Go sip it on the mountain: elevation is secret to new Ojai Mountain wines

It's not just the views that impress from atop Sulphur Mountain in Ventura County. It's the wines, too.

It's not just the views that impress from atop Sulphur Mountain in Ventura County. It's the wines, too.

Ojai Mountain Estate sits at 2,800 feet—California's highest coastal vineyard—where winemaker Erich Bradley crafts Rhône-focused wines shaped by extreme terroir. The elevation provides diurnal temperature swings of 40-50°F, allowing grapes to ripen slowly while maintaining natural acidity.

Bradley, co-founder of Sojourn Cellars in Sonoma, was drawn to the site's potential. "This vineyard is farming on the edge," he explains. The fractured Monterey shale soil—ancient seabed pushed up by tectonic forces—contributes distinct minerality to the wines.

Working with head viticulturist Martín Ramírez and consulting viticulturist Phil Coturri (a pioneer of organic winegrowing in California), Bradley farms organically and regeneratively. The approach is minimal intervention: native yeast fermentations, no added sugars, neutral oak aging.

The wines have earned critical acclaim, including 96 points from Vinous for the 2022 Syrah and 95 points/Cellar Selection from Wine Enthusiast for the 2023 Mourvèdre. Tastings are by appointment and include a Jeep tour through the vineyard with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and Channel Islands.