Ridge Vineyards Tasting with Paul Draper - 30.11.09

RIDGE VINEYARDS TASTING
With PAUL DRAPER
26th NOVEMBER 2009 - REPORT

Ridge Vineyards are amongst the greatest wines in the world. To a great many of the world’s most dedicated critics and collectors they represent the very pinnacle of sophisticated, cooler-climate Californian winemaking. Guided for 40 years by the steady hand of philosopher/vigneron Paul Draper, Ridge have resisted the fiscal benefits of chasing Parker points or smoozing Wine Spectator magazine. Quite unbelievably a case of their flagship wine Monte Bello can be bought for less than a single bottle of Screaming Eagle or Harlan Estate.

Last week Paul visited London to host a small master-class for a select group of Ridge’s long term followers. A report of this fine event follows…


Inspired by the Bordeaux winemaking techniques of the immediate post-war decades Paul Draper, part winemaker, part philosopher and part scholar has built up an unparalleled knowledge of producing wine in the hills and mountains around the San Francisco region. His overriding aim has always to be to create non-manipulated wines, the absolute opposite of many of the overripe, high-alcohol and stylised wines which have wowed the critics (especially the US-Based contingent) for over twenty years.

10 wines were tasted, in the following order. My notes are transcribed from the very notes I took down throughout the tasting. Although they are not word-for-word there is no embellishment of facts and no post-event re-evaluation.

Tasting

Monte Bello Chardonnay
Released some 18 months after the “Estate” Chardonnay aka Santa Cruz Mountains is released. Ridge have made Chardonnay since 1962 on vines planted in the 1940s (It accounts for 6% of overall production). They use a full-cluster press, allow a full malolactic fermentation during rich the lees are regularly stirred up. It sits on the lees for almost a year. It is not filtered but does undergo a light isinglass fining prior to bottling.

Monte Bello Chardonnay 2006
This is quite the most beautiful wine – the perfect chardonnay. Vibrant fruit and amazing acidity. The oak flavours are balanced to perfection. Sipped over a 30 minute period it was great from start to finish. Unashamedly and utterly delicious.
Available at £45 per bottle.
6 bottle rate at £39 per bottle.

Monte Bello Chardonnay 1999
First struck by the far darker colour and then (wow) powerful nose. Toasted bread and crème caramel, no crème brulee dominates. This is distinctive and full but arguably a touch OTT. The minerality and acids are holding this all together and this could easily appeal to many fans of old white Burgundy.
Library Stock Only. Not commercially available.


Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Merlot
There are 43 parcels of Cabernet and Merlot that can provide fruit for Ridge’s flagship red wine Monte Bello, those that do not make the grade are declassified into SCM. However, the declassified wines have to be of rounded, elegant style. Parcels that are deigned to be overly tannic are used in neither wine. The entire Snr Ridge team taste and select from these 43 sites. 6 sites are now set aside specifically to provide SCM fruit.

Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Merlot 2006
Seems a little tight (at first) and is clearly a young wine. There is minerality and freshness and balance – nice controlled alcohol. Only once in 40 years have Ridge had Cabernet come in at over 14%. (Returned to sample) After 20 minutes the change is remarkable – opened up hugely and suddenly there is balance and expression. Beginning to show very well. Must remember to treat these wines like fine Bordeaux or Tuscans. Many years agead.
Available at £32 per bottle.
6 bottle rate at £29 per bottle.

Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Merlot 2005
Punchy nose of concentrated red fruit. Cabernet aromas dominate the nose. Very structured on the palate with near ideal balance of fruit, acids and tannin. By no means an early drinker. Very capable wine. May not reach potential until 2015 or after.
Available at £32 per bottle.
6 bottle rate at £29 per bottle.


Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Merlot 2002
Very open nose, balanced and very generous on the palate (all this despite quite bold tannins). After 20 minutes in the glass this opened up suggesting, again, that this is very young wine (even at 7 years old).
Library Stock Only. Not commercially available.

Zinfandels
Ridge benefit from very old Zin vines. Paul is adamant that only with vines over 80 years old can you harvest fully ripe fruit that comes in at sub 13% abv. The Monte Bello Ridge itself was formed some 5000 miles from where it is placed today and it has a massive limestone content. Yet again limestone is the key geological contributor to fine, ageworthy, mineral style wines.

Geyserville 2007
The Geyserville vineyard is one continuous crescent of cailloux pebbles over clay. This limits production but enhances character. 07 Geys has a very elegant nose (can this really be Zin???), lovely balance and a great finish. PD notes that there is a high quantity of Petit Syrah in the bland which gives the wine more angles. Geyserville always has lower PH than Lytton. After 15 minutes in the glass this is really incredible. Always a fabulous wine but this is a revelation.
Available at £26.50 per bottle.
6 bottle rare at £24.50 per bottle.



Lytton Springs 2007
A sight with higher elevation than Geyserville. Clearly richer and more unctuous than its stablemate. The palate is amazing and is just so soft and creamy. It lacks some of the spice and complexity but makes up for it with pure deliciousness.
Neither Zin has more than 25% new oak.
Available at £26.50 per bottle.
6 bottle rare at £24.50 per bottle.


Monte Bello
Few wines can claim to be voted the best in the world. Especially when tasted blind by a group of expert critics and winemakers from around the world and in a flight along with the greatest Bordeaux wines produced. In the famed Judgment of Paris tasting in 1976 the world was shocked when a Californian wine won the tasting (voted for by the French I might add). In 2006 the event was repeating using exactly the same wines. The tasting took place simultaneously in Paris and California. In both tasting Ridge Monte Bello took first place. And in a class of its own – 18 points ahead of 2nd place.

Monte Bello 2006
Balanced and fresh. Great tannic integration. Very reminiscent of tasting some of the great 2006 wines of the Bordeaux region. Very much more open after 15 minutes but there is no mistaking that this is a) brilliant and b) far too young to see the light of day already. A rare privilege.
Sold Out. Not commercially available.

Monte Bello 1999
A decade old yet seems so fresh and young. Dark colour, concentrated and very stylish. Dominated by glorious and very serious Cabernet Sauvignon flavours. The finish is almost crisp. Hard to tell when this will be fully mature. Hedge bets at 2014 plus.
Very limited quantities available @ £140 per bottle.
Stock recently received from Ridge.

Monte Bello 1994
Deep, dark, round and fully integrated. 1994 is a very well thought of and sought-after vintage. Aromas and palate are sending out strong flavours of coffee and caramel. Super-smooth finish and great length. A 30 year wine.
Very limited quantities available @ £185 per bottle.
Stock recently received from Ridge.


In conclusion I have become further convinced that Ridge can demand a place amongst the very greatest wines of the world. Furthermore I have no doubt whatsoever that if throughout the eighties and nineties, Paul Draper and the late Don Reisen had adopted a policy of pursuing the world’s most powerful critics with turbo-charged manipulated samples of Monte Bello enthusiasts would pay for a bottle what today they pay for a case. These are, indisputably, wines of understated brilliance. How often can we say that of Californian fare?