Oxford University Wine Society
Ridge Vineyards
tasting with wine maker Eric Baugher
My return trips to OUWS are depressingly infrequent these
days, but what an opportunity this was for a quite outstanding wine tasting
with the winemaker from Ridge, one of the ‘iconic’ wineries of California, and
presented by none other than their winemaker Eric Baugher – who has now
overseen 18 vintages and 250 wines!
Having been founded by three Stanford Research Institute
engineers, Ridge started its modern history as a part-time wine making outfit. The
previously abandoned winery and vineyards date from before prohibition,
originally known as the ‘Monte Bello Winery’. Cab sav and Chardonnay vineyards
had been planted, and wines from these constituted the first vintage of Ridge
in 1962.
The vineyards are situated on a coastal range, providing a
cooling climate compared with much of Napa. The winery is blessed with some
particularly highly regarded vineyards, with cabernet sauvignon
vineyards like Monte Bello having been originally planted over 125 years ago.
Similar pre-Prohibition zinfandel vineyards were first planted in the latter
part of the 1800’s.
Ridge came to wider attention when the Monte Bello wine achieved
fifth place in the famous "Judgment of Paris" tasting of 1976, when French
and California fine wines were pitted against each other and tasted blind by a
panel of distinguished wine tasters.
I think you can tell these wine use wild yeast fermentation –
there is something ever so slightly earthy about them. More real, and less
polished.
My own experience of these reds is rather limited (a sad reflection
on my general lack of Californian wine knowledge) with only the zinfandels previously coming
across my palate albeit infrequently. From what I have tasted though, these
wines have previously struck me as being more concentrated and reflective than
many bruisers from this end of the winemaking world. Some might say even a
little European tasting, if such a generalisation could ever be made! We were
told the distinguishing feature of these wines is “impeccable balance” – and I
couldn’t disagree.
Ridge Chardonnay Monte Bellow 2006
From the north face of Monte Bello Ridge. Grapes picked
relatively early to avoid over-ripeness and too high alcohol. 3-4 months
fermentation, 10 months in barrel on lees! Deep yellow. Very open. Immediately
attractive. Barrel fermented with toasted American oak. Complex, vanilla,
brioche, toffee, bees wax. Very full, oily palate. High alcohol discernible (14.4%
alcohol). Long finish. Will clearly age further. 16-17/20.
Ridge Zinfandel Geyserville 2007
Geyserville is located in the Alexander Valley, first
planted in 1882. Totals 58% Zinfandel with balance made up of Carignan, Mataro (Mourvèdre), and Petit Syrah. This wine
occasionally contains more depending on other old vines that were randomly
planted amongst these. Rocky soil from an ancient river bed, mainly alluvial.
Medium red, purple edge. Dark brambly character. Some acetone on the nose?
Certainly high toned. Not an over-ripe style of Zinfandel. Dry palate. Good
acidity (3.5-3.6) much more than your average Zinfandel. Ripe, fine character
to the tannins. Slightly sour finish. Hollow mid palate? 5-years old now, I can’t
see that this is going to improve from here – but apparently it will do up to
o10-years from vintage. 14.4-14.5% alcohol (very precise!) They won’t let this
go >15%. I scored this 15-16/20. Least impressive wine of the tasting bar
the Lytton Springs 1997.
Ridge Zinfandel Geyserville 1997
Decanted prior to serving, what a treat to be able to
compare the young wine against such an older vintage. This is 75% zinfandel. Medium-red
with brick-red rim. Very open with a curious nose. Obviously old character,
very tertiary in nature. More fruit on the palate than on the nose. Jammy sour
fruits. Tannins really softened out now. Powerful finish. I actually far prefer
this to the 2007, and apparently 2007 and 1997 were very similar vintages. I
cannot see how the 1997 will mature into this! 16-17/20.
Ridge Zinfandel Lytton Springs 2007
This vineyard was planted in 1902 and is located in Dry
Creek Valley. It was a warmer microclimate and clay-based soils. Medium red,
lighter purple rim. Similar sour cherry sort of character to the Geyserville,
but seemingly more perfumed. Big impact on the palate, immediately fuller and
weightier. Powerful, sour and firm tannins. Big fruit, comes across as sweeter
because of this. Briary character with some spice from the American oak still discernible.
17/20.
Ridge Zinfandel Lytton Springs 1997
Medium red with a brick-red rim. Aged nose again, completely
tertiary in character. For me though this wine really seemed to be a little
flat and drying out. Old and dried fruit on the palate but not really anything
noteworthy for me. 15+. Probably should have been drunk already.
Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Produced in the third year of drought to effect the
vineyards. Very hot growing season. Picked pre-typhoon! Spent 2-years in
barrel. Deep red with purple rim. Subdued nose. Subtle blackcurrant and black
fruits. Very full, ripe but overall soft palate. Lower acidity. Medium length
finish. A very approachable wine. 16/20.
Ridge Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Kept for 18 months in new barrels (5 months sur lie).
American oak sourced from 21 coopers, 100% new. Obviously deeper colour, deep
purple hue. Open nose with soft blackcurrant and vanilla dominating. Tightly
structured palate. Fine tannins, but still very firm at this stage in its life.
Quite hot with alcohol. Good overall balance thought nonetheless. Clearly needs
a lot of patience to wait for this to come round – this is still a baby but offers
an impression that there is much more yet to give. Only 36,000 bottles produced
and not yet available in the UK at the time of tasting.
Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Another drought year and difficult vintage with a small
production. Same colour as the Monte Bello. Blend of 75% cab sav, 20% merlot with
balance made up of other black grapes. Nose not as open, predominantly a soft
creamy oak character. Palate very dry, medium tannins but quite fine. Medium
acidity. Not your typical Napa cab sav sort of wine. Made by the winery to be
drunk up to 8-10 years of age max. 16/20.
Ridge Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Really quite a different wine, very different character on
the nose. Deep and concentrated; earthy and dry. Starting to come out of itself
perhaps, but seemingly not as tightly knitted together as the 2009. Powerful
but rather like tasting the component parts of a wine rather than the finished
product. Very structured body and with time in the glass this began to open up
slightly. This is made as a 20-30 year wine. Difficult to score in its current
state; but based on the wine that followed this is clearly something of
pedigree with a great future.
Ridge Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon 1995
Decanted approx. 3 hours prior to tasting. Produced in a relatively
cooler year. 69% cab sav, 18% merlot, 3% cab franc. More opaque, medium-red
with a red rim. Amazing open nose. Really just a dead-ringer for a mature fine
Bordeaux. Cigar and cedar dominate. Incredible palate. Delicate and firm. What
a metamorphosis this wine has made compared with the 2008 tasted before this!
Fine, complexed and balanced. Remarkable. Alcohol only 12.5%. This has 40-50
years ageing potential still to go! 18/20.
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