The photo above is from my dinner table. I wanted to taste it for provenance before I offered this time capsule wine. This was nothing short of an extraordinary opportunity to step back in time with incredible Cabernet from Napa from a legendary producer!
1983 Ridge York Creek Cabernet Sauvignon
Spring Mountain, Napa Valley
My Tasting Note (4/25/19)
A surprisingly deep core, some brick on the edges. A really complex nose of secondary and tertiary notes from its 35+ years of age, aromas of dried red and black fruits, cigar wrapper, mixed spices, leather, fall leaves and forest floor. The palate is focused, still pretty deep, and exceeds what you would expect in a Napa Cabernet that is 35+ years old. Finishes with fully resolved, fine tannin and some cool, complex mountain fruit. A good 5-10, maybe more years on this one.
Ridge’s only Napa Valley source is York Creek vineyard located on Spring Mountain, north of St. Helena, on the western edge of Napa Valley. Today Ridge only makes Petite Sirah and Zinfandel from this site, but back in the 70s and 80s it was also the source of this magnificent Cabernet Sauvignon.
Planted at 1,250 – 1,800 feet above sea level on Spring Mountain AVA amidst the pine trees of the natural surrounding of the area, the Cabernet from this AVA are easily recognizable such as Philip Togni & Pride Mountain to name just a few. The York Creek vineyard then, like it does now, produces fruit with a purity of character that is distinctive of it’s mountain pedigree.
The creek, for which the vineyard is named, flows year round and is a defining feature of the landscape. In warmer months, the water exerts a mitigating influence on the ambient vineyard temperature. This, along with York Creek’s unique position high atop the Mayacamas Range, means that this particular site is markedly cooler than vineyards on the valley floor. Elevation and cooler temperatures allow the grapes to ripen more slowly and evenly and to retain their acidity, which makes for complex and age-worthy wine.
$199.99, net 5 bottles available
ORDER: Perfectly Aged Ridge Cabernet from Napa - Mature California Cabernet