Ridge Vineyards Santa Cruz

The history of Ridge Vineyards begins in 1885, when Osea Perrone, a doctor who became a prominent member of San Francisco's Italian community, bought 180 acres near the top of Monte Bello Ridge. He terraced the slopes and planted vineyards; using native limestone, he constructed the Monte Bello Winery, producing the first vintage under that name in 1892. This unique cellar, built into the mountainside on three levels, is still Ridge's production facility. In the late 1950's, Dave Bennion and his three partners, all Stanford Research Institute engineers, made a quarter-barrel of "estate" Cabernet from these vines. That Monte Bello Cabernet was among California's finest wines of the era. Its quality and distinctive character convinced the partners to re-bond the winery in time for the 1962 vintage. The first Zinfandel was made in 1964, from a small nineteenth century vineyard farther down the ridge. This was followed in 1966 by the first Geyserville Zinfandel. By 1968, production had increased to just under three thousand cases per year, and in 1969, Paul Draper joined the partnership. A Stanford graduate in philosophy-he was a practical winemaker, not an enologist. His knowledge of fine wines and traditional methods complemented the straightforward "hands off" approach pioneered at Ridge. Under his guidance, the old Perrone winery (acquired the previous year) was restored, the finest vineyard lands were leased or purchased, and the consistent quality and international reputation of the wines was established. Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel account for most of the production; Syrah, Grenache, Carignane, and Petite Sirah constitute a small percentage. Known primarily for its red wines, Ridge has also made limited amounts of Chardonnay since 1962. In 2000 Paul Draper was named Decanter Magazine's "Man of the Year", and in 2006 as The San Francisco Chronicle's "Winemaker of the Year". In October 2008 Wine & Spirits magazine named Ridge Winery as a 'Winery of the Year' for the 11th time.

Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2005 - Santa Cruz Mountains The Monte Bello estate vineyard is divided - by soil, exposure, and point of ripening - into thirty-six parcels that are harvested and fermented separately. The oldest were planted sixty years ago; average vine age is twenty-seven years. Historically, each parcel produces a particular style, varying from the structured, long-lived wines set aside for the Monte Bello to the full, rich wines that make up the Home Ranch, and the well-defined, more approachable ones that go into the Santa Cruz Mountains. The 2005 Santa Cruz Mountains contains eight of the parcels and the blend is 58% Cabernet Sauvignon and 42% Merlot. This appealing wine is redolent of rich, briary fruit. In aging, new American oak was limited to forty percent; time in barrel was extended to twenty-one months. This beautifully balanced wine is enjoyable now, and will develop fully over the next twelve to fourteen years.

Three Valleys 2006 Sonoma County Three Valleys is a Ridge proprietary name, referring to three of Sonoma County's finest appellations. Roughly half the grapes in this vintage come from three vineyards in Dry Creek Valley, forty percent from five vineyards in Alexander Valley, and the balance from one vineyard in the Russian River Valley. The wines fermented on their natural yeasts, were pressed at seven days on average, and completed a natural (uninoculated) malolactic fermentation seven weeks later. This is the one wine whose character is determined by blending from a number of sites. The grapes are hand-harvested, and the wine receives the same care and attention as our single-vineyard bottlings. The 2006 Three Valleys aged in air-dried american oak barrels, of which a quarter were new and one year old, the rest two to seven years old. Enjoyable now, this rich, well-structured wine will develop fully over the next four to five years. "One of the friendliest Ridge Zins we've tasted in a long time, this is exhuberant and focused on fresh black cherry flavours. It has a cool, foresty feel to balance the tannins and their lasting spice. Give those tannins anything meaty, especially slow-smoked ribs." 93 points, Wine & Spirits, Oct 2008 Geyserville 2006 - Sonoma County Located on the western edge of Sonoma's Alexander Valley, Geyserville was Ridge's first source of red wine grapes, other than Monte Bello Ridge. The first vintage - 1966 - was an essence. The combination of Geyserville's climate, gravelly soils, and varietal mix (Zinfandel, Carignane, Petite Sirah, Alicante, Mataro, etc.) imparts elegance and definition not usually associated with zinfandel. It's hard to describe a "typical" Geyserville. Each vintage is unique, distinct, extraordinary. Yet they do have elements in common, including the blackest of blackberry fruit, peppery spice, tar, cedar. The term "layered" was invented for Geyserville. And the wines change, re-inventing themselves in bottle, developing more nuance and complexity as years pass. The '73 still shines. Most ageworthy of all Ridge "Zinfandels," they can be (witness the '97) magnificent when young. Go taste a Geyserville. Any vintage will do. "70% Zinfandel; 18% Carignane; 10% Petite Sirah; 2% Mataro. It is usual for Ridge's Geyserville bottling to vie for top Zinfandel honors in every vintage, and, the 2006 version exhibits the depth and density and solid structure that we have come to expect. It hints at chocolate and a bit of raisiny fruit, and picks up an edge of tannin and heat at the end. It is, however, not fully in focus just yet, but given the ageworthy nature of its predecessors, it is likely to improve over time and comes with a recommendation for a several years of cellaring." 90 points and one star, Connoisseur's Guide to California Wines, May 2008 Lytton Springs 2006 - Dry Creek Valley Lytton Springs bottlings are generally perceived as quintessential Zinfandel, which is true, as far as it goes. On the Ridge Lytton Estate (East), Zinfandel grows atop seven hills; Petite Sirah surrounds the Zin on six, Grenache on the seventh - an unusual configuration. There is some interplanting. Lytton Estate (West) is a magnificent hodgepodge of grapes, including more Zinfandel, which seems so at home here. The wines are classic Dry Creek Valley. They show the potent, ripe boysenberry and blackberry of old-vine Sonoma Zinfandel, notes of leaf and briar, and the intricacy of multiple varietals. Acid and tannin are firm, yet not overwhelming; in youth, at least, fruit predominates. These balanced, powerful Zins become more nuanced with age. Visit Ridge Vineyards. All wines are available by the unmixed case to Licensees and Private Consumers, subject to availability. Read the small print for more information.