount Eden Vineyards saw the start of its modern era in 1981, when Ellie and Jeffrey Patterson bought the historic property. Here, some of the best clones Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon from high end domains in Burgundy and France were planted long time ago, and when the new owners took over, there were still some of the old vines left (however, in 1997 the oldest block of Cabernet Sauvignon was ripped out and replanted).
It’s wrong to say that Mount Eden Vineyards is a hidden gem. Hidden might be a good description when talking about its location, but the vineyard is far too famous to be called hidden. Forgotten may be a better word. The wines, especially the chardonnays, are famous for their longevity, and they belong to the most classic of the white wines of California. But one should not forget the cabernets, which combines the complexity of the great wines of Bordeaux and the well structured and long lived wines from mountain vineyards in California, such as those from Ridge, Diamond Creek and Dunn.
Production is now up to 10 000 cases in a good year, and prices are great – around 50 dollar per bottle!
Paul Masson, who grew up in Burgundy, set out for California in 1878 at the age of 19. He stayed for several years in northern California, settling in the Santa Clara Valley until his money ran out. Returning home and finishing college at the Sorbonne, he begged his parents to let him return to California to seek his fortune as a winemaker. This was a big step for a young man from rural France and a reflection on an adventurous time in the world; a time of reinvention when the vines of his beloved Burgundy were dying from the root louse phylloxera.
His karma was indeed blessed, for soon after arriving in San Jose, he reconnected with Charles LeFranc, the owner of the Almaden Vineyard and Wine Company, and became his winemaker and son-in-law. Misfortune happened, however, two months after his marriage to Louise LeFranc when Charles was fatally injured in a horse and buggy accident, and Paul was thrust into an ownership role of Almaden. As the 1890s progressed, Paul became less motivated by being a principle of Almaden and dreamed of owning his own wine estate.
In early 1900 Masson realized his goal and purchased 573 acres in Saratoga, California, which he named La Cresta. He set about to plant 60 acres to mainly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with cuttings from Burgundy, probably from the vineyards of his friend, Louis Latour. His singular emphasis became sparkling wine. This was a time in America when serious méthode traditionalle was rare, especially when it was made from the classic varieties Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which were very hard to grow and very low yielding. The Paul Masson Champagne Company was born.
Starting with the initial harvest of 1905, Paul proved that he was a good winemaker and good promoter too. Success was in his future in these remote and rugged mountains. Alas, a mere 16 years later the scourge of Prohibition shut the doors on commercial winemaking in America. Masson eked out an existence by whatever means possible, keeping the vineyards going and selling sacramental wine to the Catholic Church. The long 13 year haul was devastating to the true wine people of California who saw wine as a part of normal, civilized life. Emerging from that struggle, Paul was in his mid-70s and decided to sell his wine business.
Martin Ray, who grew up near Masson’s property, often watched the vineyard workers tending the vines. Over time, he met Paul and a casual friendship grew. Paul had great affection for Martin, as he had no sons of his own, and allowed him to work in the cellar and learn the art of making fine wine. This was pivotal to Mount Eden’s evolution.
In 1936 Prohibition was over and The Paul Masson Champagne Company was for sale. Martin, a stockbroker at the time, had recently suffered a nervous breakdown and was encouraged by his doctor and wife Elsie to change careers. He remembered fondly his days up at the Masson vineyard and decided to try and buy the property. Initially, Paul said no and suggested that a better idea was to buy the mountaintop next door to the north (Mount Eden) and establish a new vineyard and winery. Not to be dissuaded, Martin stubbornly decided to buy the Masson vineyards anyway.
A mere six years later, after operating The Paul Masson Champagne Company and eventually selling the property to the corporate conglomerate Seagram’s, he took Paul’s advice.