A native Californian, Jeffrey Patterson graduated from U.C. Berkeley in 1975 with a degree in biology. While in Berkeley, he witnessed and participated in the emergence of northern California’s fine wine and food culture. An enthusiastic wine drinker and collector, Jeffrey decided to pursue a career in the wine business and, in 1979, enrolled in the U.C. Davis viticulture and enology program, where he studied for two years.

In 1981, Patterson became assistant winemaker at Mount Eden Vineyards. He had visited the Santa Cruz Mountain winery in 1978 and believed Mount Eden, with its long history of fine wine production, would be an ideal place to practice his craft.

Today, with over 30 years’ experience at California’s original boutique winery, Jeffrey and Ellie Patterson live in the house Martin Ray built on Mount Eden in the early 1950s, surrounded by the winery’s historic estate vineyard and a panoramic view of the now-famous Silicon Valley.

Find out more about Mount Eden Vineyards at https://www.mounteden.com.

Ryan Smith

Wine With Bill