2018 Ridge Vineyards "Estate" Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon
94JS
94WE
93VN
92CG
92W&S
91DC
$229.99
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94
James Suckling
Reviewed March 2021A beautiful, fresh red with blackberry, blueberry and some chocolate. Pine, light toffee and coffee undertones. Dried herbs, too. Medium to full body with intensity and richness. Dusty tannins. Savory finish. Very drinkable now, but even better in 2023.
Professional Reviews
94
Wine Enthusiast
Intense aromas of blackberry and cassis meet with smoked meats, strong oak and light herbs on the toasty, layered nose of this bottling, which includes 21% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. Chipped wood flavors decorate the dark-fruit and roasted herb core of the palate. (MK)
93
Vinous
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is terrific. In this vintage, the Estate is especially savory and mineral, perhaps with a bit less immediacy than it can show. For that reason, I would prefer to cellar it for at least a few years. Blueberry, blackberry, graphite, licorice, cloves, lavender and sage all build into the incisive finish. Impressive. (AG)
92
Connoisseurs Guide
Never flamboyant yet a keen and very concise offering that, after a somewhat restrained aromatic start, unfolds in the glass to reveal fresh, blackberry- and cherry-like fruit trimmed with deft touches of dried herbs, woodsy spice and the tell-tale loamy notes of classic Cabernet Sauvignon, this moderately full-bodied youngster fits the well-structured Ridge model to a tee. Still a bit tight on the palate, it is a wine destined to age famously for a decade, if not more, and, in the manner of its maker, reminds that layering, detail and real depth are in no way dependent on extravagant ripeness. *Two Stars*
Staff Reviews
RW
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this bottling probably represents the best value bottle of Cabernet one can buy in California. Entirely grown at Monte Bello, farmed the same, handled the same at harvest, the decision is then made during a series of rigorous tastings where the 75-100 individual ferments that come off the property are tasted and assessed. The wines with more structure are given extended maceration and earmarked for Monte Bello. The more accessible, fruit forward lots are selected for the estate Cabernet. This is quite literally baby Monte Bello for a fraction of the price.
Details
| Origin | Santa Cruz Mountains, California, United States |
|---|---|
| Type/Varietal | Cabernet Sauvignon and Blends |
| Alcohol Content | 14% |
| SKU | 1533507 |