2023 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.2%
pH 3.36
Grape Varieties 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot
Region Santa Cruz Mountains
Harvest Dates 2 October–10 November 2023
Brix at Harvest 23.6°
Estate Grown Yes
Natural Yeast Yes
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Malolactic Fermentation 100%
Oak Details 100% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak100%
Oak Types 95% American oak, 5% French oak
Production Details Hand-harvested, organically grown fruit from eighteen Monte Bello parcels was destemmed and sorted, then fermented as 100% whole berries. The wine spent twenty-one months in 100% new barrels (95% American and 5% French oak). Sulfur additions are reported as 35 ppm at crush and 65 ppm during aging; these are process additions, not a finished-wine sulfites analysis. The wine was depth filtered at bottling.
Tasting Notes Producer note dated January 2026: dark opaque purple; sweet oak and coffee bean; full-bodied, with firm tannins, blackberry, lively acidity and chaparral.
2022 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.8%
pH 3.36
Total Acidity 9.13 g/L
Grape Varieties 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc
Region Santa Cruz Mountains
Soil Fractured limestone overlaid with decomposing franciscan greenstone mixed with clay loam
Harvest Dates 13 September–10 October 2022
Brix at Harvest 23.6°
Estate Grown Yes
Pressing Method Whole Berries Were Pressed Once Dry
Natural Yeast Yes
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Malolactic Fermentation 100%
Oak Details 100% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak100%
Oak Types 95% American oak, 5% French oak
Bottling Date November 2024
Production Details Hand-harvested, organically grown fruit from eighteen selected Monte Bello parcels was destemmed, sorted and fermented as 100% whole berries. Eighteen of thirty-one lots were selected by blind tasting. Total barrel maturation was twenty-one months in 100% new oak (95% American, 5% French). Sulfur additions are reported as 35 ppm at crush and 114 ppm during aging; these are process-stage additions rather than a finished-wine sulfites analysis. The wine was depth filtered. The technical sheet reports 61.8 tons from 41.1 acres (1.5 tons/acre), vineyard elevation of 1,300–2,760 feet, and variety-specific plantings dating from 1949 to 2008.
Tasting Notes Producer note dated November 2024: saturated ruby; blackberry, black currant, fennel, dry chaparral, tobacco leaf, crushed stone and toasted oak; rich bramble and cassis, polished tannins, full body, firm acidity and a limestone-mineral finish.
2021 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.5%
pH 3.46
Total Acidity 6.9 g/L
Grape Varieties 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot
Region Santa Cruz Mountains
Harvest Dates 1–24 September 2021
Brix at Harvest 24.4°
Estate Grown Yes
Natural Yeast Yes
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Malolactic Fermentation 100%
Oak Details 100% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak100%
Oak Types 92% American oak, 8% French oak
Production Details Hand-harvested fruit from twenty-two selected Monte Bello parcels was destemmed, sorted and fermented as 100% whole berries. The wine underwent nineteen months of barrel aging in 100% new oak (92% American, 8% French). Full natural malolactic fermentation occurred, with 60% finishing in tank. Sulfur additions are reported as 35 ppm at crush and 108 ppm during aging; these are process-stage additions rather than a finished-wine sulfites analysis. The wine was depth filtered at bottling.
Tasting Notes Producer note dated April 2023: deep ruby; mountain blackberry, cassis, anise, lavender, violets, toasted oak and earthy mineral notes; bold fruit, fine-grained tannins, firm acidity and a long finish.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2020 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.5%
pH 3.47
Total Acidity 7.24 g/L
Grape Varieties 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc
Region Santa Cruz Mountains
Harvest Dates 15 September–9 October 2020
Brix at Harvest 24.4°
Estate Grown Yes
Natural Yeast Yes
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Malolactic Fermentation 100%
Oak Details 100% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak100%
Oak Types 95% American oak, 5% French oak
Production Details Hand-harvested, organically farmed fruit from thirty-six selected Monte Bello parcels was destemmed, sorted and fermented as 100% whole berries. Total barrel maturation was twenty months in 100% new oak (95% American, 5% French), including a further twelve months after assemblage. Sulfur additions are reported as 35 ppm at crush and 129 ppm during aging; these are process-stage additions rather than a finished-wine sulfites analysis. The wine was depth filtered at bottling.
Tasting Notes Producer note dated March 2021: opaque ruby; cassis, plum, red currant, toasted oak, vanilla, fennel, juniper and bay laurel; velvety tannins, full mid-palate, firm acidity and a long finish.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2019 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.7%
pH 3.45
Total Acidity 7.8 g/L
Grape Varieties 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc
Region Santa Cruz Mountains
Harvest Dates 28 September–20 October 2019
Brix at Harvest 24.4°
Estate Grown Yes
Pressing Method Pressed After Nine Days
Natural Yeast Yes
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Malolactic Fermentation 100%
Oak Details 100% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak100%
Oak Types 95% American oak, 5% French oak
Production Details Hand-harvested, organically farmed fruit was destemmed and sorted, including 15% automated berry sorting, then fermented as 100% whole berries. A record forty-one lots were assembled. The wine spent seventeen months in 100% new air-dried oak barrels (95% American, 5% French). Sulfur additions are reported as 35 ppm at crush and 87 ppm during aging; these are process-stage additions rather than a finished-wine sulfites analysis. The wine was depth filtered at bottling.
Tasting Notes Producer note dated January 2022: blackberry, tobacco, roasted coffee bean and wintergreen; concentrated plum, coated tannins, firm acidity, oak spice and licorice on a long finish.
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)