PHMG WAG: Ridge Vineyards

Monte Lyon
Tasted Saturday, January 17, 2015 by Grinner with 319 views

Introduction

Our third single producer tasting out of 112 tastings. Very deserved for this iconic estate. A good candidate for the "what if you could only have wine from one producer for the rest of your life?" question.

Flight 1 - The Opener (1 Note)

  • 2012 Ridge Chardonnay Estate 90 Points

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    Served with pear, Havarti, and a reduced balsamic drizzle, this wine will please most Cal Chard lovers. It reflects the pear and the creaminess of the cheese and there's decent acidity to hold up to the balsamico. Tropical fruit, apple, and oak to be sure (hence the wide score variations). If you're a Chablis fan you already know you don't belong in this glass!

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Flight 2 - The Reds (8 Notes)

  • 2010 Ridge Merlot Estate 90 Points

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    This wine's biggest attribute may be it's velvety mouthfeel. The plum, cocoa, earth, and oak line up to be counted on the palate. Nice long, smooth finish. Now-2017

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  • 2011 Ridge Petit Verdot Torre Ranch 89 Points

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    This is a very dark wine with a tight nose of mostly non-fruit elements: tar, mocha, earth, and smoky oak. Cassis, black plum, black cherry show up on the palate with the earthy components, and then the tannic finish says, "Wait!". Give it another year.

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  • 2012 Ridge Mataro Lytton Estate 90 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County

    This benefitted from the pairing with black truffle toasts. Earthy on its own with black fruit, spice, and damp underbrush notes. Nice long finish, good QPR @$30. Now-2019

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  • 2005 Ridge Lytton Springs 93 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley

    My WOTN, this is an excellent, elegant, long smooth wine that just caresses your palate. Mellow but deep blackberry, raspberry, anise, and spice. On plateau, don't wait too long.

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  • 2012 Ridge Lytton Springs 91 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley

    Like falling into a briar patch (w/o the lacerations). Ripe blackberries, black cherry, anise, and a little oak. Some pepper was more obvious on day two. Hard to know if it'll be as nice as the '05 in 6-7 years; it's sure fine now if you like 'em fruity.

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  • 2012 Ridge Geyserville 92 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County

    May have been better on day 2. More balanced black fruit and earth notes than the previous wines in this tasting, more structure, and good length. Best 2017-19.

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  • 2012 Ridge Petite Sirah Lytton Estate 91 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley

    Squid ink in the glass; it offers up ripe blueberry, black plum, black licorice candy, pepper, a hint of violet, and some oak. Lots of time, good QPR.

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  • 1994 Ridge Monte Bello 93 Points

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    Not as good as previous bottles, I suspect this one saw some less than ideal temperatures before it saw its way to me. However this was a great study in mature Cab. Brick rim, very mellow black fruit and tannins, with notes of stone, rose, tea, and Christmas spices. The taste we got at this past NYC WE was also "younger". Know your source/provenance!!

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Flight 3 - Dessert (1 Note)

  • 2013 Ridge Viognier Lytton Estate 90 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley

    Whoa! What an oddball! Served with the triple crème Mt Tam cheese, this is an over the top wine with plenty of hibiscus, honeysuckle, lychee, tropical fruit, and spice flavors doing battle with the etoh and the measly 1% residual sugar. Weird and fun!

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Closing

I was hoping for a religious experience from the Monte Bello but got an education instead. Very nice wines that got me to sign up again for their ATP program at the winery.

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