Hidden high in the Santa Cruz Mountains lies a unique winery and vineyard operated by founder/winemaker Jerold O'Brien. Established in 1979, Silver Mountain Vineyards is located at 2,100 feet elevation, providing spectacular views of the Monterey Bay and surrounding redwood forest. Here, warm summer days and cool nights balance to produce a longer hang-time for the grapes, while the mountain terrain stresses the vines, resulting in low-yield, high-concentration fruit. Both of these result in robust, complex wines that are layered with rich flavor and exquisite aroma.

Jerold’s interest in wine was sparked at age 22 when, as a young Air Force pilot, his travels exposed him to many different cultures, cuisines and table beverages. As he subsequently built his career in commodity futures trading, he continued to explore the world and, while doing so, study what made the wines from each area distinct. In 1970, he moved to the San Francisco Bay Area where he began taking classes and working part time in wineries. It soon became clear that this was what he wanted to do with his life and, in 1973, using profits he had made from silver trades, he bought the 18-acre parcel that is now the home of Silver Mountain.

For almost 3 decades, Jerold’s old-world attention to detail and passion for wine have established Silver Mountain as a brand with distinct character and consistently high quality that continues to be a standout in the wine industry.