2021 Langtry Farms Cabernet Sauvignon Tephra Ridge Lake County 750 ml

Tephra is the Greek word for ash—rock ejected by volcanic eruption. It’s an apt name for a vineyard on the north foothill of Howell Mountain, where the soils are thin, gravelly loam over ancient volcanic material, the kind of terrain that drains fast, stresses vines, and concentrates everything they produce. Tephra Ridge is a steep, 35-acre block farmed by Langtry Farms on the Lake County side of the mountain—the same geology, the same elevation, the same fundamental character as the Howell Mountain AVA just over the ridge. The Cabernets from that side of the mountain routinely fetch $80, $100, $150 per bottle and beyond.

The 2021 Langtry Farms Cabernet Sauvignon Tephra Ridge is barrel-selected from the best fruit on the property—winemaker Bryan Parker’s pick of the vintage from his finest block.

The 2021 growing season was exactly what high-elevation volcanic sites along this stretch of the North Coast do best with. The second consecutive year of severe drought reduced yields, concentrated the fruit, and produced small, intensely flavored berries with pronounced concentration. Winemakers across the Howell Mountain AVA reported a smooth, uneventful harvest—lower yields, exceptional quality, and the kind of raw material that rewards patience in the cellar.

In 1888, British actress Lillie Langtry purchased this property and set out to produce what she called the finest claret in the country. The estate is certified sustainable under the Lodi Rules and operates on solar power. Bryan Parker oversees winemaking and operations, with stops at Beringer, Hartford Court, Pine Ridge, and Rutherford Hill behind him—a résumé built at some of California’s most respected addresses. He holds a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry and studied Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis.

We think about Lake County’s high-elevation volcanic sites the way the broader wine world is starting to: as one of California’s most compelling and undervalued appellations for mountain Cabernet. Tephra Ridge makes that case as well as anything we’ve tasted from the region.