The Fellom Ranch Vineyard is planted on an exposed ridgetop at 2200 elevation in the Santa Cruz Mountains above Silicon Valley. When the Fellom family purchased their ranch on Montebello Ridge in 1929, it came with an established vineyard planted to Zinfan
The Fellom Ranch Vineyard is planted on an exposed ridgetop at 2200 elevation in the Santa Cruz Mountains above Silicon Valley. When the Fellom family purchased their ranch on Montebello Ridge in 1929, it came with an established vineyard planted to Zinfandel. Between 1980-1983 they replanted and expanded this austere site with Cabernet Sauvignon cuttings from the Charles Krug Winery in the Napa Valley. These old, cane-pruned vines struggle in the harsh environment and low-nutrient soils, generating thick skins, and naturally low yields. The soil on the top of this mountain is a complex mosaic of Franciscan Chert, Sandy Loam, Clay and Serpentine, imparting structure and flavors unique to this historic winemaking region.
95 POINTS, VINOUS
In 2017, the Cabernet Sauvignon Fellom Ranch melds together racy fruit from the warm growing season with the hillside savoriness that is such a calling card of this Santa Cruz Mountains site. The resulting wine is ample and exotically rich, but also tightly wound and in need of cellaring. Some of the finer nuances are perhaps a bit obscured by the fruit, but that in no way detracts from the wine’s considerable allure. The 2017 should be a fascinating Cabernet to follow over the next two decades, perhaps more.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.