2007 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.7%
Grape Varieties 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot
Region Santa Cruz Mountains
Harvest Dates 28 September–8 November 2007
Brix at Harvest 24.4°
Sites Twenty-one of the thirty-six Monte Bello vineyard parcels
Fermentation Vessels Small fermentors of 1–6 ton capacity; malolactic divided between barrels and tanks
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Oak Details 48% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak48%
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Production Details Grapes were destemmed, with 60% fully crushed and 40% retained as whole berries, then naturally fermented in small fermentors with frequent pump-overs and pressed at seven days. Natural malolactic occurred half in barrel and half in tank. Twenty-one of thirty-six vineyard parcels were selected; three additional Merlot lots were added at the summer racking and press wine was incorporated at month fourteen. The wine spent 17 months in 100% air-dried American oak: 48% new, 30% one- or two-year-old and 22% three- or four-year-old barrels.
Tasting Notes Opaque dark ruby; ripe cassis and black currant with licorice, fennel, black olive, cedar, juniper, black tea and tobacco; opulent, with integrated tannins and a long sweet-oak finish.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2006 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.7%
Grape Varieties 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot
Region Santa Cruz Mountains
Harvest Dates 18 September–25 October 2006
Brix at Harvest 24.9°
Sites Nineteen of the thirty-six Monte Bello vineyard parcels
Fermentation Vessels Small fermentors of 1–6 ton capacity; malolactic divided between barrels and tanks
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Oak Details 54% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak54%
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Production Details Clusters were destemmed but not crushed for natural whole-berry fermentation in small fermentors. Pump-overs were reduced and then stopped by day six; the wine was pressed at six days. Uninoculated malolactic occurred half in barrel and half in tank. Thirty-four parcels were fermented as thirty-six small batches, with nineteen parcels selected. The wine spent 20 months in 100% air-dried American oak: 54% new, 28% two-year-old and 18% three- or four-year-old barrels.
Tasting Notes Mountain bramble fruit, red currant, cardamom, vanilla bean, licorice and toasted oak; velvety, fruit-coated tannins and balanced structure.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2005 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.7%
Grape Varieties 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot
Region Santa Cruz Mountains
Harvest Dates 3 October–2 November 2005
Brix at Harvest 25.1°
Sites Eight of the thirty-six Monte Bello vineyard parcels
Fermentation Vessels Small fermentors of 1–6 ton capacity; malolactic divided between barrels and tanks
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Oak Details 40% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak40%
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Fining Agents Fresh egg whites
Production Details Destemmed grapes were fermented as 100% whole berries with native yeast in small fermentors. Juice circulation was limited because of rapid extraction, and the wine was pressed at an average of six days. Press wine was matured separately before incorporation at eighteen months. Uninoculated malolactic was split between barrels and tanks. The wine received six rackings off settled lees and spent 21 months in 100% air-dried American oak, comprising 40% new and 60% one-year-old barrels. Eight of thirty-six parcels were selected, fined with fresh egg whites and given eight additional months in barrel.
Tasting Notes Saturated ruby; blackberry, cassis, licorice, cola, chai, wet flint, cedar, vanilla, clove, toasted oak and violet; espresso, dark chocolate and briary mountain fruit; coated, chalky tannins and a long finish.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2004 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.0%
Grape Varieties 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc
Region Santa Cruz Mountains
Harvest Dates 13 September–23 October 2004
Brix at Harvest 23.4°
Sites Eight of the thirty-six Monte Bello vineyard parcels
Fermentation Vessels Small fermentors of 1–5 ton capacity; malolactic divided between barrels and tanks
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Oak Details 73% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak73%
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Fining Agents Fresh egg whites
Production Details Grapes were destemmed and fermented as 100% whole berries in small fermentors, pressed at nine days, and underwent natural malolactic split between barrels and tanks. The wine spent 22 months in 100% air-dried American oak, comprising 73% new and 27% two-year-old barrels. Eight of thirty-six parcels were selected, fined with fresh egg whites and given eight additional months in barrel.
Tasting Notes Red currant, red licorice and cocoa, with chalky tannins and an austere finish.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2003 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.4%
Grape Varieties 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc
Region Santa Cruz Mountains
Harvest Dates 24 September–22 October 2003
Brix at Harvest 24.6°
Fermentation Vessels Small fermentors of 1–5 ton capacity; malolactic divided between barrels and tanks
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Oak Details 40% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak40%
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Fining Agents Fresh egg whites
Production Details Destemmed grapes were fermented as 100% whole berries in small fermentors, with native primary fermentation beginning on day four and pressing at dryness after nine days. Natural malolactic occurred in barrels and tanks. The wine spent 21 months in 100% air-dried American oak: 40% new, 20% one- or two-year-old and 40% three- or four-year-old barrels. The official page contains an unresolved count discrepancy: its vintage note says fourteen of thirty-four lots were selected, while its winemaking section says eight of thirty-six vineyard parcels. Selected lots were fined with fresh egg whites and given eight additional months in barrel.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2002 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.7%
Grape Varieties 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot
Region Santa Cruz Mountains
Harvest Dates 24 September–22 October 2002
Brix at Harvest 25.7°
Sites Eight of the thirty-six Monte Bello vineyard parcels
Vine Age average 26; oldest 54
Fermentation Vessels Small fermentors of 1–5 ton capacity; malolactic divided between barrels and tanks
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Oak Details 40% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak40%
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Fining Agents Fresh egg whites
Production Details Grapes were destemmed and fermented as 100% whole berries with native yeast, then pressed at eight days. Malolactic was split equally between barrels and tanks. Average pH at crush was 3.49, which is a grape/must-stage measurement rather than finished-wine pH. Additional Merlot was incorporated about one year after vintage. The wine spent 25 months in barrel; the air-dried American oak comprised 40% new, 45% one- or two-year-old and 15% three- or four-year-old barrels. The selected lots received fresh-egg-white fining and eight additional months in barrel.
Tasting Notes Ruby; cassis, wild berry, violet, vanilla bean, roasted coffee, cocoa and cedar; blackberry, black currant, toasted oak, clove, nutmeg and wet-limestone minerality; full-bodied, silky and long.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2001 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.1%
Grape Varieties 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot
Region Santa Cruz Mountains
Fining Agents Fresh egg whites
Production Details Monte Bello estate parcels produced a medium-bodied but initially tannic wine; Ridge reports several fresh-egg-white finings and approximately twice its customary time in barrel.
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)