California Vineyard Series: Monte Rosso 

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | DECEMBER 18, 2020

Few vineyards in California are as evocative as Monte Rosso. Known for producing wines of extraordinary character and longevity, Monte Rosso (‘red mountain’) is every bit as magical as its name suggests.

The first Monte Rosso wine I remember tasting was a Cabernet Sauvignon from Ed Sbragia about ten years ago. It was so distinctive, and so incredibly different from the Napa Valley Cabernets I was used to. That was my first real introduction to Sonoma Cabernet. I was immediately hooked. Later, I had the opportunity to taste many Martini wines from the 1950s and 1960s that told the story of a remarkable place.

The Vinous Map of the Vineyards of Moon Mountain by Antonio Galloni and Alessandro Masnaghetti. © Vinous, 2020.

Monte Rosso is located in the Moon Mountain AVA, which itself is contained within the larger Sonoma Valley AVA that develops on the western side of the Mayacamas Mountains. For reference, Napa Valley’s Mt. Veeder AVA lies just on the other side of the Mayacamas Mountains. The entrance of the ranch sits at about 700 feet above sea level and then winds up to nearly 1,300 feet. On a clear day Monte Rosso provides stunning views of the San Pablo Bay and San Francisco. 

These head-trained Zinfandel vines date to the 1880s.