Spring Ridge

Switchback Ridge

Peterson Family Vineyard Merlot 2021

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 days ago

Dave, Dawn and 8 others liked this

Ridge Vineyards

Geyserville Sonoma County Zinfandel Blend 2016

You can always count on Ridge — 4 months ago

Smith Madrone

Estate Bottled Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Earthy nose with black currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, chocolates, Indian spices, tobacco leaf, dark coffee, earth, dark chocolates, green vegetables and herbs.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black currants, black plums, cherries, oak, dark chocolates, coffee, spices, earth, black tea, light green vegetables and peppercorn.

Spicy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a young Cabernet Sauvignon from Spring Mountain District in Napa Valley. Elegant and nicely balanced. Fruit forward and complex, with a soft mouthfeel. Feels like a Left Bank Bordeaux.

Needed 3 hours in the decanter to open up properly, so be patient.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 20 years. Has good potential to become a 94+ point wine.

I've had a few different vintages of this wine and this vintage seems to be more approachable at this young age.

Delicious by itself, and paired beautifully with the beef brisket.

A blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Cabernet Franc. Aged in (50% new) French Oak barrels for 18 months.

14.2% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$70.
— 2 months ago

Tom, Dave and 8 others liked this
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

Always a (relatively) good value for Napa Cab.

Pine Ridge Vineyards

Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

A fruity brightness that finishes with a light dryness. Slight cherry flavoring and clean finish. Beautiful wine easily drank casually — 3 months ago

Ridge Vineyards

Pagani Ranch Sonoma Valley Zinfandel Blend 2023

Found it! This is a light-handed Zin, and very delicious. Thanks for the recommendation! @Doug Powers @Anthony De Blasi
Listening to a little Depeche Mode!!
— 3 months ago

Ray, Tom and 15 others liked this
Anthony De Blasi

Anthony De Blasi

@Dave sorry, today is the first time in weeks that Delectable kind of works again…it’s a pleasure to see that you play Depeche Mode at one of my recommendations 🤩

Ridge Vineyards

Estate Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2019

Second & last of my bottles. Wonderful, while ready to drink still has plenty of years ahead of it. — 5 months ago

Oak Ridge Winery

OZV Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel 2022

Wow, so big, so fruity, a bit sugary. It’s old school cool, like a true OG CA Zinfandel. — 6 months ago

Spring Mountain Vineyard

Elivette Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2000

Paul J
9.3

PnP. Massive olives. Definitely needs a decant. Rustic with some barnyard tones. Would have loved to have tried a few hours after opening. — 18 days ago

Geoff ParrishBrooke Weaver Jakubowski
with Geoff and Brooke
Paul, Tom and 3 others liked this

Pine Ridge Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Dinner with Joe Deb Amy and Brian at 1894 — 10 days ago

Ridge Vineyards

Lytton Springs Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel Blend

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. — a month ago

Cain Vineyard & Winery

Cain Five Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2015

2015 vintage. Sampled from Coravin. Medium body. The monstrous tannins tamed somewhat...as they meet a decade+. Absolutely, top-notch nose. If you both respect the exuberance of youth and celebrate the wisdom of age, this is for you. A fascinating, case study currently. 6.24.26. — 2 months ago

Somm, Doug and 6 others liked this
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

Own this $39 recent purchase
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego Premium Badge

@Somm David T Picked up a case.. Gotta dig out the invoice but resto cost was in the $30's. Do recall the 1987 vintage being $13.33 a bottle before the brand decided to make this the benchmark it is.

Pine Ridge Vineyards

Clarksburg Chenin Blanc + Viognier Blend 2022

Our distinctive white blend marries the crisp honeyed citrus fruit of Chenin Blanc (80%) with the plush body, soft floral and juicy peach notes of Voignier (20%) for a lush, versatile and delicious wine. — 3 months ago

Anthill Farms

Comptche Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023

John Howard
9.8

Holy shit! Best vintage I’ve tasted of this. Perfectly balanced. Maybe more like A 98. Upped rating. Insaneeee!! — 4 months ago

Steven, Tom and 15 others liked this
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

👀👀💥
John Howard

John Howard Influencer Badge

@Tom Casagrande yep. Wish we had got more than two of these.

Ridge Vineyards

East Bench Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2023

Ridge Vineyards Wine Mixer at Thyme Restaurant — 7 months ago

Tom, Peter and 5 others liked this

Spring Mountain Vineyard

Estate Bottled Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

Easily my favorite visit to SMV and every other one was a 10 out of 10. All the 2023s we tasted on the trip were outstanding. This was right up there with any of them. — 3 days ago

Tom, Rick and 1 other liked this

Spring Mountain Vineyard

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1992

1992 vintage. Decent fill. Perfect cork extracted with a Durand. Decanted and tasted after 30 minutes and 1 hour. Plenty of color. Wicked, durty nose. Light-medium body. A lingering dryness afoot in the complexity of flavors that just endure. Seems simple and easy but that was always this producer's calling card. True harmony, sense of place and balance without overreaching is an eternal struggle and rarely achieved. Pity this winery no longer strides the Earth in this guise. Five bottles remaining. 7.31.26. — 22 days ago

Lyle, Tom and 12 others liked this

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2022

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Dark ruby in color with a purple rim.

