"Odedi"

9.0

This is a nice and easy drinking Zinfandel based red blend from Alexander Valley. Tasty and easy drinking. Well balanced and complex.

Needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly, and will continue to age nicely in the next 7 years.

A blend of 71% Zinfandel, 19% Carignane, 8% Petite Sirah and 2% Alicante Bouschet. Aged in American oak barrels for 13 months.

14.6% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$45. — 4 days ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Ridge Vineyards — Estate Chardonnay 2023
Monte Bello Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
100% Chardonnay from Ridge’s Monte Bello Estate, high in the Santa Cruz Mountains and strongly influenced by the cool Pacific. The exceptionally long, cool 2023 growing season preserved freshness and varietal character, while barrel fermentation followed by nine months on the lees added texture and dimension. At 14.1% ABV, it carries surprising substance without sacrificing its cool-climate identity.

Aromas & Flavors
Fresh lemon, yellow apple, pear, citrus blossom, and subtle stone fruit unfold gradually, joined by mineral notes, gentle vanilla, and restrained barrel nuances. Air brings out additional layers without turning the wine overtly oaky.

Mouthfeel
Beautifully texturized yet remarkably fresh. Bright acidity provides tension while lees aging gives the mid-palate a gentle creaminess and polished weight. It keeps evolving after opening, moving between delicacy, mineral energy, and increasingly expressive fruit.

Food Pairings
Excellent alone, but equally comfortable with scallops, lobster, grilled halibut, roasted chicken, mushroom risotto, or richer seafood preparations. Its combination of acidity and texture lets it pivot effortlessly between sipping and serious cuisine.

Verdict
A fascinating expression of mountain-grown California Chardonnay. Delicate yet substantial, refreshing yet textural, it demonstrates how a cool Pacific-influenced site can deliver ripeness without sacrificing precision or energy.

Did You Know?
Monte Bello sits high above Silicon Valley on the Santa Cruz Mountains ridge, with vineyards exposed to significant Pacific influence. Ridge notes that 2023 was one of its longest and coolest recent growing seasons; the extended harvest helped preserve acidity while allowing slow flavor development—the tension you can genuinely feel in this Chardonnay.

🍷 Personal Pick
This sits comfortably among my favorite coastal-influenced Northern California Chardonnays. What gets me is the evolution: refreshing and delicate at first, then progressively more textural and expressive as it opens. It has enough finesse to enjoy completely on its own and enough structure to sit beside fine cuisine. That versatility, without losing its cool-climate personality, is what makes this one special. — a month ago

Austin Baird

9.0

Slight eucalyptus, strong tannic structure holding firm 10 years later! Deep dive with red pear, dried bing cherry, and toasted oak. Favorite pairing was the 18 month aged Gouda. — 2 months ago

"Odedi"

9.3

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Deep inky in color with a short reddish rim.

Beautiful nose of black fruits, cedar, chocolates, licorice, spices, tobacco, herbs, earth, light vanilla and black pepper.

Full-bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, toast, light vanilla, dark chocolates, earth, herbs, coffee, peppercorn and mediterranean spices.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a delicious Merlot from Napa Valley. Rich and extracted, elegant and nicely balanced. Complex and entertaining.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after 90 minutes of airtime.

This Single Vineyard Merlot is starting to drink beautifully now, and will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years.

Fruity, easy drinking and good by itself or with food.

A blend of 93% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petite Sirah. Aged for 18 months in French oak barrels. A small production of only 2,200 bottles.

15% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$70. — 2 months ago

Sean Coleman

9.7

A fruity brightness that finishes with a light dryness. Slight cherry flavoring and clean finish. Beautiful wine easily drank casually — 5 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have written a few times regarding my tale of Caymus & Caymus Classic. Their vintages post 2011 and their vintages pre 2011.

I have at event tastings that Caymus was pouring, encouraged their staff to talk with Chuck to make both Caymus & Caymus Classic. Recently, I emailed them to pass on my thoughts to Chuck asking him to make both. If you liked Caymus the way it was, I encourage you to do the same. There is a dwelling amount of older, well preserved Caymus Classic vintages. info@wagnerfamilyofwine.com should you be so inclined.

Their post 2011 Caymus Cabernets are picked at higher brix and syrupy sweet. I get why Chuck changed. Many like sweeter Cabernets that drink easy young. That is not my wheelhouse.

In my intermediate wine days, I aged and enjoyed many pre 2012 vintages. This perfect bottle bought on the secondary market at around $70 is extremely well stored. The cork when I cut the foil looked slightly depressed, when I pulled it with an Ah-so was next to new.

I enjoyed this with a Ribcap, not the best wine for that steak but, ok. This 07 is more filet or NY Strip.

The nose shows; a very dark core of sweet currants. Ripe-lush-blackberries, black cherries, the blackest of plum to pudding, black raspberries, poached/slightly baked strawberries, circling raspberries, anise to black licorice, woven baking spices-cinnamon, clove, nutmeg & vanilla, caramel, dark chocolate, mellow dark spices, sweet tarriness & dark earth, dry crush limestone, moist, grey volcanic clays, dry top soil, dry tobacco, some sweet graphite, steeped black tea & withering/candied, dark, red flowers framed in liquid violets/lavender.

