Tasting Notes 52 found

divine- always my favorites- ridge - in my heavy napa cellar. this ones' been sleeping since i purchased it, wow! I think it is at or near it's absolute peak...Amazing bouquet of rick dark, some floral. Definite mix of red and black fruit. Oak has mellowed out over the years. Definite herbal undertones. Very tasty and enjoyable, but drink it now or near now.... (453 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Great grip and acidity, good freshness, still young, better after 3 hour decant. Hold. (623 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Popped and poured. Mix of red and black fruit with some sweet and sour notes on the palate from the American oak which definitely comes through. Some development of tobacco and herbs. Good acidity but not much in the tannin department. Smooth mouthfeel but getting a little soft. I think this wine is a touch below where it was a few years ago so I would say drink up if holding any. Still, very tasty and enjoyable merlot. (597 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

This is in its prime drinking window, in my opinion. The nose was a fresh and complex mix of dark fruit and spice, and the palate followed suit. Dark cherry, coffee grounds, maybe a bit of herb...enjoy while it still has great fruit but isn't too primary or unevolved to provide complexity. I agree with the prior two TNs in that this indeed has some Cabernet-like character. Will hold for quite some time too, I'd imagine. (979 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

From a well-cellared bottle that had been decanted one hour in advance, this wine (100% Merlot, sourced from the Monte Bello Vineyard) was tasted in double-blind fashion over a two-hour period. Opaque crimson in color, it delivers an intensely aromatic and flavorful package of ripe black currants, Montmorency cherries, baking spices, bittersweet chocolate, dill and tobacco. Medium-to-full-bodied, low in acidity, seamlessly alcoholic (13.5%) and judiciously oaked, it wraps its flavors with plentiful silky-textured tannins and is layered on the mid-palate. Smooth and long on the back end, this is a tremendous Merlot that was misidentified by most tasters as being a Cabernet Sauvignon. Comparably cellared bottles should provide pleasure for another five years or more. Drink now-2027. (1507 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Decanted one hour prior. Very dark crimson - almost opaque. Smoky mocha, tobacco and herbs mix with some coconut and dill aromas from the American oak. Dense black cherries, plum, smoky herbs and cloves on the rich, voluptuous palate. No hard edges on the medium to full-bodied finish that features sweet, well-integrated tannins, more mocha, and a hint of licorice with just enough acidity to be balanced. Seemingly at peak, this has the stuffing to last another 2-4 years.
Interestingly none of the 10 blind tasters correctly identified the varietal - most guessing this was a Napa Cab. A couple were put off by the dill/coconut American Oak influence, but most everyone else really liked this 100% Merlot from the famed Montebello vineyard. (974 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Solid wine with acid plus, and medium body. (1460 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

paque crimson color with exuberant black currant, black cherry, violets dried herb, vanilla and creosote aromas. On the palate, it medium-bodied with mouth-watering fresh acidity and well-integrated supple, sweet tannins with black cherry, black currant, plum, leather, mocha and dried herb flavors with a hint of graphite minerality. Long savory finish. 100% Merlot 13.5% abv

Ridge first made Merlot in 1974 from the exposed Point Vineyard on Monte Bello Ridge at an elevation of 2,600' They wanted to see if the quality of Merlot could match the quality of, and be included in their Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. Once satisfied that it could, over the years they planted more and more merlot as space and resources allowed. From 1975 on, it has been part of their top-tier Monte Bello bottling whenever the assemblage tasting so indicated. They subsequently bottled the Merlot in '87, through most of the 90s, and perennially commencing in 2007. (1504 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Drank over 3 nights.
Took a little while 9n the first night to come together. Initially got the cherry and plum but there was a little sourness/acidity that took away from the wine. After about 1/2 hour in the glass it started to come together with the acidity receding and secondary flavors coming through. Rosemary, thyme etc, maybe clove. Also a silkiness appeared that was missing initially.
By day 2 this was hitting on all cylinders. There was still a little bit left on day 3 and tried to see how it would hold up. No fall off at all from the previous day.

