Tom S wrote:

IIRC, shortly after Martin Ray's death in the '70s, his name was sold
to some
corporation and his vineyards became Villa Mt. Eden.

More likely, they became part of Mount Eden Vineyards, which is adjacent in
Saratoga. Villa Mount Eden is in the Napa Valley, and AFAIK there's no
connection between them.

Right you are, Tom. So, after a bit of research, here's the *correct* story:
in 1972, Martin Ray lost a battle with his investors and gave up the upper
half of his vineyards, which were then called "Mount Eden Vineyards." He
continued making wine from the lower vineyards, bottling it under his own
name, until his death in 1983. In 1990, Courtney Bentham bought the name from
Ray's family and now makes the "Martin Ray" wines. FWIW, there's a decent
biography of Martin Ray ("Vineyards in the Sky") which details his most
interesting life and his profound impact on the CA wine industry.

Mark Lipton