Beautiful nose and medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing red and black fruits with cedar, licorice, chocolates, herbs, light earth, spices, tobacco leaf, dark coffee and light green vegetables.

Spicy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This iconic Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Santa Cruz Mountains in California is still very young, but already delicious, even by itself.

Needs a few hours to open up properly, and will continue to age nicely in the next 30 years. Showing good potential to become a 95+ point wine.

A great sipping wine that paired beautifully with my Lamb chops.

A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Aged in American oak barrels for 20 months.

13.8% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$300.
— 2 months ago

Jay, Tom and 11 others liked this

Ridge Vineyards

Three Valleys Sonoma County Zinfandel Blend

Ridge Three Valleys 2023
Sonoma County, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A classic Sonoma field blend composed of 71% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 9% Petite Sirah, 2% Mataro, and 2% Alicante Bouschet. Crafted in Ridge’s signature transparent style, this vintage leans toward a riper and more fruit-driven expression than many of the winery’s other bottlings.

Aromas & Flavors
Blackberry preserves, ripe plum, black cherry, and raspberry compote dominate, supported by touches of black pepper and baking spice.

Mouthfeel
Medium to full-bodied with polished tannins and a broad, generous texture. The fruit lingers across the palate with a warm, persistent finish.

Food Pairings
A natural companion for barbecue, smoked meats, burgers, and hearty pizza.

Verdict
While impeccably made, this is one of the few Ridge wines that didn’t quite resonate with my palate. It leans a bit too jammy and overripe for my preference, though lovers of rich, fruit-forward California reds will likely find plenty to enjoy.

Did You Know?
Ridge has long been one of California’s pioneers of ingredient transparency, listing the exact grape composition directly on the label.

🍷 Personal Pick
I truly love Ridge wines, but I’d still reach for Lytton Springs or Geyserville before this bottling. If bold, juicy Zinfandel blends are your style, however, this one could easily become a favorite.
— 3 months ago

Ted, ESF and 1 other liked this

Philip Togni Vineyard

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Somm David T
9.6

This is a producer that should be more revered than it is. His 90’s were amongst my favorite Napa Cabernets. Especially, the 94, which is exceptional and I’ve had on 3-4 occasions.

2007 is a grand vintage but this one needs more cellaring. It is still in its adolescence. I would like to try this in another 8-10 yrs. Don’t get me wrong, this drinks nicely now but it’s best is still ahead.

I coravined & decanted this in a big Bordeaux glass for an hour and it is still a 1/2 monster.

The nose shows; dark currents/cassis, blackberries, black plum w/ skin, very black cherries, black raspberries, poached/slightly baked strawberries with understated raspberries in the glass edges, dark, rich earth with dry leaves, steeped fruit tea, mocha powder, caramel, chocolate baking bar, understated baking spices-cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, vanillin, both black & red licorice/cola, moist herbs, tree sap, limestone, dry top soils-river stone and beautiful, withering/candied dark & red florals framed in candied violets.

The M+ tannins are round, velvety, dusty and still meaty. Dark currents/cassis, blackberries, black plum w/ skin, very black cherries, black raspberries, poached/slightly baked strawberries, liqueur cherries with understated, hovering raspberries. Dark, rich earth with dry leaves, steeped fruit tea, mocha powder, caramel, chocolate baking bar, understated baking spices-cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, vanillin, both black & red licorice/cola, moist herbs, tree sap, soft, moist cigar box, leather, anise, rounded very dark spices, moist clays, limestone, dry top soils-river stone and beautiful, withering/candied dark & red florals framed in candied violets, very round, pleasant acidity with balance for days, still pronounced structure/tension, great length and a smartly, polished, ruby two-minute finish that long sets on on deep, dark spice, earthiness & ruby, dark currents.

Right now a Filet steak, not a fatty steak, Ribeye or Ribcap.

Still so youthful! Add a point or two in 7-10 yrs. .

Philip is in his 90’s and still involved in the winemaking. He walks the property daily.
— 4 months ago

Jeroen, Scott@Mister and 7 others liked this
Jeroen Koenen

Jeroen Koenen

A personal favorite! The 1997 iteration of this wine converted me, being a classic Bordeauxphile, into American wines some 20 years ago. Thank you for that, Mr. Togni.