The story of Eden Rift Vineyards is nearly as ancient and circuitous as the story of wine production in California itself. Located in the foothills of the Galiban Mountains due east of the Monterey Bay, this picturesque 500 acre estate has managed to withstand the test of time and is to this day producing incredibly characterful, deliberate, and delicious wine. The very first vineyards were planted on the Eden Rift property in the year 1849, one year before California officially received approval to become the 31st state in the union, and miraculously it has remained consistently under vine ever since. While this estate has changed hands many times over the years it has known some incredible success in its history, notably as "Valliant" in the years following prohibition, and yet thanks to its current ownership it has never been more perfectly poised to achieve true greatness than it is today.
What makes Eden Rift special is not simply its longevity, but rather the inimitable quality of terroir this idyllic and out-of-the-way location has been blessed with. Thanks to the estate's proximity to the coast the vineyards of Eden Rift are overtaken daily by cold ocean winds and thick fog that maraud their way east from Monterey. This chilly maritime weather envelopes the property each morning, burning off only briefly around mid-day before rushing back in like clockwork every afternoon. These climatic factors facilitate extremely moderate temperatures that make the site ideally suited to the production of cool climate grape varieties like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Soils at the Eden Rift Estate are exceptionally unique. The site sits a mere stones throw from the dramatic San Andreas Fault, which over many millennia has twisted and contorted the landscape into a one-of-a-kind viticultural paradise. Limestone - a type of calcareous sedimentary rock considered to be ideal for grape growing yet found very sparsely in California - dominates the estate grounds along with significant concentrations of granite. Eden Rift's meager soils help shape wine of concentration, complexity, and minerality unlike that of anything else found in California.
We had the immense pleasure of observing the majesty of Eden Rift for ourselves and are thrilled to report that it was every bit as profound a place as we expected it to be. With 120 acres of vineyards tucked neatly into in a small valley that is surrounded by oak-studded hillsides on all sides, roaming the grounds at Eden Rift feels almost like traversing through a storybook. Vines, forests, and mountains are all that the eye can see in any direction, and despite being just a short drive from some of California's biggest cities walking around this property somehow feels like one has entered into a completely different world.
A key component of the magic of Eden Rift is that it still contains many unique tributes to its storied past. In the center of the estate sits the Dickinson House: a beautiful piece of architectural history that currently serves as Eden Rift's tasting room. Built in 1906 by a close associate of Frank Lloyd Wright named Walter Burley Griffin, this house is surrounded by a small 0.7 acre block of Zinfandel that was also planted that same year. Somehow after over a century of productivity these gnarled old vines continue to produce exceptional wine, and remain the source of one of California's most elegant and complex Zinfandel bottlings. When standing anywhere on the Eden Rift property it is nearly impossible to miss the picturesque terraced vineyard blocks that cover the steep westernmost hillsides of the grounds, and these are another beautiful relic of days gone by. Although they produce incredible wine, terraces are extremely difficult to farm and have largely fallen out of favor in most modern vineyards, however they are plentiful at Eden Rift and are the source of some of the property's most compelling bottlings.
As special and unique as its 170 year old story may be Eden Rift is far from just a historic novelty. The wines coming out of the estate today are absolutely incredible and stand toe-to-toe with the great wines of the world. Eden Rift's Pinot Noirs are simply spectacular, containing pure and ethereal fruit married with pristine minerality and delicious organic earthiness. Their Chardonnays are also world-class containing wonderful energy and complexity backed again by distinct mineral tones. Eden Rift's Pinot Gris is particularly notable, and their "Terraces" selection may be the single greatest example of the variety produced in the USA.
It is said that the world's best wines often come from its most beautiful places, and a visit to Eden Rift Vineyards has certainly helped us confirm that to be true. This is an estate that must be experienced firsthand to be fully understood, but popping the cork on any bottle of Eden Rift wine will provide a glimpse into the property's true magic. We look forward to continuing to follow the future of Eden Rift Vineyards while remaining thankful for the opportunity we've had to appreciate its past and present.