2023 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.1%
pH 3.61
Grape Varieties 100% Zinfandel
Region Santa Cruz Mountains
Harvest Dates 3 Nov 2023
Brix at Harvest 24.3°
Estate Grown Yes
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Oak Details 10% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak10%
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Contains Added Sulfites Yes
Production Details Hand-harvested estate fruit was destemmed and fully crushed, then fermented with a floating cap using native yeasts; full natural malolactic followed. The wine spent sixteen months in American oak comprising 10% new, 45% four-year-old and 45% five-year-old barrels. Sulfur additions were 35 ppm at crush and 133 ppm cumulatively over aging; these are addition figures, not finished-wine sulfite analysis.
Tasting Notes Black olive, fig, tobacco, sage and red plum, with mineral character, firm acidity and a long finish.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2022 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.6%
pH 3.52
Total Acidity 7.4 g/L
Grape Varieties 100 Zinfandel (producer page omits the percent sign)
Region Santa Cruz Mountains
Soil Limestone soils
Harvest Dates 12 Sep 2022
Brix at Harvest 25.0°
Estate Grown Yes
Grape Clone 19th-century Zinfandel clone
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Oak Details 18% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak18%
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Contains Added Sulfites Yes
Production Details Hand-harvested Monte Bello fruit was destemmed and fully crushed, fermented with a floating cap and native yeasts, and completed full natural malolactic. Oak was 18% new and 82% three-year-old American barrels. The page conflicts on maturation: its vintage note says seventeen months in barrel, while the winemaking specification says sixteen months. Sulfur additions were 35 ppm at crush and 99 ppm cumulatively over aging, not a finished-wine sulfite measurement.
Tasting Notes Wild herbs, candied apple, paraffin, blueberry, guava and earth, with red fruit, firm acidity, fine tannins and toasted oak.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2021 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.9%
pH 3.63
Total Acidity 8 g/L
Grape Varieties 100% Zinfandel
Region Santa Cruz Mountains
Harvest Dates 18 Sep 2021
Brix at Harvest 22.2°
Estate Grown Yes
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Oak Details 17% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak17%
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Contains Added Sulfites Yes
Production Details Estate fruit was hand-harvested, destemmed and crushed, fermented with a floating cap and native yeasts, and completed full natural malolactic. The wine spent sixteen months in American oak comprising 17% new and 83% three-year-old barrels. Sulfur additions were 35 ppm at crush and 77 ppm cumulatively over aging, not a finished-wine sulfite analysis.
Tasting Notes Red plum, black cherry, cola, white peach and earth, followed by lychee, melon and baking spice with structured tannins.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2020 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.5%
pH 3.6
Total Acidity 5.67 g/L
Grape Varieties 100% Zinfandel
Region Santa Cruz Mountains
Harvest Dates 21 Sep 2020
Brix at Harvest 22.8°
Estate Grown Yes
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Maceration 5 days
Oak Details 20% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak20%
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Contains Added Sulfites Yes
Production Details Hand-harvested estate fruit was destemmed and crushed, fermented with a floating cap using native yeasts, pressed after five days and put through full natural malolactic. It spent fourteen months in American oak: 20% new, 15% one-year-old, 25% four-year-old and 40% five- or six-year-old barrels. Sulfur additions were 35 ppm at crush and 124 ppm cumulatively over aging, not a finished-wine sulfite measurement.
Tasting Notes Red plum, Bing cherry, açaí, vanilla and baking spice, with strawberry, pomegranate and cranberry, bright acidity and elegant tannins.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2019 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.4%
pH 3.5
Total Acidity 5.3 g/L
Grape Varieties 100% Zinfandel
Region Santa Cruz Mountains
Harvest Dates 30 Sep 2019
Brix at Harvest 24.4°
Estate Grown Yes
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Maceration 5 days
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Used Oak Only Yes
Contains Added Sulfites Yes
Production Details Hand-harvested estate fruit was destemmed and fully crushed, fermented with a floating cap and native yeasts, pressed after five days and put through full natural malolactic. The wine spent fourteen months entirely in four-year-old American oak. Sulfur additions were 35 ppm at crush and 80 ppm cumulatively over aging, not a finished-wine sulfite analysis.
Tasting Notes Black cherry, ripe plum, orange blossom, sweet oak, vanilla, wet stone and baking spice, with lively acidity and substantial tannins.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2018 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 15.4%
pH 3.61
Total Acidity 7.33 g/L
Grape Varieties 100% Zinfandel
Region Santa Cruz Mountains
Harvest Dates 30 Sep 2018
Brix at Harvest 25.7°
Estate Grown Yes
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Maceration 8 days
Oak Types Air-dried Appalachian American oak
Barrel Size 53
Used Oak Only Yes
Contains Added Sulfites Yes
Production Details Hand-harvested estate fruit was destemmed and fully crushed, fermented for eight days with a floating cap and twice-daily pumpovers, pressed at eight days, and put through full natural malolactic. It spent nineteen months in 53-gallon Appalachian American oak barrels, 15% one-year-old and 85% four-year-old. The vineyard is described as lying between 1,400 and 2,000 feet; this range is retained here rather than converted into a single elevation. Sulfur additions were 35 ppm at crush and 112 ppm cumulatively over aging, not a finished-wine sulfite measurement.
Tasting Notes Baked cherry, ripe plum, crushed rock and exotic oak spice, with dark bramble fruit, full body and lively acidity.
Sources: www.ridgewine.com ↗ · Compare this vintage
2016 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 15.1%
Grape Varieties 100% Zinfandel
Region Santa Cruz Mountains
Harvest Dates 26 Sep 2016
Brix at Harvest 26.3°
Natural Yeast Yes
Oak Details 50% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak50%
Oak Types Air-dried American oak
Production Details The grapes received full crushing and floating-cap fermentation, with an average fermentation duration of eight days. Oak was 50% new and 50% two-year-old American barrels. The page conflicts on maturation: its vintage narrative says eighteen months in barrel, while its winemaking specification says seventeen months. The producer describes the vineyard elevation as 1,400–2,000 feet; the range is retained here rather than converted into a single elevation.
Tasting Notes Ripe raspberry, forest floor and exotic oak spice, with plum fruit, firm acidity, substantial tannins and 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)