This bottle now nearly 18 years in bottle has not faded. It is at its precipice and will hold a few yrs. 2007 a grand Napa vintage. Decanted a little over an hour and enjoyed over the next 90-120 minutes. With this experience, another hour in the decanter is even better.

M-M+ velvety, rounded, tannins. The palate is round, ripe, lush, ruby fruits of; dark core of sweet currants. Ripe-lush; blackberries, black cherries, the blackest of plum to pudding, stewed plum, black raspberries, poached/slightly baked strawberries, circling raspberries with notes of liqueur overtones, anise to black licorice, woven baking spices-cinnamon, clove, nutmeg & vanilla, caramel, dark chocolate, black licorice, dark berry cola, distinct dark, Caynus Classic spices w/ palate heat, herbaceous notes, sweet tarriness & dark earth, dry crush limestone/rock, moist, grey volcanic clays, dry top soil, dry river stone, charcoal, notes of menthol, dry tobacco, leather, dry oak barrel shavings, some sweet graphite, steeped black tea & withering/candied, dark, red flowers framed in liquid violets/lavender, perfect, round acidity with an incredibly; balanced, well knitted-toned-structured, elegantly/smartly polished finish that goes on and on and long sets on beautiful earth & spice.

94+ This experience is becoming rarer & rarer. — 8 months ago

"Odedi"

9.1

This is a very elegant Chardonnay from Oak Knoll District in Napa Valley. Very tasty and easy drinking, without the oaky Chardonnay feel.

Nicely balanced and complex, but doesn't show like a Napa Chardonnay.

Wine Enthusiasts 91 points.

Still young and needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly. Will continue to age nicely in the next 7 years.

I had the 2023 vintage not too long ago, and this vintage is drinking better.

Good by itself as a sipping wine or with food.

100% Chardonnay grapes were aged in (9% new) French Oak barrels for 9 months.

12.8% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$30. — 7 hours ago

Brandon Boesch

9.4

Big but hides abv. Smooth, dark fruits, some herbs and spices, overall a ton of fruit and bitter cocoa. It honestly needs more time. So good with steak au poivre at meritage St. Paul. — 15 days ago

k

9.3

Full mouthfeel with acidity, minerality, and tropical fruit notes exquisitely balanced. Or peach and honeyed citrus per label. Still lovely. — 22 days ago

Andrea Watt

9.2

Lemon, brioche, oak, and green apple. Crisp and bright. — 13 days ago

P Plusquellec

9.7

Hard to find a flaw — 2 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

8.9

2007 vintage. Nice fill. Used a Durand to open but good cork nonetheless. Decanted and tasted after 15 minutes. JFC...does the oak ever die on this nonsense? Tried to bushwhack through it without success. Even the Alexander Valley product has the good sense to have the oak minimized/integrated/drop off after a decade. Not the case here. There's a reason why I haven't even considered carrying this on a wine list since the late 90's. This go round didn't exactly convert my opinion. 8.16.26. — 2 months ago

John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

9.8

Holy shit! Best vintage I’ve tasted of this. Perfectly balanced. Maybe more like A 98. Upped rating. Insaneeee!! — 7 months ago

"Odedi"

9.2

This is a delicious Riesling from Oak Knoll District in Napa Valley.

Rich and fruit forward, elegant and nicely balanced. Feels like a Mosel Riesling. Fresh, crisp and easy drinking.

Already drinking beautifully, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.

Good by itself as a sipping wine or with food.

100% Riesling grapes.

11.7% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$25. — 8 days ago

"Odedi"

9.1

This is a very tasty and easy drinking Zinfandel blend from Sonoma County.

Fruit forward with nice complexity. Elegant and entertaining.

Still young and needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly, and will continue to get better in the next 7 years.

I've had a few vintages of this wine and it is very consistent.

Wine Enthusiasts 92 points.

Good by itself as a sipping wine or with food.

A blend of 67% Zinfandel, 17% Carignane, 8% Petite Sirah, 5% Alicante Bouschet and 3% Mataro.

14.4% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$36. — 6 days ago

Mark S.

9.1

Deep cherry red ~ black. Oak vanilla black cherry plum. Fruitiness M++ Sweetness M+ Acidity M Tannin M Smooth Bitterness M Body M++ Finish M % Powerful Concentrated jammy Juicy good balanced Ridge Vineyards Pagani Ranch Sonoma Valley Zinfandel @2800, Eva - BBQ, 260914-260915 — 2 months ago

John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

9.4

Not as good as expected. A little tired. Nice tho. Day 3, so good! Time and air made this insane. Love, — 2 months ago

Joe Flo

9.3

Great improvement from the last btl. Unfortunately my last & not on the top of my list to replace. — 2 months ago

Mo

9.2

A superb Zinfandel blend that tastes great now and possesses the requisite structure to age. Ridge sets the standard in American winemaking. Their corpus of high quality wines is unmatched in America and challenges the entire industry worldwide. — 4 months ago

Wulf Losee

9.4

This is the 2022 Block 296 version of this vintage. Truly excellent. Sour cherries and oregano on the nose. Spicy! Sour cherries on the front. Medium to heavy tannic structure. Tangy on the mid palate. Long finish. Not your typical overpowering Napa Cab. — 7 months ago