Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Is this one of the most easy-drinking Cabernet Sauvignon wines of the 2022 vintage under $50? Not only is it easy-drinking, plush, and velvety, but it is also well-structured, with plenty of tannic heft and an acid backbone to support the layers of blackberry and black cherry fruit, graphite mineral nuances, purple florals, and sweet oak spicesthat linger on the long finish—100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged for16 months in 50% new French oak barrels. Ride & Ridden Wine Co. is a collaboration between vintner David Green and renowned Texas-based artist and photographer Steve Wrubel.
At Ride & Ridden, they produce appellation-driven wines that consistently transcend the expectations of their price points. They are able to do this thanks to their unique access to a rarefied tier of wine growing partners. They make wine honestly, source the best wines they can find, and employ a minimalist approach to growing, blending, and bottling. They touch every price point, creating wines of precision, power, elegance, and zero pretentiousness. All of this defines their mission: democratizing deliciousness.
Born of a collaboration with famed Texas-based artist and photographer, Steve Wrubel, the Ride & Ridden line-up showcases the power and grace of the true American West. To what extent is it possible to contain a beast, refine a fleeting moment, or bottle the essence of a grape? They will always retain elements of the untamable wild within them. That is the spirit of the American West. Understanding and sharing this spirit is their life's work. Joined together by an overarching philosophy, this unlikely kinship of seemingly disparate disciplines come together to create Ride & Ridden.
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.
