Florida Jim
Florida Jim
Recently, I attended a tasting of 30 different Ridge wines of vintages ranging from the 1970’s thru the 2010’s. There were even a couple of whites in the mix.
For many years, my admiration for this house was unbridled but in my crotchety years I have given up buying the wines. The last bottles I bought, I gave away to those for whom the fire still burns.
While almost all of the sites they use are excellent, the farming impeccable and the choice to pick precise, I do not understand the barrel regimen. New American oak seems to be ubiquitous and it’s influence, significant.
On release, many of the reds have such exuberant fruit that one can ignore the ever present sawn-lumber notes. But as they age, the oak tends to obscure the fruit and become paramount. And in my experience, these wines seldom “soak up the oak” such that it’s presence is not obvious. Rather, I think many of the reds become “misshapen” as a result of their barrel treatment.
This tasting reinforced that notion.
Older Zinfandels that I could not recognize as Zin. Carignane with atypical tannin. Even Cabernets that tasted more of generic red wine than of Cab.
Of course, there are exceptions. A 2019 Falanghina was typical of the variety and good (no oak discerned), a couple Monte Bello, Cabernets were good despite their wood notes and the 1997 Monte Bello, Cabernet was a masterpiece.
Aging gives wine a chance to develop. The barrel program at Ridge seems counter-productive.
Aging in a taster often leads to a change in preferences. And so it has.
Best, jim
For many years, my admiration for this house was unbridled but in my crotchety years I have given up buying the wines. The last bottles I bought, I gave away to those for whom the fire still burns.
While almost all of the sites they use are excellent, the farming impeccable and the choice to pick precise, I do not understand the barrel regimen. New American oak seems to be ubiquitous and it’s influence, significant.
On release, many of the reds have such exuberant fruit that one can ignore the ever present sawn-lumber notes. But as they age, the oak tends to obscure the fruit and become paramount. And in my experience, these wines seldom “soak up the oak” such that it’s presence is not obvious. Rather, I think many of the reds become “misshapen” as a result of their barrel treatment.
This tasting reinforced that notion.
Older Zinfandels that I could not recognize as Zin. Carignane with atypical tannin. Even Cabernets that tasted more of generic red wine than of Cab.
Of course, there are exceptions. A 2019 Falanghina was typical of the variety and good (no oak discerned), a couple Monte Bello, Cabernets were good despite their wood notes and the 1997 Monte Bello, Cabernet was a masterpiece.
Aging gives wine a chance to develop. The barrel program at Ridge seems counter-productive.
Aging in a taster often leads to a change in preferences. And so it has.
Best, jim
