2022 Ridge - Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Cruz Mountains Estate (750ml)

Ridge Vineyards traces its history to 1885, when San Francisco physician Osea Perrone bought 180 acres atop Monte Bello Ridge in the Santa Cruz Mountains and built a winery of redwood and native limestone. The site fell into decline after Prohibition until a group of Stanford engineers revived it in 1959, releasing the first modern Monte Bello vintage in 1962. Ridge's global reputation was cemented when the 1971 Monte Bello placed among the top wines at the 1976 Judgment of Paris, and the estate has farmed this same mountain vineyard organically ever since.

Known as "Baby Monte Bello," the Estate Cabernet Sauvignon comes from parcels within the Monte Bello vineyard that ripen with more accessible character than the fruit reserved for the flagship bottling. Vines here sit at elevations between 1,600 and 2,700 feet across four ranches, where limestone soils and cool ocean air produce a leaner, more structured style of Cabernet than most of California. The 2022 blend combines Cabernet Sauvignon with Petit Verdot and Merlot, then ages roughly 17 months in oak to soften the tannins while preserving the site's natural intensity.

Lavender, black olive, pine forest, and cedar mark the nose, layered with forest floor and dark fruit on a generous mid-palate balanced by bright, crunchy acidity. The finish is savory and long, with a mineral edge distinctive to the site. Pair it with grilled lamb, a well-marbled steak, or roasted portobello mushrooms.