Page 9

For decades, Premier Cruz has served as a celebration of one of the Santa Cruz Mountains wine region’s greatest treasures: exceptional mountain-grown cabernet sauvignon. On Saturday, October 24, this beloved annual tradition returns, inviting wine enthusiasts to discover why cabernet from the Santa Cruz Mountains has earned an enduring place among the world’s finest.

This year’s event will be at the picturesque Lexington Hills Estate & Winery, where guests will enjoy an intimate tasting salon featuring more than 15 award-winning Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet producers. Each winery will pour both a current release and a carefully selected library vintage, offering a rare opportunity to experience firsthand how these remarkable wines evolve over time. Side-by-side tastings reveal the complexity, elegance, and longevity that have become hallmarks of Santa Cruz Mountains cabernet.

The story of cabernet in the Santa Cruz Mountains stretches back well over a century. By the late 1800s, local winegrowers were already earning acclaim in national and international competitions. The region’s reputation reached a global audience Doors open at 2 p.m. and the concert begins at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 for adults; $25 for seniors; $5 for students; and $65 for a family pass. Don’t miss this afternoon of brilliant brass and boundary- pushing sound. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit lgcca.org.

We hope to see you there. in 1976, when Ridge Vineyards’ Monte Bello Cabernet was selected for the historic Judgment of Paris tasting. There, California wines stunned the wine world by outperforming many of France’s most celebrated wines. When the tasting was recreated 30 years later using the original vintages, Monte Bello once again rose to the top, further cementing the Santa Cruz Mountains’ place among the world’s premier cabernet-growing regions.

What makes these wines so distinctive? The answer lies in the mountains themselves. Dramatic elevation changes, diverse soils, cooling marine influences, warm sunny days, and crisp evenings combine to create ideal growing conditions for cabernet sauvignon grapes. Most vineyards are small, allowing growers to farm with exceptional care and produce wines of remarkable concentration, structure, and balance. The result is a style that is unmistakably Santa Cruz Mountains: expressive, age-worthy, and deeply reflective of its mountain terroir.

Beyond the tasting experience, Premier Cruz offers savory seasonal pairings by Oak & Rye, opportunities to meet the winemakers behind these acclaimed bottles, and a silent auction featuring unique wine lots and experiences.

We are offering an exclusive discount for Mountain Network News readers. Save 10 percent on Premier Cruz tickets with the code MNNPC10. For more information and tickets, visit winesofscm.com/PC2026.

The Los Gatos Community Concert Association proudly presents the San Francisco Brass Band on Sunday, September 13, at the Los Gatos High School Theatre, 20 High School Court in downtown Los Gatos. This ensemble shatters brass-band stereotypes. Founded in 2019 to represent the West Coast in North American British Band competitions, the San Francisco Brass Band, under the dynamic leadership of music director Jeff de Seriere, brings bold energy, exceptional musicianship, and a mission to champion the works of underrepresented composers.

In 2024, they claimed first place in the North American British Band Association’s First Section competition with powerful performances of works by Ingebjørg Vilhelmsen and Philip Harper. This is brass band music at its most vibrant and unexpected.

Premier Cruz Celebrating the Legacy of Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Brittany Archer For decades, Premier Cruz has served as a celebration of one of the Santa Cruz Mountains wine region’s greatest treasures: exceptional mountain-grown cabernet sauvignon. On Saturday, October 24, this beloved annual tradition returns, inviting wine enthusiasts to discover why cabernet from the Santa Cruz Mountains has earned an enduring place among the world’s finest.

This year’s event will be at the picturesque Lexington Hills Estate & Winery, where guests will enjoy an intimate tasting salon featuring more than 15 award-winning Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet producers. Each winery will pour both a current release and a carefully selected library vintage, offering a rare opportunity to experience firsthand how these remarkable wines evolve over time. Side-by-side tastings reveal the complexity, elegance, and longevity that have become hallmarks of Santa Cruz Mountains cabernet.

The story of cabernet in the Santa Cruz Mountains stretches back well over a century. By the late 1800s, local winegrowers were already earning acclaim in national and international competitions. The region’s reputation reached a global audience Doors open at 2 p.m. and the concert begins at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 for adults; $25 for seniors; $5 for students; and $65 for a family pass. Don’t miss this afternoon of brilliant brass and boundary- pushing sound. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit lgcca.org.

We hope to see you there. in 1976, when Ridge Vineyards’ Monte Bello Cabernet was selected for the historic Judgment of Paris tasting. There, California wines stunned the wine world by outperforming many of France’s most celebrated wines. When the tasting was recreated 30 years later using the original vintages, Monte Bello once again rose to the top, further cementing the Santa Cruz Mountains’ place among the world’s premier cabernet-growing regions.

What makes these wines so distinctive? The answer lies in the mountains themselves. Dramatic elevation changes, diverse soils, cooling marine influences, warm sunny days, and crisp evenings combine to create ideal growing conditions for cabernet sauvignon grapes. Most vineyards are small, allowing growers to farm with exceptional care and produce wines of remarkable concentration, structure, and balance. The result is a style that is unmistakably Santa Cruz Mountains: expressive, age-worthy, and deeply reflective of its mountain terroir.

Beyond the tasting experience, Premier Cruz offers savory seasonal pairings by Oak & Rye, opportunities to meet the winemakers behind these acclaimed bottles, and a silent auction featuring unique wine lots and experiences.

We are offering an exclusive discount for Mountain Network News readers. Save 10 percent on Premier Cruz tickets with the code MNNPC10. For more information and tickets, visit winesofscm.com/PC2026.