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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.5 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 245 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by WineJ2019 on 11/12/2023 & rated 92 points: Great nose, things are well integrated except acid a little stronger if I’m quibbling. Ready now or over next few yrs (711 views) | | | Tasted by NostraBacchus on 6/3/2023 & rated 94 points: This is unfortunately my last bottle of this. Still going strong, but lost just a touch of vibrancy since my last time having it. Nevertheless, a beautiful Cab with plenty of freshness, aromatic and pretty deep. It‘s showing notes of black currant, cassis, some tobacco leaf, also a touch of red fruit, there is smoke, minerality, eucalyptus, menthol, some savory herbs. It‘s medium-full bodied, with medium- tannin that has melted away mostly and is super silky, there is some medium+ acidity too adding nice freshness. Overall excellent balance of fruit, structure and freshness. Long finish too. A beautiful wine from this excellent producer. Unfortunately not the fantastic value it used to be, still decent value in the context of California though. (1396 views) | | | Tasted by Leto South on 5/12/2023 & rated 93 points: Dark red, dense, edge not very pale. Large bq which at first says Bordeaux, then the opulent red fruit kicks in. Also sour cherries, tobacco, dried herbs. The oak is barely noticeable. Still loads of fruit, elegant acidity, sandy tannins. Nice, balanced aftertaste, but perhaps a little short. Must be at its absolute peak now. Lovely! (1114 views) | | | Tasted by DonDon on 1/18/2023 & rated 94 points: I bought three cases of this wine on release in 2012 - and tonight I finished my 36th and last bottle! I’ve so enjoyed this wine over the years. It really is such exceptional value for the quality level. Definitely a Nap Cab but not a fruit bomb and perfectly balanced. You gotta love ridge and their pricing. I also have some of this from other years and it’s consistently brilliant. (1541 views) | | | Tasted by Biggsy on 12/30/2022 & rated 92 points: Classic Cabernet nose, black fruits to the fore with graphite and cedar. Very stylish, there’s still a lot of primary character with juicy black fruits, and the tannins are very fine and give it a lovely mouthfeel. Long. (1473 views) | | | Tasted by sjecrawford on 11/27/2022 & rated 92 points: Still surprisingly youthful. Somewhat linear Cabernet dominated style with rich blackcurrant, but accompanied by integrated oak and bramble perfumed aromatics. Lush with ripe tannins but balanced by good acidity. Very enjoyable and giving much pleasure with at least a decade life ahead. (1269 views) | | | Tasted by askoje on 11/20/2022 & rated 92 points: An array of bramble fruit on the nose, with some notes of biscotti/baked pie crust and herbs. On the palate this will is still very well balanced, delicate yet with enough intensity of flavors. Outstanding wine from Ridge. Would drink remaining bottles within 1 year. (1024 views) | | | Tasted by Zweder on 11/9/2022 & rated 93 points: Beautiful and complex bouquet with dark berries and rustic barnyard and stable impressions. On the palate dark berries, beautiful oak and cedar, cherries, vanilla and chocolate, good acidity and tannin. Beautiful wine. (1164 views) | | | Tasted by WineJ2019 on 9/27/2022 & rated 93 points: Fully integrated / ready to go. Drinking great right now. So smooth, very good! (1026 views) | | | Tasted by Jd6725 on 4/1/2022 & rated 92 points: Solid ridge, good age. Strong acidity and decent structure. Won't blow anyone away but great weekday wine. (1437 views) | | | Tasted by Andrewbdc on 2/8/2022 & rated 90 points: Deep garnet. Pronounced nose - ripe cassis, dark plum, some dried fruit, menthol, cedar, vanilla, smoke, earth. Developing. Dry, med acidity, chalky tannins, med+ alcohol, full body, med+ finish. Initially quite closed but opens up quickly with air. Palate less pronounced than nose. Very good rather than outstanding, mid palate a little hollow. (1646 views) | | | Tasted by Biggsy on 1/31/2022 & rated 93 points: Bright ruby red colour. This has a very classic Cabernet nose, dominated by graphite and cedar, but there is enough black fruit that hints at a riper climate. Really poised and balanced - has a lovely tension between the structure and fruit. The brambly, cedar character continues long into the finish. Probably biased on the score as I’m a Ridge fanboy, but I think this is great! Via Coravin. (1657 views) | | | Tasted by WildeMeeuw on 12/15/2021 & rated 91 points: Kleur: Diep donkerrood met een dunne rand. Aroma / bouquet: Stoer, wat boers, bouquet, tertiair maar vitaal. Gedroogd fruit, maar vooral champignons, natte bosgrond en vleesjus. Smaak / Afdronk: Wow, mooie balans. Prettige frisse zuurgraad, krachtige maar prachtig rijpe tannines en met 13,3% een zeker voor Californisch rood niet overdreven alcoholgehalte. Prachtige balans, mooi geïntegreerd hout, belegen maar vitaal. Prettige lange afdronk met een zacht, droppig bittertje in de finale. Algemeen / potentieel: Geweldig mooie Cabernet Sauvignon met rijpingspotentieel en met een prettige prijs-kwaliteitsverhouding. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 12 + Smaak / Afdronk: 16 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 91/100
Color: Deep dark red with a thin border. Aroma / bouquet: Tough, somewhat rustic, bouquet, tertiary but vital. Dried fruit, but especially mushrooms, wet forest soil and meat gravy. Taste / Aftertaste: Wow, nice balance. Pleasant fresh acidity, powerful but beautifully ripe tannins and with 13.3% an alcohol content that is certainly not exaggerated for Californian red. Beautiful balance, nicely integrated wood, mature but vital. Pleasantly long aftertaste with a soft, dropy bitterness in the final. General / potential: Very beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon with ripening potential and a good price-quality ratio. 50 + Colour: 5 + Aroma / Bouquet: 12 + Taste / Aftertaste: 16 + General / Potential: 8 = 91/100 (1815 views) | | | Tasted by rocknroller on 8/28/2021 & rated 91 points: Annual Wine Group Summer Event - BBQ Brisket at Siggy's (Siggy & Jenny's Place, Mpls, MN): Small taste. No notes. From some reason it always seems to be at the end of the night when I get to this. Wanted to check in, but just had a taste. Gut impression was 90-91, but really wasn't able to give this the evaluation it deserves. Certainly no rush. (2354 views) | | | Tasted by Finare Vinare on 7/27/2021 & rated 92 points: Ten years of cellaring did it. Perfectly integrated oak with a complex of tertiary aromas and mentholated topnotes. The fruit still has excellent freshness and integrity, so this is a great time to drink. Lovely with grilled prime rib, and on its own. Chapeau! (2128 views) | | | Tasted by WineJ2019 on 5/22/2021 & rated 93 points: First I should declare my pro-Ridge bias. This is my second time with this wine/vintage which I enjoyed even more than the first. Namely a bit more fruit and great balance. (1498 views) | | | Tasted by WineJ2019 on 3/19/2021 & rated 92 points: Opened and let sit in glass for a few hours before having with steak. In a really good spot. Tannins are mellow but still present, and nice balance of fruit and acidity. I enjoy Ridge and this was no exception. Drink now or in the next 5 years. (1743 views) | | | Tasted by Necowine on 1/29/2021 & rated 91 points: From glass. Beautiful nose of eucalyptus, menthol, tamed dark berry and blackberry, and sweet pine creating fond expectations of early-mature California loveliness. Palate of all of those things having been blended smooth in a blender, with cooler, juicier dark fruit more central than the nose might have let on, but finishing more with the eucalyptus and menthol. Some front-end dryness, but fluid and light - no viscosity. Beautiful wine, falling in line with what I've read about the vintage in California as well as the younger Ridge zins I've enjoyed. (1916 views) | | | Tasted by mpricher on 12/28/2020 & rated 91 points: Last drank this vintage 6 years ago.. it’s lost nothing! It was very vibrant upon opening. Big black berry and currant notes, with some bell pepper and dill finish. Several layers of flavor perisiting for minutes. Crazy good. Sad to see my last bottle go, but enjoyed with friends. (1682 views) | | | Tasted by matage on 8/22/2020 & rated 91 points: Drinking very well right now (1927 views) | | | Tasted by JM_MadTown on 8/13/2020 & rated 91 points: This is drinking well with soft red fruits, some lead pencil, forest floor and sweet and mellow tannins. (1763 views) | | | Tasted by ephorn on 7/30/2020 & rated 95 points: Old world nose, some funk and tertiary aromas. Palate is full but balanced with still plenty of tannin. Not a fruit bomb yet many layers of fruit. Could pass for a second or third growth Bordeaux. Drinks great now but should hold and maybe develop more with another 5-10 yrs age. (1623 views) | | | Tasted by Cote d'Or on 6/8/2020: Tasted over 3 hrs
-saturated dark ruby-purple
-full expansive rich ripe cassis plum jammy some oak
-med acidity gives it some brightness, med weight med+ concentration ripe cassis plum with a diffuse blanket of earthiness, med/med+ tannins
-very good if not terribly complex with some more upside (1727 views) | | | Tasted by yipen on 3/1/2020: Tannin are mostly resolved, this wine did not taste young. And it kind of taste like a Bordeaux. Fruity, Blackberry with savory note and taste. 2nd day opened up more fruitiness. Overall quite good (1978 views) | | | Tasted by JM_MadTown on 12/24/2019 & rated 92 points: This wine is in a good place with mellow tannins and lovely red fruits. It is definitely a California Cabernet, but with more class than most. (2016 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Santa Cruz Mountains – The 2015s and 2014s (Aug 2017) (8/1/2017)
(Ridge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Central Coast Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Exploring California's Central Coast (Aug 2011)
(Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Santa Cruz Mountains) Subscribe to see review text. | By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, May/June 2011, IWC Issue #156
(Ridge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Santa Cruz Mountains) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Brook
Decanter
(Ridge Vineyards, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (3/6/2011)
(Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Estate) Dark crimson color; focused, ripe cassis, berry nose with a touch of menthol; tight, oak, cassis palate, needs several years to integrate; medium-plus finish 88+ points 88 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and Decanter and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Ridge Producer website | Wikipedia
Ridge Vineyards is a California winery specializing in premium Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Chardonnay wines. Ridge produces wine at two winery locations in northern California. The original winery facilities are located at an elevation of 2,300 feet (700 m) on Monte Bello Ridge in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA near Cupertino, California. The other Ridge winery facilities are at Lytton Springs in the Dry Creek Valley AVA of Sonoma County.Cabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon is probably the most famous red wine grape variety on Earth. It is rivaled in this regard only by its Bordeaux stablemate Merlot, and its opposite number in Burgundy, Pinot Noir. From its origins in Bordeaux, Cabernet has successfully spread to almost every winegrowing country in the world. It is now the key grape variety in many first-rate New World wine regions, most notably Napa Valley, Coonawarra and Maipo Valley. Wherever they come from, Cabernet Sauvignon wines always seem to demonstrate a handful of common character traits: deep color, good tannin structure, moderate acidity and aromas of blackcurrant, tomato leaf, dark spices and cedarwood.
Used as frequently in blends as in varietal wines, Cabernet Sauvignon has a large number of common blending partners. Apart from the obvious Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the most prevalent of these are Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenere (the ingredients of a classic Bordeaux Blend), Shiraz (in Australia's favorite blend) and in Spain and South America, a Cabernet – Tempranillo blend is now commonplace. Even the bold Tannat-based wines of Madiran are now generally softened with Cabernet SauvignonEstateIn the United States, "Wines with “estate bottled” designations must: a) also designate an appellation of origin or an AVA, and both the vineyards and the winery must be located there; b) the grapes must come from vineyards owned or controlled by the winery; and c) the wine must have been produced, from crush to bottle, in a continuous process without leaving the winery’s premises."
- WINE LABEL FAQS: A QUICK SUMMARY OF LABEL DESIGNATION RULES" by David E. StollUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Santa Cruz Mountains Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association | Wikipedia
Once referred to by wine writers as the Chaine d'Or -- or "golden chain" -- the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA sits above Silicon Valley, running along the craggy range next to the Pacific on some of the prettiest parts of Northern California. The area supports more than 75 wineries, despite being limited by geography and high land prices.
In 1981 the Santa Cruz Mountains Viticultural Appellation became federally recognized, one of the first American viticultural areas to be defined by geophysical and climatic factors. The appellation encompasses the Santa Cruz Mountain range, from Half Moon Bay in the north, to Mount Madonna in the south. The east and west boundaries are defined by elevation, extending down to 800 feet in the east and 400 feet in the west. |
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