Bradley Brown bought the long derelict Big Basin property in 1998 and soon recruited his two older siblings, who also grew up with wine thanks to their father’s home winemaking, to participate in the reestablishment of a vineyard and winery. Years of acclaim resulted in Wine & Spirits naming Big Basin to its Top 100 Wineries of the World in 2021. Located on a ridgetop high in the Santa Cruz mountains near Big Basin State Park, the estate vineyard was planted in 2000. Big Basin’s estate vineyards are certified organic and the nearby vineyards they purchase fruit from must also be sustainably/organically grown. The Bald Mountain Vineyard is the only vineyard in the Ben Lomond Mountain AVA, a tiny sub-district of the Santa Cruz Mountain very near the Monterey Bay and well within the fog zone, at elevations of 1000-2300 feet and having unique ‘Zayante’ sandy soils that give elevated acidity, minerality and elegance. The grapes were hand harvested and whole-cluster pressed to used French oak barrels for native yeast primary and secondary fermentation which didn’t complete until nearly a year later. This wine has loads of crisp citrus and tart apple and is just now reaching its full potential. Would be spectacular with buttered lobster.