2023 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.4%
pH 3.41
Total Acidity 7.2 g/L
Grape Varieties 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot
Region Santa Cruz Mountains
Soil Fractured limestone overlaid with decomposing franciscan greenstone mixed with clay/loam
Brix at Harvest 23.4°
Estate Grown Yes
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Malolactic Fermentation 100%
Oak Details 55% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak55%
Oak Types American oak
Bottling Date June 2025
Contains Added Sulfites Yes
Production Details Hand-harvested Monte Bello estate fruit; grapes were destemmed and sorted, with 100% whole berries fermented on indigenous yeast. Calcium carbonate was used, followed by full malolactic fermentation on naturally occurring bacteria. Sulfur additions were 35 ppm at crush and 85 ppm during aging. The oak regimen was 55% new, 10% two-year-old and 35% four-year-old American barrels. Estate Cabernet parcels yielded 75 tons from 42 acres; the sheet also prints 3.0 tons/acre. The vineyard spans 1,300–2,670 feet, with oldest vines planted in 1949 and further plantings from 1968/69 through 2013; vines are head-trained and cane-pruned on a vertical-shoot-positioned trellis, and established vines are not irrigated. The sheet is internally inconsistent: its technical table says seventeen months in barrel while its vintage narrative says twenty-one months in American oak. It also prints harvest dates of 9 September–5 October, while its narrative says harvest extended into the second week of November; therefore no settled harvest-date or exact aging-duration claim is proposed.
Tasting Notes Deep ruby red; toasty oak and blackberry aromas; full-bodied and structured, with firm tannins, bright acidity and mint on the finish
2022 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.5%
pH 3.36
Total Acidity 7.08 g/L
Grape Varieties 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 5% Merlot
Region Santa Cruz Mountains
Soil Fractured limestone overlaid with decomposing franciscan greenstone mixed with clay/loam
Harvest Dates 9 September – 5 October 2022
Brix at Harvest 24.2°
Estate Grown Yes
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Malolactic Fermentation 100%
Oak Details 52% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak52%
Oak Types American oak from Appalachian, Missouri and Virginia sources
Bottling Date July 2024
Contains Added Sulfites Yes
Production Details Hand-harvested Monte Bello estate fruit was destemmed and sorted; 100% whole berries fermented on indigenous yeast. Calcium carbonate was used, followed by full malolactic fermentation on naturally occurring bacteria. Sulfur additions were 35 ppm at crush and 120 ppm during aging. The barrel mix was 52% new, 20% one-year-old and 28% two-year-old American oak. Estate Cabernet parcels yielded 43 tons from 16 acres; the sheet also prints 1.5 tons/acre. The vineyard spans 1,300–2,670 feet, with oldest vines planted in 1949 and further plantings through 2013; established vines are non-irrigated. The official sheet is internally inconsistent on maturation: its technical table states seventeen months in barrel, while its vintage narrative states twenty-two months. The producer vintage page likewise states twenty-two months, so no settled exact aging-duration claim is proposed.
Tasting Notes Saturated purple; black cherry, blueberry, cola, dried herbs, cedar, juniper berry and sweet-oak aromas; medium-bodied with rich texture, red and black fruit, exotic spice, gravel and mineral notes, and a long complex finish
2021 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.3%
pH 3.51
Total Acidity 7 g/L
Grape Varieties 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot
Region Santa Cruz Mountains
Soil Fractured limestone overlaid with decomposing franciscan greenstone mixed with clay/loam
Harvest Dates 21–24 September 2021
Brix at Harvest 24.4°
Estate Grown Yes
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Malolactic Fermentation 100%
Oak Details 50% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak50%
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Bottling Date July 2023
Contains Added Sulfites Yes
Production Details Hand-harvested Monte Bello estate fruit, primarily from Klein Ranch, was destemmed and sorted; 100% whole berries fermented on indigenous yeast. Calcium carbonate was used, followed by full malolactic fermentation on naturally occurring bacteria. Sulfur additions were 35 ppm at crush and 158 ppm during aging. The wine spent nineteen months in 100% air-dried American oak, split between 50% new and 50% one-year-old barrels. Estate Cabernet parcels yielded 70.2 tons from 38.5 acres; the sheet also prints 2.1 tons/acre. The vineyard spans 1,300–2,670 feet, with oldest vines planted in 1949 and further plantings through 2013; vines are head-trained and cane-pruned on a vertical-shoot-positioned trellis, and established vines are non-irrigated.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2020 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.1%
pH 3.6
Total Acidity 6.7 g/L
Grape Varieties 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot
Region Santa Cruz Mountains
Soil Fractured limestone overlaid with decomposing franciscan greenstone mixed with clay/loam
Harvest Dates 17 September – 8 October 2020
Brix at Harvest 25.3°
Estate Grown Yes
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Malolactic Fermentation 100%
Oak Details 55% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak55%
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Bottling Date July 2022
Contains Added Sulfites Yes
Fining Agents Egg whites, four per barrel
Production Details Hand-harvested Monte Bello estate fruit was destemmed and sorted; 100% whole berries fermented on native yeast. Eighteen of twenty estate parcels were selected. Full malolactic fermentation occurred on naturally occurring bacteria. Sulfur additions were 35 ppm at crush and 138 ppm during aging; four egg whites per barrel were used for tannin reduction, followed by depth filtration at bottling. The barrel mix was 55% new and 45% one-year-old air-dried American oak. Estate Cabernet parcels yielded 57.5 tons from 38 acres; the sheet also prints 2.0 tons/acre. The vineyard spans 1,300–2,670 feet, with oldest vines planted in 1949 and further plantings through 2013; established vines are non-irrigated. The sheet is internally inconsistent on maturation: its technical table says sixteen months in barrel, while its vintage narrative says nineteen months, so no settled exact aging-duration claim is proposed.
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)