This wine still has a lot of life left. I would definitely give it a quick decant or at least open the bottle an hour or so before. (1368 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Ridge continues to provide a compelling Merlot at a very reasonable price point. Can’t say that I was in a “Merlot” mood, but once I pair this with pesto pasta dinner, I was surprised by the depth of the combo. Solid bottling! (1292 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

With ribeye steak (1702 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Total depth and lusciously delicious- black and red fruit with some leather and fall herbs. Glad I have one more bottle of this. (1477 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Part of a blind tasting of 5 different wine types. This was the group favorite. Despite a cork that almost split in half the long way, and some crud under the capsule, the wine was in great shape. Medium plus length finish. Lots of aged secondary flavors. Complex and enjoyable. Purchased years ago, direct from Ridge. (1512 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Wonderful bottle of wine! Complete cherry fruit but mb. So nicely mature. Had ordered from vineyard 5 years ago and enjoyed with a couple of delicious ribe eyes off the grill. Aroma and taste all come together nicely. If you have or can find, enjoy! (1847 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Primary sweet red fruit. Not particularly oaky. The tannin tastes a little "stemmy". For my palate, I'd put this away for at least another 10 years for all those elements to develop into tertiary flavors. Should be nice then. (1982 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

This cork broke as well!

Funk on nose. Bottle neck and shoulders have a layer of sediment.

Appearance - clear, medium ruby but a dark more purple ruby than red ruby.

Nose - unpleasant funk blew off fast. It’s lovely. Clean but with earthiness. Youthful. Medium plus intensity, sour cherry, wet leaves, cinnamon,

Palate - I love this wine and I think it is drinking great right now. Wish I had more. It has the combination of ripe flavorful fruit, sour cherry and black fruit, with the earthy, animal funky flavors that for me, give a wine the nuance that makes it interesting. A wine that evolves in the glass. Tannins are soft and emerge after you swallow. Soft powdery tannins vs gritty ones. It’s all balanced now. Alcohol is medium. Medium plus body. Finish is medium plus. Mostly the black fruits.

I can’t imagine how this gets better except aging could be interesting as other notes develop? I also love how the winemakers describe the making process on the label.

I have to buy more!

The only ps note I would add, with air it is losing its umph (2.5 hrs in) so I question the life of this. Drinking fine now. (1960 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Decanted for an hour. Nice structure with medium depth and tart cherry. Good finish. One of the better merlots I've had. (1814 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Solid, not spectacular. Slightly candied nose. Red Fruit with drying tannins. Opens with an extremely short pomerol like mid palate on entry. It seems like tighter berry selection and a little less oak would help. Very resistant to oxidation, I had a glass worth stored in a ball jar to check in on over a few days and it barely budged, definitely is better with at least a 24 hour decant. (2110 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

The cork broke. There was an initial “funk” but it blew off. Bottle has been open approx 2 hrs.

Appearance - clear (except for the occasional piece of wayward cork). Medium plus plus (2 times) ruby.

Nose - youthful, medium plus intensity, fresh, ripe, black and red fruits, baking spices. Some alcohol burn on nose and you can feel it a bit in eyes. Pepper, charred wood.

Palate - bracing acidity. Not bad, but it definitely says “hello.” It’s a powerful wine. Better with food. Flavors linger on palate. Acidity, vibrant fruit, and then the tannins on the finish. They linger after you swallow and hide out af the tops of your gums. The dryness beckons the next taste. Medium plus body. ABV listed as 13.5 but feels like it should be higher.

This is an interesting eye opener for anyone who tells you that Merlot is a blending grape and you wouldn’t want to drink it on its own. I wouldnt guess this in a blind taste. I would assume it was a hybrid new world blend, West coast producer, with the addition of some Italian grapes.

