RIDGE

New releases from Ridge are always a treat. Year after year Ridge produces gorgeous, balanced, food-friendly wines that can be consumed young and also can age effortlessly for years. When it comes to Ridge it is easy to get carried away. Ridge was founded in 1885 and its modern history dates back to 1960. It was in the late 1960s that I first became acquainted with Ridge wines and recognized that they were very special. For over 50 years I have been buying, drinking, and cellaring them. Ridge wines in my cellar today date back into the 1960s. I drink the wines often and can honestly say that I have never had a bad bottle of Ridge.  But I have enjoyed more great bottles than I could ever possibly remember. This is an extraordinary combination.  And, what I do know is that Ridge is a unique American winery with a portfolio of world class wines that are consistently great. The wines are made in a traditional way without any manipulation or additives and all the ingredients in the wines are shown on the label. Without question Ridge is the real deal.
That pretty well sums it up. If you don’t know Ridge you do not know what you are missing. So, I would advise that it’s better late than never. Now is the time to get started. Don’t miss these new releases which include what may be the best ever Estate Chardonnay, two great Zinfandels from Paso Robles and East Bench in Sonoma, and a very great 2018 Monte Bello.

2019 Ridge Estate Chardonnay
I really love this Chardonnay which combines flavor and depth with great balance and finesse. The color is light yellow and the wine has a great perfume with an exotic tinge and hints of green apple and citrus. On the palate it has delicious fruit with hints of peach and citrus with a floral nuance and a long lingering finish – Outstanding Plus.  $55

2019 Ridge East Bench Zinfandel
This is the best East Bench Zinfandel I can remember tasting. It is dark ruby in color with  lovely floral spice and black cherry perfume. Very elegant, supple, lush, and sensuous on the palate with spice tinged cherry fruit flavors accented by a floral undertone this is a really harmonious and delicious Zinfandel – Outstanding Plus.   $32

2019 Ridge Geyserville
Always one of my favorite Ridge wines this 2019 Geyserville is made with 71% Zinfandel, 19% Carignane, 7% Petite Sirah, and 3% Alicante Bouschet. It is very dark in color with a lovely exotic tinged perfume with floral and mulberry undertones. On the palate the gorgeous fruit is very complex with layers of black fruits tinged with floral spice nuances. Showing great balance and flavor this is a stunning Geyserville that may be the most elegant and sensuous of all the great past vintages of Geyserville – Extraordinary.   $45

2018 Ridge Paso Robles Zinfandel
This 100% Zinfandel is a real tour de force and is a textbook example of great Zinfandel. Very dark in color with a deep exotic plum perfume the wine has great intensity and depth with layers of very pure black fruit flavors showing an exotic tinge. Lush, rounded and sensous this is the best wine I have ever had from this vineyard and one of the best Zinfandels one could ever hope to drink. Great to drink now or cellar and enjoy for a decade or more – Extraordinary.  $35

2018 Ridge Monte Bello
Wow! In the very long history of Monte Bello this wine this is one of the very best and that is saying a lot! It made with 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% merlot, and 1% Petite Verdot. The color is very dark and the stunning cassis tinged perfume has exotic floral undertones. On the palate there is a great intensity of cassis and blackberry fruit with hints of cedar and spice and with impeccable balance the finish goes on and on. And as delicious as this wine is now it will age gracefully and develop over the decades to come – Extraordinary Plus.    $135

 

 

 

 TABLAS CREEK VINEYARD

The spring 2021 releases from Tablas Creek Vineyard include the newest vintage of their two rosés (the Grenache-based Patelin de Tablas Rosé and the Mourvedre-based Dianthus), two varietal whites in contrasting styles (the zesty, citrusy 2020 Vermentino and the rich 2019 Roussanne), and the newest vintages of two red Rhône-style blends: the Syrah-based 2019 Patelin de Tablas and the Grenache-based 2019 Côtes de Tablas. All the wines except the two Patelin de Tablas wines (which are sourced from other Paso Robles Rhône specialist vineyards, most planted with cuttings from the Tablas Creek nursery) are entirely grown on Tablas Creek’s estate, the first vineyard in the world to receive Regenerative Organic Certification in August 2020.

And, as usual, the wines are stunning across the board representing Rosé in two different styles, White Wines in two distinctly different styles, and two Red Wines that are distinctive and really lovely. And from a consumer standpoint the values here are really extraordinary. With prices in a range of $25 to $40 this is a group of wines that represent the three different type of wines at prices that cannot be beat!

2020 Tablas Creek Vineyard Patelin de Tablas Rosé
With a pale amber gold color this rosé has a lovely floral perfume with hints of peach and citrus. Very elegant yet also very flavorful with floral tinged peach and citrus fruit the wine has a balanced underlying crispness and a very nice finish – Outstanding Plus.   $25.00                  

2020 Tablas Creek Vineyard Dianthus
Every year Dianthus is always one of the very best rosés. This 2020 is no exception. With a very light reddish color showing a golden hue it has a lovely cherry floral tinged perfume. On the palate the floral tinged cherry fruit is very evident and the wine shows great balance, style, and finesse with a nice underlying crispness and a long lasting finish. This is  a really stunning Rosé- Extraordinary.   $30.00                                 

2020 Tablas Creek Vineyard Vermentino
I love Vermentino for its bright crisp fruit with makes it a perfect accompaniment with lighter foods and especially vegetables. Pale yellow in color this wine has a lovely floral perfume with hints of white peach and citrus. Very elegant yet bright and crisp with floral citrus tinges this is a very distinctive wine – Outstanding Plus.   $27.00                                 

2019 Tablas Creek Vineyard Roussanne
I love Rousanne for its flavor, richness, and complexity. This is a great example. With a very light yellow gold color the wine has a lovely floral perfume with mineral undertones and a faint exotic nuance. On the palate the wine shows great lush fruit with faintly exotic nuances and a floral citrus undertone. While delicious now this wine will evolve gracefully for many years into the future – Extraordinary.   $40.00                                  

2019 Tablas Creek Vineyard Patelin de Tablas
Dark in color with a deep cherry perfume showing a faint exotic floral nuance this wine carries through on the palate with layers of fruit with floral spice notes rendered in a lush elegant and rounded style. This is a really delicious wine that is a great value – Outstanding Plus.    $25.00                                  

2019 Tablas Creek Vineyard Côtes de Tablas
Dark in color with a lovely blackberry and cherry perfume showing floral spice undertones this wine has lovely supple blackberry and cherry fruit with faint spice tinges and is supple, lush and flavorful with great balance and a long finish. This is a very stylistic and delicious tour-de- force that is also a great value – Extraordinary.  $35.00