Ridge, Estate Merlot, Santa Cruz Mountains

deepish purple red color, gravelly nose with a hint of pickle (in a good way) and grains of spice and dried herbs, the fruit masked but started to come out after a couple of hours- bright and primary on the red end of the spectrum, on the palate a fine depth of young fruit- plum and a bit of cassis, earth and black truffle notes, tight finish of good length with noticeable minerality, I am not sure how the 2020 …

2020 vintage

Notes of raspberry and red fruit. Medium+ tannins, good grip and long finish.

2020 vintage

I opened this to a) assess smoke impact; b) see if I liked it. Tasting done at room temperature. Wine is a deep purple-ruby. Medium-high intensity nose of blackberries, licorice, toasted oak (which I interpret as a little residual smoke), rose, vanilla, lots of vanilla. Developing. On palate, wine is dry, medium-high acid, medium tannin, high alcohol, medium body. Flavors are of medium-high intensity. I find the wine has a disagreeable burn on the palate that masks the fruit. Lots …

2020 vintage

Deep dark center, red/purple rim with signs of age. Sweet briar, cream soda, violets, smoked bacon, rosemary on the bbq, wood polish. Smooth, rich and complex, ripe red plums and dried herbs, a touch sweet, modest tannin and acidity, moderate alcohol (13.5%), great finish with chewy fruit and some toasty oak. Excellent Ridge Merlot, from a dry vintage and it shows (in a good way), drinking very well now.

2014 vintage

None of the recent reviews have noted that this is the driest vintage on record for the vineyard. And you certainly sense the concentration. But this remains a lithe beauty. Not quite so exuberant for me as the other recent tasters, perhaps. But there's a time and a place for a little brooding. The fruit does sing. The plummy skins of red fruits, raspberry coulis, clove, tobacco, cedar in droves, a smooch of bay leaf, and a haunting sense of …

2014 vintage

Fabulous bottle. Huge aromas ranging from flowers to red and black fruit to cedar. Velvety, but with a little feedback. Long finish. Beautifully balanced. Reminds me why I love Ridge!

2014 vintage

Medium ruby color. It’s effusively aromatic, with notes of red plum, black cherry, Boysenberry, baking spice, black tea, violets and a touch of cedar, this bottle captures the unique character of its high-altitude terroir.

2014 vintage

Drinking very well. Rounded plummy fruit (but not jammy) matched with smooth tannins. All in balance. Great now and will be good for a few years more.

2014 vintage

Dark purple color. Rich nose of dark berries. Spice, Dark chocolate. Similar palate. Well rounded with good balance and nice tannins. Drank side by side with 2004 Ch. Le Bon Pasteur which was an excellent contrast of styles.

2014 vintage

Part of a Ridge night with my wine group at a NYC Steakhouse. We had in order, 2021 Ridge Grenache Blanc Adelaida Vineyard, 2020 Ridge Pinot Noir Corralitos Gali Vineyard, 2020 Ridge Merlot Estate, 2018 Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, 2019 Ridge Zinfandel Boatman Graveyard, and a 375ml bottle of the 2009 Lytton Estate Viogner. We drank the wines in accending order of alcohol. This was actually the 2020 vintage, I had ordered the 2019, entered into Cellartracker that way, and …

2020 vintage

More restrained than the 2019, which I thought was really lovely. Still it does have a nice raspberry and mocha/chocolate element on the nose (mostly) and also on the front palate. A bit of fleshiness on the mid palate and then some acidic uplift at the end. Needs more time, but not a long-term keeper. (Served with a rack of lamb, roasted vegetables and potatoes, and grilled asparagus with Meyer lemon brown butter and Parmigiano (per Delfina Restaurant).)

2020 vintage

Restrained blackberry fruit and milk chocolate with a nice mineral edge and a lasting finish. American oak and coarse tannins balanced by lively acidity. Medium-bodied and light on its feet, I love the lift here. Super primary. Smoke taint? Not convinced it’s there. Think it requires a lot more bottle age to integrate the oak.

2020 vintage

I guess this was our last bottle. After Xmas eve church in Woodstock. Very good stand on its own wine although every wine needs food to shine. Medium weight with great nose, color. On palate super elegant with good length. Well balanced between fruit and wood. Ridge makes a super solid merlot year in and out.

2014 vintage

A delicious and cedary Merlot. However, the cork broke on this bottle, so take care in future.

2014 vintage

Gorgeous stuff, packed with red fruit and spice. Would have enjoyed jusst spending the evening with my nose in the glass

2014 vintage

Monday night pre Fringe warm up : Somewhat by chance the 2014 Merlot theme continues. This really is the daddy - on the nose, cedar, somewhat brambly, a quiet intensity going on here. On the palate - it’s full, but a core of acidity and high toned fruit, with fine tannins to back it up. It keeps on going on the palate. If Monte Bello didn’t exist this would be a cult wine in its own right. Woof.

