Santa Cruz Mountains AVA: a profile in sustainability

Overlooking California‘s Silicon Valley to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA is home to more than 75 wine producers and 200 growers – often with remarkably sustainable roots.

Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon dominate regional plantings, accounting collectively for just over 75% of the vines. Yet there is considerable investment in Merlot, Zinfandel and many Rhône varieties too.

Scroll down for scores and tasting notes of 10 wines from the Santa Cruz Mountains

The Santa Cruz Mountains AVA is one of the coolest grape growing regions in the US. Its coastal fog, cool nights and typically temperate days create bright acidity and exceptionally concentrated fruit. These conditions give rise to elegant wines that are consistently fresh, lively, complex and often lower in alcohol.

Owing to smaller volumes and extensive fan bases, 90% of wineries here sell direct to consumers.

Several factors differentiate Santa Cruz Mountains from other appellations, says Keiki McKay, executive director of Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association. ‘The restrained use of mechanical operations, as the vineyards are often small plots within forest tracts; that most vineyards practise sustainable farming void of pesticides; they often dry-farm; and they are committed to the health and preservation of the local ecosystem and wildlife.’

Many wineries are certified organic or committed to organic practices in the vineyards and cellar. Bradley Brown, founder of Big Basin Vineyards, says: ‘Our winemaking practice was certified organic so that, with minimal SO2 use, we can label our wines as “made from organically grown grapes”.’

Santa Cruz Mountains at a glance

Unique characters One of the coolest grape-growing regions in the US and the first AVA designated in a mountainous region

Elevation From 120m on coastal-facing slopes to 790m at the highest vineyards

Area under vine 650ha (from more than 230 vineyards)

Grape varieties Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay each represent 25% of plantings

Total production 75 wineries producing 3,000,000 bottles annually with 4,300 tonnes of grapes harvested

Five estates focusing on sustainability in vineyard and cellar

Mount Eden Vineyards

Considered one of the original boutique California estates, founded by Martin Ray in 1945, family-owned Mount Eden Vineyards focuses on small-lot Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon planted on dry-farmed vineyards at 600m.

Sustainability drives much of the estate’s strategy. They make use of cover crops, hand-harvesting and organic sprays, along with solar power providing energy for the winery and offices.

Madson Wines

Madson Wines is owned by winemaker Cole Thomas and viticulturists Ken Swegles and Abbey Chrystal. They work solely with 100% organic vineyards, intending to build soil health through organic composts, fertilisers (including fermented kelp extracts) and sprays with an eye towards regenerative practices.

‘Ken wanted to show that it’s possible to farm at the highest level without using Roundup,’ says Chrystal. Thomas uses natural whole-cluster fermentation and minimal sulphur at bottling for his precise, expressive wines of moderate alcohol.

Sante Arcangeli Family Winery

With annual production of 1,500 to 2,000 cases a year, Sante Arcangeli primarily sources fruit from two vineyards in the Corralitos region of Santa Cruz Mountains, refusing to work with vineyards that use herbicides. Owner and winemaker John Benedetti maintains site integrity through dry-framing and hand-harvesting, with strategic cover-crop selection as the bedrock of his viticulture program.

Pinot Noir and Chardonnay come from the 2ha Split Rail Vineyard at 520m, with stunning views of Monterey Bay. The vineyard is surrounded by redwoods and madrones; Benedetti says this indicates dynamic soil structures since both tree species have significantly different demands on soil nutrients.

Windy Oaks Estate

After working and travelling throughout Australia and Europe, Jim and Judy Schultze settled in Corralitos and planted their first 1.2ha of vines in 1996. Today they cultivate 11ha (9.3ha planted to Pinot Noir) using organic and biodynamic practices. Minimalists at heart, the Schultzes use native yeast fermentation and gravity flow, bottling their wines unfined and unfiltered.

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of their sustainable vineyard practices is the use of a German-built heat blower by Agrothermal Systems. ‘The machine reaches temperatures of 150°C to 260°C, and its ability to dry out the entire fruit zone is truly incredible,’ explains Jim. This heating technology stops controls pests, including mealybugs, while reducing the need for significantly spraying against rot, powdery mildew and other diseases.

Ridge Vineyards 

Ridge Vineyards is the largest grower of organically certified grapes in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA as well as Sonoma County. It makes its organic compost from grape stems and pomace remains, using it to fill gaps in the vineyard where cover crops cannot meet all of a vine’s nutritional needs.

Its broader sustainability initiatives include integrated pest management through beneficial insects and predatory birds, water conservation, and limited soil tilling to amplify cover crop and composting efforts.

The emphasis on ecological balance and biodiversity builds a firm foundation of soil integrity. Healthy soils ultimately lead to higher-quality fruit, and not using chemicals ensures safer conditions for vineyard workers.

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