Tephra Ridge stands as the birthplace of Lillie Langtry’s California wine legacy, where the legendary actress first planted her vision on Howell Mountain’s volcanic slopes in the 1880s. Rising to 1,800 feet above sea level, this historic 35-acre vineyard is defined by the ancient volcanic forces that shaped its terroir—thin, gravelly soils enriched with volcanic ash that mirror the greatest Bordeaux sites of France.
Here, among the native fir, madrone, and black oak that Lillie herself would have known, Cabernet Sauvignon finds its perfect expression of place. The volcanic terroir imparts a distinctive mineral backbone and concentrated fruit character that speaks to both the power of the mountain and the elegance of its elevation. Our 2021 Tephra Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon honors both this remarkable woman’s pioneering spirit and the extraordinary volcanic terroir she recognized over a century ago, offering a taste of the same mountain magic that first captivated California’s most famous vintner.
