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Ojai Mountain Announces First Vintage Release
Ojai Mountain winery announces allocations are officially available for its inaugural estate wines grown and crafted by a renowned team led by Winemaker Erich Bradley and Viticulturists Phil Coturri and Martín Ramírez.
That elevation is so rare in California. As soon I heard 2,800 feet, I jumped at the chance to be a part of this project.
The estate vineyard is perched atop Sulphur Mountain at 2,800 feet above sea level – making it one of the highest-altitude vineyards in California. A true coastal site, Ojai Mountain is located just ten miles from the Pacific Ocean and sits above the daily maritime fog line, allowing the vines to bask in sunlight all day, while benefiting from cool mountain air overnight.
"Phil, Martín and I have this in common: an obsession with high-elevation sites. You can hit notes that you can't hit in other places," says Bradley. "Our skin-to-juice ratios up here are very different. And the wines have the capacity to be more profound."
The inaugural release features two wines: the 2020 Estate Red, a Rhône-Bordeaux blend, and the Châteauneuf-du-Pape-inspired 2021 Estate White. Using biodynamic principles, the vineyard was planted in 2018 on virgin land once covered in dense chaparral.