Behind The Wine: Far Mountain Wines
We’re all in on Far Mountain Wines. Founded in 2018 by Chilean winemaker Rodrigo Soto and his wife Mai Errazuriz, this is one of the most compelling mountain-focused projects in Sonoma today. Based in the Moon Mountain District, Far Mountain works exclusively with high-elevation, dry-farmed vineyards planted on steep slopes of rocky, volcanic soils, ranging from roughly 900 to 1,600 feet above sea level.
These are sites that force restraint. Elevation, exposure, and poor soils slow ripening and naturally limit yields, producing fruit with concentration, structure, and a clear mineral signature. What draws us to Far Mountain is not just the beauty of these places, but how clearly they come through in the wines. They are focused, age-worthy, and unmistakably shaped by their mountain origins, offering a view of Sonoma that feels both timeless and forward-looking.
History and Background
Rodrigo Soto’s path to Far Mountain was shaped long before its founding. Raised in Chile, he entered the wine world at age fourteen through vineyard work, then pursued formal training in agronomy. His academic focus on organic farming laid the groundwork for a career centered on sustainable viticulture and site expression.
Following university, Soto spent over a decade working between Chile and California, gaining hands-on experience at estates known for organic and biodynamic farming, including Matetic in Chile and Benziger in Sonoma. In 2012, he joined the Huneeus family as chief winemaker for their Chilean properties, where he led vineyard transformations focused on quality and long-term sustainability.
Soto later moved to Napa Valley to serve as General Manager of Quintessa, overseeing both vineyard and estate operations. Far Mountain emerged not as a side project, but as a personal response to broader questions about the direction of California wine. The goal was simple and exacting: to capture the expressive potential of mountain Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay without compromise.
The Mountain Focus
Far Mountain’s philosophy begins with geography. The team works exclusively with isolated mountain vineyards that are difficult to access and impossible to stumble upon. These sites are defined by elevation, exposure, and poor soils that naturally limit vigor and yields.
Mountain vineyards ripen slowly. Days are warm, but nights are cool, influenced by marine air from the Pacific and San Francisco Bay. The growing season is long, allowing phenolic maturity to develop without excessive sugar accumulation. Volcanic and basaltic soils further restrict growth, producing smaller berries with higher skin-to-juice ratios and pronounced mineral character.
This combination of climate and soil is the foundation of Far Mountain’s style: structured, layered wines that favor clarity and longevity over immediate impact.
Vineyards and Holdings
Bald Mountain Vineyard
Planted in 1972, Bald Mountain is one of the most dramatic sites in the portfolio. Located high in the Sonoma Mountains, the vineyard sits on pure fractured basalt and is entirely dry farmed. Chardonnay vines are planted to heritage California clones that thrive in poor soils and develop depth without weight.
The site’s elevation, old vines, and volcanic substrate give the wines a marked chalkiness and salinity. Bald Mountain Chardonnay is intense, textural, and distinctly mineral, with a sense of place that is unmistakable.
Key wines: Myrna Chardonnay, Bresa Chardonnay
Alta Vista Vineyard
Alta Vista lies above the town of Sonoma, facing the San Francisco Bay. The vineyard is planted to over fifty-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon vines, dry farmed and fully adapted to the contours of the hillside. Terraced rows follow the natural shape of the land, promoting even ripening and balanced fruit.
Cooling bay influences temper daytime heat, preserving acidity and aromatic lift. The resulting Cabernets combine mountain structure with freshness and precision.
Key wines: Fission Cabernet Sauvignon, Amotus Cabernet Sauvignon
Montecillo Vineyard
First planted in 1860, Montecillo is one of the most historic vineyards in the Moon Mountain District. Located on the northern end of the Mayacamas range, its west-facing slopes range from 1,400 to 1,800 feet in elevation. The soils are red, rocky, and volcanic, dominated by basalt fragments.
Old Cabernet Sauvignon selections are grafted onto 1103 Paulsen rootstock. The vineyard is dry farmed and organically managed, producing fruit with natural concentration and firm tannic structure. Montecillo wines reflect both the vineyard’s history and its rugged physical character.
Key wine: Montecillo Cabernet Sauvignon
Winemaking Philosophy
Far Mountain’s cellar work is intentionally restrained. Fermentations are guided rather than forced, with an emphasis on preserving site character. Extraction is gentle, and élevage is tailored to each vineyard’s structure rather than imposed by recipe.
The goal is not polish, but precision. Wines are built to evolve, with tannins and acidity left intact to support long aging. This approach allows the mountain character to remain visible over time, rather than being softened for early appeal.
Featured Wines
Fission Cabernet Sauvignon
A pure mountain Cabernet with dark fruit framed by elevation-driven freshness.
Myrna Chardonnay
Focused, mineral-driven, and textural. A clear expression of extreme mountain Chardonnay.
Bresa Chardonnay
Sourced from the oldest section of Bald Mountain. Intense, saline, and tightly wound.
Legacy in the Making
Far Mountain Wines is not a nostalgia project, nor a stylistic exercise. It is a focused exploration of what Sonoma’s mountains can deliver when farming, patience, and restraint align. Under Rodrigo Soto’s direction, the winery has quickly become a reference point for high-elevation Sonoma wines that value place over trend.
For collectors and serious drinkers, Far Mountain represents a clear signal of where the future of mountain California wine is headed. Not louder. Not riper. Just more precise, more honest, and built to last.
