Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Ridge Vineyards – Grenache Blanc blend – 2024
Fossil Creek / Adelaida / Halter Ranch Vineyards – Paso Robles – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A stunning, high-toned white Rhône blend of 47% Grenache Blanc, 12% Picpoul, 3% Roussanne from Ridge that delivers immediate “whoa” factor. Crisp, mineral, and beautifully textured, this release shows Ridge’s mastery beyond Monte Bello, proving they can craft Rhône whites that rival the best of the Rhône Valley itself.

Aromas & Flavors
Pear skin, white peach, citrus blossom, and salted stone. Subtle hints of fennel, honeydew, and crushed seashell align with a whisper of almond from neutral barrel aging.

Mouthfeel
Bright acidity with mountain-stream freshness, balanced by a gentle mid-palate creaminess from whole-cluster pressing and lees contact. Finishes long, clean, and slightly saline.

Food Pairings
Seared scallops, grilled prawns, Provençal chicken, halibut with lemon butter, or Mediterranean mezze.

Verdict
A beautifully balanced, quietly complex white Rhône-style blend that showcases Ridge at its most refreshing and precise. Astonishing quality, especially at this youthful stage.

Did You Know?
Ridge first experimented with Grenache Blanc only in 2018. The results were so impressive that they expanded sourcing to three top west-side Paso vineyards, Fossil Creek, Adelaida, and Halter Ranch, turning this bottling into one of California’s most compelling Rhône-white expressions.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
Easily one of the most impressive domestic Grenache Blancs I’ve tasted, its freshness and mineral drive can stand toe-to-toe with elite Rhône whites. — 7 months ago

Billy L.

9.8

PNP, 3 years later checking back in on Francoise Peschon-Winemaker 2016 VHR Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon. Bruce Phillips- Owner & good guy! The wine is Smokin’ great! In a great spot today! Enjoy if you got em’ Cheers 🍇🍷👍🏻👏🏻 — 3 years ago

Ellen Clifford

9.2

I’m a sucker for great Grenache. If it can age all the better. Boozy raisins and blueberries. — 5 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured, consumed over three days with very little evolution over that period but if I had to make a call, I would say best on Day 3. It presents a turbid, deep ruby in the glass. On the nose, purple flowers, dried leaf tobacco, tomato leaf, and freshly tilled earth. On the palate, currants, tart blackberries, kalamata olive brine, dried blood...it’s saline, sanguine and ferrous in a real way. The 2012 Champoux Vineyard is a structured, high acid/high tannin Bordeaux blend of predominately Cabernet Franc with some Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon for good measure. Long, long finish. A very earthy and mineral driven wine. Blind, there is no way I would call this New World. This bottle is yet another reminder why I truly believe Andrew Will makes some of the very greatest wines in Washington State. This has at least another decade of life left in it. — 5 years ago

Iwan

9.2

California meets Northern Rhône. Beefy and savory, with black fruit and a lilac aftertaste. Still young and will probably be peaking in 2-3 years. — 6 years ago

Clarke Gasper

9.4

In a great place right now. Day 1: High tannin, high acid, high alcohol, and high fruit forward sweetness all in perfect balance! Definitely recommend with some hearty food. Day 3: With a quarter bottle left the wine gained some color and has become highly aromatic. Lavender, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf with hints of jasmine. The tannins have melted away and its like biting into a perfectly ripe plum, really well done! — 7 years ago

with Matthew

"Odedi"

9.1

Pretty color of ruby with a wide reddish rim.

Fruity nose of red and blue fruits with light wood, herbs, light vegetables, spices and chocolates.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black currants, blueberries, plums, cherries, earth, peppercorn, dark chocolates, herbs and light vegetables.

This 6 year old Single Vineyard Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley is drinking very nicely now. Fruit forward, rich and nicely balanced. Complex and entertaining. Elegant and tangy.

Good right out of the bottle, and gets earthier as it opens up.

Peaking now, and will continue to drink nicely in the next few years.

I had this vintage 3 years ago, and decided to let it age a bit longer, and it is drinking so much better now.

Easy drinking and good by itself or with food.

100% Pinot Noir grapes were aged for 10 months in (35% new) French Oak barrels. Unfiltered and unfined.

13.7% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$50. — 8 months ago

Brandon T

9.3

Loads of red fruit but still tight even after a 3 hour decant. Still paired well with a burger!Would give it a few more years. — 2 years ago

"Odedi"

9.1

This is a very tasty Petite Sirah from Lake County in California.

Dry and fruity on the palate with medium acidity.

Medium plus in body with a nice, soft mouth feel.

Showing blueberries, black cherries, black currants, cedar, earth, vanilla, licorice, spices, tobacco, chocolates, light graphite and peppercorn.

Nice finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 4 year old is already drinking very nicely with nice complexity.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after 45 minutes of airtime.

Would be nice to revisit it again in 3 years, and see how it evolved.

Nicely balanced and fruit forward. Easy drinking and elegant.

A small production of only 150 cases.

14.1% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$65. — 5 years ago

garry post

9.0

Lovely, light, delicate, slightly oaky Pinot Noir from Home Ranch vineyard for Iron Horse. 2012 vintage enjoyed on OTBN February 27, 2021.

Smooth and silky. Soft and refined, chocolate notes. — 5 years ago

Richard Alfred

9.4

3/26/20. With Sue and Richard Spooner at the Gîte. Superb with Lynn’s pea soup and gorgeous porc roast from Violes boucherie. — 6 years ago

Billy L.

8.9

Very different from my last bottle 3 years ago. Much more refined, dull, boring, etc. Where’s Big BBQ/Cigar Zin?! — 6 years ago

Carlo Fernandez

9.0

High tannins. Leather and dark fruits. Medium finish. Maybe better in 2 - 3 years — 7 years ago

Marc Melser

9.0

We had the 2018 Vintage on 9/2-3/25. A nice, easy drinking Pinot Noir. Tastes of red cherry, plum and blueberry. Smooth texture, nice mouthfeel. — 10 months ago

Brandon Boesch

9.7

Really great. Needs about 3 hours of air. So well balanced. A lot of cocoa, blackberry, garden dirt, some tree bark, some chocolate cherries, but very dark, some menthol in the background, long finish, almost coffee and cocoa, some fruits as well. Outstanding! — a year ago

Neal Ferry

9.0

A late post from several days ago….Washington Cab, from Prosser, Washington, I worked on a freeway interchange there in 1978. The Cab, it’s fantastic — 4 years ago

with TwiLea

Jeff Orlowski

9.5

This wine has aged very gracefully. Did not decant but allowed to open in glass as we slow drank the bottle over 3-4 hours. Dark, full, dry, smooth. Outstanding! — 5 years ago

with Michael and Joe

Aaron Rankin

9.4

Going strong. My notes from 3 months ago still apply. Age has brought out nothing but goodness. And I’d venture there are a few more years left in it. No point in waiting though. — 6 years ago

Tnasha2

9.9

Wow! This is a great wine at a smaller vineyard. A must try! I joined their wine club after having this at a steak restaurant. Can’t buy locally. Very friendly people at winery. I have order this for 3 years now & it keeps getting better with every year. This should be priced much higher than they sell this brand. A very bold, dense Cabernet. A must try! You won’t be disappointed. — 6 years ago

Kimberly Kasza

9.1

Incredibly fresh and balanced! Light, abundant berry and stone fruit notes of raspberry and peach! Our first of 3 wedding wines from a gift! Definitely one of the best sparkling wines I’ve ever had! — 7 years ago