An hour north of the Golden Gate, set behind two cattle grates on the western slope of the Mayacamas, Moon Mountain Vineyard sprawls across nearly 300 acres of iron-rich basalt and volcanic ash. Grapes have grown on these steep slopes since the 1880s. The property has been known by many names, including Glen Ellen Vineyard and, from 1980, Carmenet, managed and later owned by the Chalone Wine Group. The dramatic hillside cellar, built into a dynamited bowl framed by ancient lava flows, was constructed during the Carmenet years.
Moon Mountain Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon: the flagship; from organic, high-elevation volcanic blocks on the western Mayacamas slope.
Left Bank: a structured red Bordeaux blend built around estate Cabernet.
Football Block Cabernet Franc: a single-block varietal Cabernet Franc from the historic vineyard.
Sauvignon Blanc, Moon Mountain District: a crisp white from the rocky volcanic estate.
Repris farms about 70 acres of vines in 49 blocks on at least six volcanic soils, from 1,000 to 1,800 feet, certified organic by CCOF since 2002.
Jim Momtazee purchased Moon Mountain Vineyard in 2011 and founded the Repris label with a clear ethos: steward this land across generations, not just vintages. Winemaker Erich Bradley crafts small-lot, balanced, elegant Bordeaux- and Rhône-style wines from organic vineyard blocks farmed by viticulturist Phil Coturri, who replanted the vineyard after the 1996 Cavedale Fire. Most wines are allocated directly to members; the rest are available only to guests on the day of their visit. Visits are by appointment: the 90-minute Experience Moon Mountain Vineyard ($125 per person) is an open-air walk through the vineyard, then a visit to some 18,000 square feet of natural rock caves and a seated tasting of estate wines. The drive up Moon Mountain Road is itself part of the experience, winding past Hanzell, Kamen, Bartholomew, and a constellation of historic Sonoma Valley vineyards.
