2018-2020 Ridge Vineyards "Estate" Santa Cruz Mountains Merlot Vertical

“While not bottled on its own in every vintage, the 2019 Merlot Estate offers an informative alternate look into the Monte Bello property. It opens with an engaging, charming nose of grilled plum, potter's clay, burning incense and cedar aromas. The palate is slender and elegant, with an impressively vivacious string of acidity running through the refined, graceful finish. While it is easy to see these blocks' positive contributions to the finished Monte Bello, they are equally beautiful and instructive when enjoyed on their own. (ML)” (04/2024)

“I loved the 2019 Merlot, which comes from the Monte Bello Vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains. It sports a deep purple hue as well as lots of ripe plum, blueberry, and blackberry fruits supported by spicy oak, tobacco, and spicy, almost cigar nuances. Textured, medium to full-bodied, plump, and rounded on the palate, it’s ready to go yet should keep for a decade. (These wines always age better than I expect.)” (08/2022)

“The 2019 Merlot Estate is soft, open-knit and quite delicious. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, mocha, licorice and sweet spice are nicely pushed forward. The 2019 is quite racy and opulent in its flavor profile, yet it retains a very classic sense of mid-weight structure that makes this Merlot such a charmer. (AG)” (10/2022)

“No tasting note given.” (10/2022)

“Ever true to its stripes, Ridge has given us one of the most mannerly Merlots in this set of tastings. The wine is medium-full in weight yet attractively deep in flavor, and while it has a fair supply of tannins, it is more supple than it is astringent in palate-feel. Its fruit runs to varietal red cherries, and that fruit is backed up by a very well-proportioned sweet oak presence. If the wine admittedly tightens and narrows ever so slightly at the finish, it is only to remind us that a few years of further cellaring are in order.” (10/2022)

“Smoky aromas of roasted wood meet with cracked pepper and dark black cherry on the nose of this bottling, which includes 4% Cabernet Sauvignon from the historic estate. Salt-and-pepper-seasoned beef rib and roasted-berry flavors align on the palate. (MK)” (11/2022)