Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Mountain Terraces – A Real Treat From Wines at the Mountain Top
Photo by Jerry Padilla of Ledson Winery
Mountain Terraces Vineyard is a world-class estate vineyard sitting at 2,500 feet on the western slopes of the Mayacamas Mountain range. This is part of the small Moon Mountain AVA. The vineyard is comprised of 200 acres of rugged mountain terrain. Varieties planted on the property include, besides the dominant Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Viognier, Merlot, Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah and Sangiovese.
There are many reasons for the uniqueness of the property including soil composition and diurnal temperature swings from the heat of the summer and cooling fog in the evening brushing against the high altitude Moon Mountain vineyards.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Three of these exquisite wines were presented for the tasting. I had just recently published a review of Lex’s Vineyard and opted to only taste the other two. The story on Lex’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon can be found at: https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2026/06/22/mountain-terraces-vineyard-2010-lexs-cabernet-sauvignon-a-crowning-achievement/
Photo ©Michael Kelly
First up was the 2016 Taylor’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. First on the eyes a dark and brooding color. On the nose, flavors of dark berries, especially blueberries and blackberries rush up into the senses to entice you for the first sip. Once in the mouth the bold fruits dance merrily about with joy. Secondary flavors of vanilla pipe tobacco take place. At the finish, the grapes, aged 30 months in oak, imparted both complex and velvety tannins.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The second wine enjoyed was the 2018 Mountain Terraces Cabernet Sauvignon Block 14. If you look at the aerial photo taken by Ledson Winery, it is located at the bottom of the hill. This is a rare and exotic wine for several reasons which are: 1) the 100% French barrels used come from 300-year trees 2) the staves were aged five years in the cooperage yard 3) the minerality imparted from being at the bottom of the hillside. The barrels alone cost more than $1,500 each! This wine goes for $240/bottle and is worth every penny. This was the first time tasting this rarefied wine and hopefully not my last. Vintages of the wine range from 96 points and up.
Again, dark deep coloring with luscious minerality and bright fruit depicts the rarity of this wine. You may never taste such gorgeous wine again.
Both wines earned a spot on my Best Wines Tasted in 2026 list. Roughly 2,000 wines are tasted each year, only about 2% make the annual list that is published yearly in December.
Jerry wanted to take a picture after three hours of me writing notes and tasting these great wines. I wrote pages of notes on each wine enjoyed and the conversations with Jerry.
Photo ©Michael Kelly taken by Jerry Padilla
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
Mountain Terraces Vineyard – 2010 Lex’s Cabernet Sauvignon – A Crowning Achievement
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background Info
Photo from Sonoma County Tourism
The wine comes from one of the smaller districts in Sonoma County AVA, Moon Mountain. Here is a map showing the area which has elevations from 200 feet to 2200 feet. From this vineyard you can see San Francisco some 50 miles away! The name intrigued me from my first introduction and here is Steve Ledson’s explanation “The inspiration for this wine is deeply rooted in love and friendship. Named after my father’s best friend, Lex, this Cabernet honors a bond that lasted a lifetime. Their friendship blossomed in high school and deepened during World War II when they served together in England. Lex, a tail gunner on B-29s, and my father, the lead mechanic, shared a connection that transcended the perils of war”. This wine is named and noted for an enduring friendship.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
I had the privilege of being invited in March 2015 to visit this private working estate. Today the hillsides are flourishing with vineyards. The views from this facility are as unique as the terroir.
Photo Ledson Winery
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
First on the eyes this is a deep cavernous dark coloring with medium-heavy viscosity. On the nose, dark fruits waft into the senses. Once in the mouth, dark cherry and bright red cherries burst forth in greeting the imbiber. Secondly, blueberries and vanilla provide an easy and smooth drinking wine. Finally, minerality is noted along with soft rounded refined tannins at the conclusion.
The current vintage is 2021 which is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Only 130 cases were produced, and alcohol level is 15.5%. The wine spent 30 months in 50% new French oak and retails for $120/bottle.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This wine was chosen for tonight’s meal of seasoned and prime BBQ’ed filet mignon steak. The meat was seasoned with mesquite seasoning, Kinder’s wood fired garlic powder, black pepper and Flatiron BBQ Rub. The Rub contains the following ingredients: chipotle, ancho, smoked ghost and habanero peppers along with thyme, toasted onion, roasted garlic and paprika. Served medium rare with a butter, French Blue cheese and chive compote, sauteed seasoned gnocchi topped with Parmesan cheese and a fresh garden salad with Roquefort dressing.
An excellent wine and food pairing with both benefiting immensely in a symbiotic dynamic.
The Winery
Photo from Ledson Winery Website
The Ledson story begins in England in 1896 and is detailed on the website https://ledson.com/discover-ledson/history/ . It is a tale of hard work, family ties and a desire to do more for the community. Steve Ledson’s history is both unique and common—unique with background and successful venture and common with family ties. His demeanor and casual manner speak volumes.
The Castle is the official tasting room of Ledson Winery, and the architecture and construction alone are worth the visit! Ledson Winery offers the largest premium wine portfolio of any family-owned winery in the United States. Today they offer more than 70 wines annually! More information on Ledson Winery can be found at:
Steve Ledson refers to his Mountain Terraces project as “Elevated Vineyards, Transcendent Wines”. This vineyard located on the mountain top is on rocky and volcanic soils, producing low-yielding Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Syrah, Grenache and Viognier. The property is at 2,000 feet elevation on the western slopes of the Mayacamas.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
FYI, The 2021 Ledson Cabernet Franc, Moon Mountain District, won the 2025 International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition Best of Category ($86- $105) by the People’s Choice Judges and Double Gold medals. They also won Double Gold Medals from the Professional Judges. A rare feat! He continues to win awards every year with his current vintages from his Moon Mountain Estate.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly