Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains 2003

  • 90 Wine &
    Spirits
Sold Out - was $32.99
OFFER Take $20 off your order of $100+
Ships Thu, Apr 4
You purchased this 3/27/24
0
Limit Reached
You purchased this 3/27/24
Alert me about new vintages and availability
Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains 2003 Front Label
Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains 2003 Front Label

Product Details


Varietal

Region

Producer

Vintage
2003

Size
750ML

Your Rating

0.0 Not For Me NaN/NaN/N

Somm Note

Winemaker Notes

68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc

Bud break was early, but a cool spring delayed bloom until early June. Unusually high temperatures in mid-September stressed the young merlot, disqualifying it for inclusion in this year's wine. The mature merlot, cabernets, and petit verdot were unaffected, and harvested on schedule throughout October. Acidity was firm and tannins easily extractable—even during the first three days, we limited circulation of juice over the cap of skins. From the start of natural yeast fermentation on day four, we allowed circulation only under the cap, and pressed at dryness after nine days. Most of the thirty-four lots went through natural malolactic in barrel: fourteen were selected for this fine companion to the Monte Bello. In aging, new oak was limited to forty percent; time in barrel was extended to twenty-one months. This beautifully-balanced wine is enjoyable now, and will develop fully over the next ten to twelve years.

Professional Ratings

  • 90

Other Vintages

2006
  • 91 Robert
    Parker
2000
  • 92 Wine &
    Spirits
Ridge

Ridge

View all products
Ridge, California
Ridge Ridge Winery Video

Ridge's history begins in 1885, when Osea Perrone, a doctor and prominent member of San Francisco's Italian community, bought 180 acres near the top of Monte Bello Ridge in the Santa Cruz Mountains. He planted vineyards and constructed a winery of redwood and native limestone in time to produce the first vintage of Monte Bello in 1892. The historic building now serves as the Ridge production facility.

Though Ridge began as a Cabernet winery, by the mid-60s, it had produced several Zinfandels including the Geyserville. In 1972, Lytton Springs joined the line-up and the two came to represent an important part of Ridge production. Known primarily for its red wines, Ridge has also made limited amounts of Chardonnay since 1962.

The Ridge approach is straightforward: find the most intense and flavorful grapes, guide the natural process, draw all the fruit's richness into the wine. Decisions on when to pick, when to press, when to rack, what varietals and what parcels to include and when to bottle, are based on taste. To retain the nuances that increase complexity, Ridge winemakers handle the grapes and wine as gently as possible. There are no recipes, only attention and sensitivity.

Image for Bordeaux Blends content section
View all products

One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.

Image for Santa Cruz Mountains Wine California content section
View all products

A rugged and topographically diverse cool-climate appellation with a rich history, the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA stretches from Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco, to the northern border of Monterey County. Elevations range from 800 feet to upwards of 3,000 and microclimates vary substantially depending on which side of the mountains the vineyards lie; cool ocean winds and fog play an important role here. This can be a challenging region in which to grow grapes, but it is well worth the effort. Santa Cruz Mountains wines are noted for balanced acidity levels, often showing great aging potential. Wine has been made here since the 1800s, most notably from the legendary Ridge Vineyards, whose Monte Bello vineyard garners international admiration.

Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the stars of this region, while Merlot and Zinfandel also perform quite well. Organic and sustainable vineyard practices are becoming increasingly common.

ALX03CSC1_2003 Item# 86935

Internet Explorer is no longer supported.
Please use a different browser like Edge, Chrome or Firefox to enjoy all that Wine.com has to offer.

It's easy to make the switch.
Enjoy better browsing and increased security.

Yes, Update Now

Search for ""