2014 vintage

Not as great as other years but still a very good wine. Smooth tannins with strong dark fruit, not as lively as other vintages and feels a bit more delicate than usual.

2020 vintage

2 hours slow ox was not close to being enough air. Recorked and enjoyed it over next 2 days where it gained weight and flavor. Rich plum, black cherry, milk chocolate, vanilla. Next time air this out for 8 hours if drinking before age 5.

2020 vintage

I really enjoyed this. For a Merlot it was very young, I think 2 years would put this square in the drinking window. Up front it’s somewhat fruity, then the tannins hit. Great Wine for the Cali cab crew looking for a merlot. Fruit forward then rolled tannins. I’d buy again and hold.

2020 vintage

Big nose of bramble fruit and currant. Starts with lots of darker fruit, mainly blackberry, then gets very earthy, with some hints of mushroom. Chewy tannins. Very good.

2020 vintage

Opened for an hour. Color is bright ruby. On the nose: Cassis, plum and green pepper. On the palate: Plum , cassis, baking spices and a bit of orange zest. Too young I think. Needs time to evolve.

2020 vintage

Medium ruby. On the nose, plums, blueberries, lilies, a hint of chile pepper, forest floor, a hint of vanillin oak. Soft and round on the palate, medium tannins, medium acids, medium alcohol (14.1%), medium finish. A lovely integrated wine, not flashy but delicious. Perfect with barbecued chicken.

2020 vintage

Friday Night - Home-made Burger & Chips and Terminator Genisys : 100% Merlot. 13.5% abv. Lovely stuff - colour wise, the purple is fading to garnet, and the nose is gentle pine cones and brambles. On the palate - lovely structure, still some acidity and fine tannins in balance with the fading oak, there’s still some fruit there, this is just gorgeous. Friday night treat, paired with home made burger and chips and Terminator Genisys.

2014 vintage

A merlot that aged gracefully, very smooth, and had plenty of fruit left. I am glad I have one more bottle and will enjoy it in about 2 years.

2014 vintage

Dark fruits and spice on the nose. Medium bodied with pure black cherry, plum and a touch of chocolate. PNP but this got better with air. Very nice, 92 points

2014 vintage

Tiis Merlot jumps out of the glass with ripe red berry and kitsch aeromatics. Plump, rich and wonderful. Drink it now - it’s singing a beautiful song.

2014 vintage

Clearly didnt look at my previous notes. With ham roast. Fantastic wine, great merlot with body nose and length. Really good!!!

2014 vintage

This is the first Ridge Merlot I've opened with a bit of time on it, and my expectations were far exceeded. All the typical luscious Merlot fruit is there, but there was also an acidic snap that draws me to Ridge's wines (and which I didn't expect in a Merlot). Oak was very judicious and well-integrated. Delicious now, and another 5 years easy.

2014 vintage

Nose: lavendar, cherry, meat juice, earthy mushroom Taste: kirsch, loavendar, mocha, a bit light, very drinkable, long finish

2014 vintage

Funky nose of earth, eucalyptus, and mint. Dry plum with dates, cherry, tea, peppery notes, and leather. Loads of old oak, gentle mineral waves, and a long cherry and iron note.

2014 vintage

An enjoyable red after a 30 minute decant and a ideal pairing with grilled cheese burgers.

2014 vintage

Oh boy. Huge expectations with great brand name and deep, dark pour... into thin acidic green pinched disappointment of a wine. Herbal sharp iron and copper taste. Bad bottle? I hope so - this was awful stuff and for the price one of the worst QPR of the year. Wash my mouth out with anything else.

2014 vintage

Dark (almost opaque) garnet. Plum, raisin, dark fruit. Good acid, long finish. Initial impression is a soft gentle wine, however a touch of strength makes its presence known after a bit.

2014 vintage

I love Ridge, but this one was disappointing. Flabby, overoaked, and lacking any sort of backbone. Maybe just my bottle, but maybe these should be drunk younger than this?

2014 vintage

W whole chicken from grill. Of course a good combo becaus eeveruthing works with grilled chicken. This wine is really good, great color, great nose and wonderful merlot on the palate. Nice balanced wine. Should keep our hands of it for next 5 years. Should try the other vintages.

2014 vintage

Excellent.

2014 vintage

Medium ruby. Big rich plummy nose, w American oak, barbecue sauce. Smooth, soft; decent acidity, minimal tannins; a surprising sense of lightness (given the expectations from the nose)

2014 vintage

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Ridge, Estate Merlot, Santa Cruz Mountains

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