As I mentioned in my reviews of the Ridge Spring 2021 national releases, Ridge’s wines had in recent years been moving in the direction of more power and oak. But in March 2021, Ridge announced that Ed Baugher, Monte Bello Winemaker and COO, was leaving Ridge and that John Olney, longtime Winemaker and COO at the Lytton Springs Winery, was being promoted to Head Winemaker and COO of the whole Ridge operation. As such, the 2020 wines, at least those from the Monte Bello Winery, can be regarded as transitional, begun under Baugher, but finished under Olney.
In comparing these wines to the previous few vintages, I do overall find more finesse and better balance here than I had in recent vintages. But it will take a few more vintages to sort out what is due to vintage variation (remember, 2019 was a very challenging vintage) and what is due to a change in approach under Olney. That said, Olney’s background includes internships with Gérard Chave in the Rhône Valley, Lucien Peyraud at Domaine Tempier, and Aubert de Villaine of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, so one would not be surprised to see a shift in balance in the wines.
At any rate, this is a marvelous set of wines and I encourage you to seek them out.
2020 Zinfandel Paso Robles Benito Dusi Ranch
This wine recalls to me the Claret/Cabernet-style Zinfandels of the 1970s and the early 1980s that then became increasingly difficult to find. The nose and mouth feature pure, clear, and precise black olive and brambleberry fruit, and the wine has a medium-weight body and round tannins. Oak is not missing here, but it appears as a seasoning, rather than as a dominant element. For me, this wine can easily serve as a model for what Zinfandel should be. The winemaker’s notes say that the wine should evolve over the next seven or eight years. The balance here should assure that the wine will continue to last for years after that. 100% Zinfandel. Cork closure. 14.5% stated alcohol. 94/A+
2020 Zinfandel East Bench Dry Creek Valley Funsten Ranch
Again in a more elegant and refined style than in recent years, this wine displays spicy red fruits and an airy body the I often find in Dry Creek Zinfandels. The tannins are round and the alcohol is not especially noticeable. Perhaps a bit more oak is showing than in the Paso Robles Zinfandel. 100% Zinfandel. Cork closure. 14.8% stated alcohol. 90/A-
2020 Geyserville Alexander Valley Sonoma County
This is a most typical and attractive Geyserville with pure, spicy, dark fruits and a satiny texture that folds over solid structure with round tannins. There is some American oak here, but it is deftly used and is not dominating. The wine can be drunk already (I’d decant if doing so) and should be in top drinking form for at least a decade, probably substantially more. 69% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, 8% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet, 1% Mataro (Mourvèdre). Cork closure. 14.1% stated alcohol. 93/A
2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Monte Bello Vineyard
This is the second wine of Ridge’s great Monte Bello. It is a tannic wine that needs some time to come around. There’s no lack of fruit here, though, and mint hints from the American oak, and importantly, the Monte Bello signature hot bricks and black olive. The wine is powerful and although the back label suggests that the wine is drinkable now and over the next ten years, I’d suggest either decanting an hour or so before serving or else giving it five years or so in the cellar and then drinking over the following 10-15 years. 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot. Cork Closure. 13.8% stated alcohol. 91/A-
2020 Chardonnay Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Monte Bello Estate Vineyard
The Chardonnay is a wine with richness but also structure and plenty of tension. Blind, I might mistake it for a Corton-Charlemagne. The wine went through malo-lactic fermentation but still has very good acidity and steeliness, and the malo adds a light nuttiness to the still very young, apply fruit. The winemaker’s notes suggest drinking it over the next five years, which is most reasonable, but my experience with Monte Bello Chardonnays is that they can age for longer than that. 100% Chardonnay. Cork closure. 13.6% stated alcohol. 91(+)/A-