TN: 2013 Ridge Estate Cabernet . . . I wonder how much better it could be if . . . .

This is an excellent California Cab. Superb structure, the full spectrum of fruit colors from red, blue to black, buttressed by chewy tannins and very crisp acid. Chocolate covered dark cherries, some Christmas spices, leather and toast. Built for a longish haul but, admittedly, hard to resist right now if you are ok with the chewiness and the astringency of the American oak. And therein is my issue with this wine. As great as I think it is for a Cali Cab, and a wonderful value, I wonder how much better it would be if they used less new American oak (42%) and less time in barrel (20 mos.). Save the higher percentage of new oak and barrel aging for the Monte Bello, which ironically is only aged for 16 months (perhaps because of the higher percentage of new oak), and allow this one to be more expressive with its fruit rather than the detractor of wood. Bear in mind that I think this of some of the other cuvées as well, such as Pagani. Geryserville only has 15% new and oak aged for 13 months and even it shows its oak trappings when young as well. I realize American oak is Draper’s “thing” but boy would I like to see it toned down.

(92+ pts.)

With less time in new oak, it may actually show stronger oak flavors. Careful what you wish for

Let it age.

Not sure about that, but my primary premise is less new oak.

And just so I’m clear, I dig this wine and am buying more! I buy very few Cali cabs, but hard to argue against such quality for $50.

This is the ticket.

Fairly obvious, of course, but I’ve always thought this about Ridge, which I have been drinking since the '91 vintage.

I believe the Amercan oak is partly new with the Estate and mostly new with the Monte Bello cabs. The cab barrels are then reused with the Zins. It takes several years for the oak to integrate, but history shows the wait pays off.

And no funk’n bretty green things, say it ain’t so Mr. Green Giant!

^^^^

Geniuses I tell you, geniuses!

Robert, you raise a valid point, and you understand these wines as well as anyone here. But it’s difficult to argue with the track record of the sage of Montebello Road.

Their use of American oak is part of what makes Ridge Ridge - and without it, the wines would not be as distinctively ‘Ridge’.

And we are talking a 2013 Cab right? Why in the world are folks drinking these NOW? Yes, let em age - please

Cheers.

BTW, as with the cabs, there is a distinct aging curve (IMO) with the Ridge Zins, from the early-accessible Paso Robles (Dusi) through the Pagani, the Lytton and the Geyserville. The Lytton and especially the Geyserville are world-class agers.

Not sure if the oak treatment differs on these wines?

Seriously, Larry? For those of us that are narrow-band purchasers, taking a test run is pretty much par for the course to help determine how much more to acquire.

Look, I’m as big of a fan of Ridge wines as anyone, it’s one of my top five holdings. I get the whole Paul Draper perfume and American oak thing, I’m just stating my rhetorical question, which is actually an opinion of mine, whether these wines would be better with less new oak and perhaps shorter barrel aging. I think they would be.

It does, as I noted above. And ironically, the wine I like best, Geyserville, gets the least new oak treatment of the bottlings I buy. Now bear in mind, I’ve been buying Ridge for over 20 years and that’s the first time I have looked at the winemaking specs on the oak regiment. Tells you something about my palate.

Point taken, my friend. Yep, it can be a good idea to try a wine younger than you normally would to try to ‘assess’ it, but it’s a real challenge to do so for so many reasons. The fact that you have done so in the past certainly makes it more likely that you’ll glean something from this, whereas others would not.

And your rhetorical question is a good one - and one that many struggle with all of the time. It brings up many questions from a winemaker’s perspective, and wineries like Ridge certainly do experiment all of the time to try to dial in their processes, etc.

I remember when I put together my first Mourvedre, and other winemakers who I worked with questioned me why I didn’t blend in a bit of Syrah to give it more structure and color as they would have done. Their feelings were that it would make the wine ‘better’. My feelings were, and continue to be, that it would make the wine ‘different’ but better? Not sure - and I am happy with the decision I made then and the ones I continue to make . . .

Cheers.

I don’t like the oak in young Ridge either and find many of them undrinkable as a result. Yes, with enough age the unappealing qualities diminish or go away entirely. But that’s besides the point. No reason to think it would lose its ability to age if put in a different kind of oak. Bordeaux ages great and is also fun to drink young. Wish the same were true for Ridge, but for my palate it seldom is.

Has Draper ever published why he prefers American oak over French?

The oak treatment varies among the Zins? (I realize the Zins get the used cab barrels)

think here;
https://blog.ridgewine.com/2011/08/18/10-questions-with-paul-draper-4/