2008 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.9%
Grape Varieties 79% Zinfandel, 21% Petite Sirah
Drinking Window Producer expected in November 2009 that the wine would evolve over the following seven to eight years.
Region Napa Valley
Harvest Dates 5–11 September 2008
Brix at Harvest 24.8°
Natural Yeast Yes
Maceration 11 days
Oak Details 20% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak20%
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Production Details Individual parcels fermented separately without inoculation on natural yeasts; cap management was 68% submerged and 32% floating, and pressing occurred at eleven days on average. Natural malolactic followed. The producer's winemaking panel reports twelve months in 100% air-dried American oak—20% new, 25% one-to-two-year-old and 55% three-to-five-year-old barrels.
Tasting Notes Blackberry, vanilla and cassis aromas; dark fruit and mineral palate, ample acidity and very full, well-coated tannins.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2007 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.6%
Grape Varieties 78% Zinfandel, 22% Petite Sirah
Drinking Window Producer expected in August 2008 that the wine would continue developing for six to eight years.
Region Napa Valley
Harvest Dates 3–19 October 2007
Brix at Harvest 25.8°
Natural Yeast Yes
Maceration 11 days
Oak Details 25% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak25%
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Production Details Seven vineyard parcels fermented separately without inoculation on natural yeasts; 32% used a floating cap. The producer page contains a timing discrepancy: its narrative reports eleven-day average fermentations, while the winemaking panel reports pressing at nine days. The wine then matured for twelve months in air-dried American oak: 25% new, 40% one-to-two-year-old and 35% three-to-four-year-old barrels.
Tasting Notes Wild blueberry, plum, violets, fennel and dusty earth; abundant mountain fruit, medium-full chalky tannins, mineral character and a caramel/toasty-oak finish.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2003 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.4%
Grape Varieties 84% Zinfandel, 16% Petite Sirah
Drinking Window Producer expected in February 2005 that the wine would benefit from one to two years in bottle and develop over the following ten years.
Region Napa Valley
Harvest Dates 20 September–18 October 2003
Brix at Harvest 24.5°
Natural Yeast Yes
Maceration 8 days
Oak Details 15% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak15%
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Production Details The vineyard was dry-farmed. Eight parcels fermented separately without inoculation using natural primary and secondary fermentation; 32% used a floating cap, pressing occurred at eight days, and natural malolactic finished in four weeks. Barrel maturation lasted seventeen months in air-dried American oak. As rendered, the producer page's barrel-age breakdown is internally incomplete—15% new, 25% one-year-old and 2% two- and four-year-old barrels, totaling only 42%—so no complete used-oak allocation is proposed.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
1996 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.8%
Grape Varieties 91% Zinfandel, 9% Petite Sirah
Drinking Window Producer expected the wine in January 1998 to be most enjoyable over the following five years.
Region Napa Valley
Sites 60% from the Race Track block; the remainder from younger vines above the Mill site and on Burger and Kite Hills.
Production Details The Race Track component, representing 60% of the wine, came from thirty-year-old vines; the other component came from younger vines above the Mill site and on Burger and Kite Hills. Petite Sirah was included for color and richness.
Tasting Notes Deep ruby; blueberry, ripe cherry, red fruits, briar, green peppercorn, caramel, toffee, black pepper and coriander; chalky tannins and a lingering complex finish.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
1991 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.3%
Grape Varieties 94% Zinfandel, 6% Petite Sirah
Region Napa Valley
Sites The Race Track vineyard supplied the majority of the fruit.
Oak Details 25% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak25%
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Production Details The wine was matured in air-dried American-oak barrels, 25% new. York Creek Petite Sirah was included for structure and black-pepper spice.
Tasting Notes Spice and berry fruit, with structural and black-pepper contributions from Petite Sirah.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
1989 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.9%
Grape Varieties 95% Zinfandel, 5% Barbera
Drinking Window Expected at release to develop fully with five to eight years of bottle age.
Region Napa Valley
Grape Clone Old Picchetti clone from Monte Bello Ridge
Production Details Fruit is associated with York Creek's Race Track Vineyard and its head-trained old Picchetti-clone vines; the vines were pruned back and opened up before the 1989 harvest. A 5% Barbera component was included for complexity and softer tannins.
Tasting Notes Rich and earthy, with a long chalky finish.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
1985 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.8%
Grape Varieties 90% Zinfandel, 10% Petite Sirah
Region Napa Valley
Oak Details 20% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak20%
Production Details The wine matured for fifteen months in small cooperage, 20% of which was new oak.
Tasting Notes Spicy berry fruit, firm chalky tannins and structural balance.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
Producer Information
Website
Address
17100 Montebello Road, Cupertino, CA 95014-5435, USA
Phone
+1 408.867.3233
Owner
Private ownership (founding families)
Cellarmaster
John Olney (Head Winemaker & CEO)