Fresh sweet ripe fruit yet a very dry wine. It’s powerful on the palate and then you feel parched. It’s the tannins. You end thirsty but there is no after feel of sour. Just dry. Enjoy with a glass of water and a meal that has some flavors. I’m enjoying it with a tagine, I suspect this could pair with A Peking duck or BBQ flavors. Asian flavors. (2101 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Tasted at The Wine Society's dinner, Berkshire, UK, with Ridge winemaker Eric Baugher introducing the wines. The first red of the evening, served to accompany duck liver parfait interim course. Dark blackcurrant colour. Beautiful nose of up front, fresh, dark berry fruits. Very approachable now, but most felt still young despite its 7 years since the vintage. (1905 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Finesse, balance, ripe fruit, with backbone, acidity and length. Transitioning to maturity, but delicious now. Underrated for what it is, which is Ridge Montebello vineyard merlot from an excellent vintage and legendary winemaker, aged 21 months in barrel, with four-plus years bottle age.
Matched well with filet mignon, garlic scapes and fresh porcini mushrooms. (2144 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Love the aromatics of rich plum, black cherry, milk chocolate, coffee latte, vanilla, but not as balanced as I'd like on the taste. Acidity is too high, especially for a 2012. I would wait another year or so to see how it develops. (2079 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

The 2012 Ridge Estate Merlot is one of those wines that makes me want to drink more merlot. It is a total pleasure to drink. Inky dark purple in color. It features a wonderful bouquet of plums and black cherries. It is incredibly fresh on the palate and then firm and tannic on the long finish. This should drink well for another decade. (2001 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Would have been a nice Merlot in the cab vs Merlot tasting. The good? This is a merlot. The bad? If you're trying to stump someone? Good luck because....this is a classic merlot. From Monte Bello Vineyard. Nose is brambly, yet a bit sweet. Terroir is on the nose in full force. The entry is dark yet a slight bit youthful. Forest floor, plum, black fruit and quite a bit of it. Finishes with some drier tannin. This one is at the top of its game right now, but isn't going to win many awards for WOTN as it just isn't complex on its own. Drank MUCH better with food. Drink or hold another 5 to 10 years. (1958 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Tannins a bit thin, opens up a bit after decant. Pleasant dark berry flavors with a touch of graphite. Feels a bit past its prime, fades a bit after opening up. Still an outstanding wine overall. (1839 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Served with grilled boneless ribeye, roasted potatoes, peach salad.
Look: Crimson, dark but no longer opaque, good color to rim, some sediment apparent.
Sniff: nice plum and cherry, a come hither aroma.
Taste: balance, nice balance of fruit, tannin, acid, lovely finish. Mellow but not flabby, with some black pepper in mid- to late finish.

Drinking very nicely right now. (1749 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Rich red fruits on the nose with a good dose of oak. Medium tannin and length. Nice! (1842 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Extraordinary Napa merlot. If there’s a better one, I’d like to try it! (2198 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

As good as one might expect from these guys. Rich chocolate nose. Dense dark red. Dense fruit, with wood, tobacco, minerals and some aromatic herbs, all in balance and brought together by the finishing acidity. Could keep it much longer, but the richness is really enjoyable now. (1881 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Couldn't help myself. The 2012 needs more time. Still good though... (2004 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

This could not be more different from my last bottle a year or two ago. That one still had the aggressive, raw American oak. It's now barely noticeable, amazingly enough. What happened to the fruit is equally surprising, as it's gotten very backwards and structured, more like cabernet than the plump fleshiness one usually associates with merlot. Lacking primary sweetness, the minerality has come to the foreground and it is intense, full of iron and rock-quarry evocations, so VERY Santa Cruz Mountains - reminds me of some of the great Mount Eden cabernets. (5359 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Served with steak, parsnips, & mushroom sauce.
A pretty wine, crimson/ruby, consistent to the rim.
Nose showed plum, cherry, spice and herb, a touch of smoke - nice.
Medium body, dry, spice shines through, balanced on all fronts. Not a fruit bomb - drinking smooth and wonderfully. (1630 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

