Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
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Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker
Product Details
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81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Coming all from the estate Monte Bello Vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate checks in as a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. I suspect it's as good as many vintages of Monte Bello in the past and offers a gorgeous perfume of vanilla-tinged blackberries, blueberries, incense, cedar pencil, and bay leaf. Deep, medium to full-bodied, incredibly polished and perfectly balanced, with ultra-fine tannin, it's a knockout bottle of Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon that will keep for two decades and be drinkable for all of it.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate (which hails from the Monte Bello Vineyard) is already quite expressive, revealing aromas of blackcurrant, ripe cherries, cigar box and burning embers, framed by a judicious application of new oak. On the palate, it's medium-bodied, supple and nicely balanced, with fine-grained tannins, a good core of ripe fruit and a pure finish. While the Estate Cabernet is explicitly crafted to be approachable in its youth, this should be well worth following for the next 15 years. The 2015 blend is 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc.
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Ridge's history begins in 1885, when Osea Perrone, a doctor and prominent member of San Francisco's Italian community, bought 180 acres near the top of Monte Bello Ridge in the Santa Cruz Mountains. He planted vineyards and constructed a winery of redwood and native limestone in time to produce the first vintage of Monte Bello in 1892. The historic building now serves as the Ridge production facility.
Though Ridge began as a Cabernet winery, by the mid-60s, it had produced several Zinfandels including the Geyserville. In 1972, Lytton Springs joined the line-up and the two came to represent an important part of Ridge production. Known primarily for its red wines, Ridge has also made limited amounts of Chardonnay since 1962.
The Ridge approach is straightforward: find the most intense and flavorful grapes, guide the natural process, draw all the fruit's richness into the wine. Decisions on when to pick, when to press, when to rack, what varietals and what parcels to include and when to bottle, are based on taste. To retain the nuances that increase complexity, Ridge winemakers handle the grapes and wine as gently as possible. There are no recipes, only attention and sensitivity.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
A rugged and topographically diverse cool-climate appellation with a rich history, the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA stretches from Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco, to the northern border of Monterey County. Elevations range from 800 feet to upwards of 3,000 and microclimates vary substantially depending on which side of the mountains the vineyards lie; cool ocean winds and fog play an important role here. This can be a challenging region in which to grow grapes, but it is well worth the effort. Santa Cruz Mountains wines are noted for balanced acidity levels, often showing great aging potential. Wine has been made here since the 1800s, most notably from the legendary Ridge Vineyards, whose Monte Bello vineyard garners international admiration.
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the stars of this region, while Merlot and Zinfandel also perform quite well. Organic and sustainable vineyard practices are becoming increasingly common.