This wine is already so damn good. Plush, balanced and super flavorful with lovely underlying mint, cherry and plum with nice oak accent and wonderfully bright acidity keeping the tannin and alcohol in line and well integrated. Wish I had more to age. Very nice expression of Merlot. (2068 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Aromas of toasted coconut and assorted red fruits. Light bodied with an unexpectedly lean texture. This is Merlot? Medium intensity cherry and strawberry shaded by tomato leaf. Medium acidity, supple tannins and a watered down finish that fades quickly. Adequate for Friday night but there's better for the money. (2119 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Deep, purplish color. Aromatic, stewed plums, baking spice and smoked wood chips. Fresh acidity, medium, round tannins, with perfect balance. Concentrated plum, baking spice with fresh picked green and red bell peppers. One of better Cali merlot's I've consumed in past few years. (2474 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Decanted for an hour. Blackberries, tobacco, and a dry yet slightly spicy finish. (2408 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Too much oak. Not enough fruit. Disappointed. (2149 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Opened and left cork out for 2-1/2 hours prior to dinner. Also did a couple pours into 2 BDX glasses about 45 minutes before diner. Chilled down to high 50s / low 60s for drinking. AlC 13.5% Dark almost opaque ruby color. First pour & sip showed too much vanilla oak but either it blew off or I adapted :). This is all American oak and 60% new which I'd prefer dialed back. Guessing the winemaker believes fruit is first class and can handle it. This might be built for more aging too. Would be fun to try 10 years plus out. In hindsight I wish I had thrown it in a decanter upon opening just to help integrate the oak faster and more completely. All that said, this is exceptionally good merlot with plenty of depth and typacity. The nose shows smoky dark fruit, vanilla and some creosote. Terrific density and power. Palate is loaded with dark fruit, dark chocolate, creosote and spice. Could perhaps stand a slight bit more lift but the structure is pretty good. Might grab one or 2 more if I can get them for $44 again. Think this Santa Cruz merlot is likely made from old vines. (2542 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Very tight on opening. (2335 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Grabbed from my extensive ridge cellar and wow! could be drunk now or for next 5 years! silky boysenberry, black berry, a merlot that drinks like a good cab IMHO. Sweet aroma like caramel, flowers. (2237 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Wine Fest Fort Collins (Marriott): Intense nose of shoe polish, caramel, pecan pie, and rich boysenberry fruit. Killer palate. Silky boysenberry fruit. Hints of pine forest that I know will only develop further. (2250 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Beautiful notes of blackberry jam and all good things monte bello (2192 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Blind tasted. I was between Malbec and Zin, went Zin from the signs of American oak. (18% new) Color is too dark for Zin though. (2163 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Day one: pop and pour, which was a mistake--should've decanted a few hours, at least. Oak and acid. Day two: a little more fruit coming through. Day three: fantastic wine! Overwhelming oak is gone with balanced dark fruits coming through. Will hold remainder for at least a couple years. (2039 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Black fruit, spice, cedar, A/A- (1987 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Popped and splash decanted. Consistent with my previous note. Just a delicious, polished, well balanced merlot with pure black fruit tones and just the right amount of oak. (2013 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Tasted at winery. 13.5% abv. 100% merlot from Monte Bello vineyard. Black cherry, ripe plum, sweet spices and a hint of dark chocolate. Medium acidity. Smooth and supple mouthfeel with a long finish. Delicious wine. (2096 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Black fruit and cassis on the nose, tightly wound on the palate, structure stuff. Powerful merlot. Amazing that its 100% merlot with that much structure. Thats pretty profound stuff. (2362 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Completely different from the 2011, (which I tried a couple months earlier) with more extracted fruit, too little tannin and riper style. It's a very good bottle of wine but not in the same way the 2010 and 2011. Not sure it will calm down, it just seems like a riper execution than normal. (1926 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Tasted at Ridge Vineyards. A friendly Merlot, nothing too extravagant. Probably needs some more time. (2067 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Ridge Tasting with Eric Baugher (State Line, Elkton MD): Bright red, toast and coffee on the nose. Fruit forward wine with decent balance, strong grainy tannins in the finish. Floral and round with a bit of herbal quality to it. Drinkable now, a couple of years probably helps this out. (2454 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Aroma: some vegetal aromas of stewed green pepper along with black raspberry compote and forest floor.
Palate: Rich and palate-staining dark berry flavors with characteristic Merlot earthiness. Moderately tannic. Good acidity and structure. Tannins need time to mature. Quite good. (1827 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $