This mostly agrees with what I was told a few weeks ago. If one gets an allocation, it will be their normal allocation and it won’t be reduced due to the limited production (unlike the 2005 vintage release, for example). I was told the allocations should be out by the end of the month, so hopefully that means Monday or Tuesday next week.
I’ve been following Ridge wines over half a century of their production, but only sporadically. I’ve been there half a dozen times, the first time hosted by Dave Bennion, the last time about 7 years ago with a group of ~20, including my employees and their sigoths. I have never been disappointed in a visit. Of course a lot can change in 7 years.
A few comments:
These are very great wines. IMO Monte Bello is probably the 3rd best Cabernet vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
If you’re willing to drink wines that are merely great, not very great; at less than half the price of Monte Bello; that mature at 10+ vs ~30 years, then Ridge Estate Cab is a screaming, stunning bargain. But, My God, the Lack of Cachet!!!
BTW, in terms of bargains, so is the Ridge Estate Chardonnay, with the Monte Bello Chardonnay an even bigger bargain as it’s not even twice the price. Of course, I can never find it. If you can, and care to share, please please PM me!
Ridge’s other wines are consistently outstanding.
There are so many of them, and so many are reasonably priced (by prosperous geek standards). And all of those I’ve had age very well.
I have the incredible good fortune not to be on a single winery mailing list.
Dan Kravitz
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What do you put in the top three with MB, Mount Eden and ??
So what does it mean if I haven’t received any email yet?
I put MB as a firm #3. I think Mount Eden might be the best, but I’m not sure: Bates Ranch is the other contender. Of course nobody has made Cab from Bates Ranch over the time period of ME and MB, but Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyards had a long run of stunning quality.
FYI, I’ve had over 20 vintages each from these three terroirs, several times in horizontal tastings, but never all three in the same vintage at the same time. Now that would be a project! Of course, ideally at ~30 years, not worth doing at <10 years.
Dan Kravitz
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We enjoy the Ridge Estate Chardonnay a lot, I usually pick up 4-6 each release and they disappear quickly. I’ve never tried the MB Chard but have heard good things and also have not been able to find it.
I haven’t received one either. I’m assuming that means we get an allocation. I’ve been buying since the 2007 vintage, so I’d be surprised if I didn’t get one this year, but who knows…
I’ll add those 3 areas are quite distinctive, so preferences my vary. We’re in a great era for SCM Cab.
Ridge’s Monte Bello has its own character, partially due to the oak. They do have irregular bottlings in their Historic Vineyard Series from a single variety from a particular vineyard. Their new winemaker is looking to experiment more with French oak, so we may be seeing some other alternative bottlings in the mix of limited bottlings in the near future.
Fellom Ranch is the best other vineyard up there, with Arnot-Roberts and I. Brand making excellent examples.
I noted on another thread how outstanding the '17 Mount Eden is. The Peter Martin Ray Vineyard is really blocks of the Mount Eden Vineyard, intermingled, separately owned and managed…and head trained. Ceritas and Birichino have made stunning examples, and Sandar & Hem is now sourcing. I’ve heard good things about the Jaimee Motley Wines version. the '16 Ceritas and '17 Birichino are mighty impressive now, with subsequent vintages on the closed side of things.
Ghostwriter made excellent Bates, but I think they’ve withdrawn. I. Brand makes an excellent Cab Franc from there. Sandar & Hem is doing a great job (disclaimer: I assist Rob). Origin is getting fruit, with Justin Massa (Ed Kurtzman’s right-hand man) now making the wine. I lucked into tasting a vertical while (disclaimer) bottling for Ed & Justin. People keep posting good things about Ashes & Diamonds, but I haven’t tried one yet.
Right next to Bates is Martin Ranch. Same elevation range and aspect, but a bit confusing. The lower portion of Bates was included in the SCM AVA due to the quality and character of the then current wines sourced from there, but, at that time, only the upper portion of the Martin’s property was planted. On its own, that’s known as the Harvest Moon Vineyard. (You may recognize from Ahlgren, as well as limited bottlings from Kathryn Kennedy and Stefania.) The lower half of their estate Cab vineyard was planted later, so by the default AVA definition is outside (but, it was set up to easily petition to get in if you can make a strong case), so their general release Estate Cab claims Santa Clara Valley. We did a broad tasting of 18 (then current release) '07 SCM and a few SCV Cabs and this came out first, over Monte Bello and Mount Eden. I’ll humbly note the group was wrong, due to not fully appreciating wines that need age. But, I had it a close 3rd, and agree with the group that trio was far above the rest. (That was a sad era for Bates.)
The biggest portion of Kathryn Kennedy Small Lot is from Martin Ranch (iirc, and I may also be out of date, 60-70%?) and it’s around half or maybe more of the Stefania SCM Cab.
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Bates Ranch is for sale. I had no idea it was over 900 acres!?! Only 22 are in vines. If it was just the vineyard for sale, I would think it would get snapped up quickly. But the whole package with 4 houses is $13M and change. I just looked in my wallet and I can’t swing it today.
Dan Kravitz
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It has been for years. I think it’s family that doesn’t live there who want it sold. Didn’t know it was that big, but knew the non-vineyard acreage is enough buying it for grape revenue plus housing value doesn’t pencil out. There are lots of equestrian trails and they have some cattle. I’ve been to Charles’ house, which is nice, has a swimming pool and view. Down on the road is the vineyard manager’s house, which looks nice. No idea where the other two are or what they’re used for or what they’re like (though they’ve hosted high profile guests).
It’s an idyllic and historic place that would be a lovely place to live. It really shouldn’t be developed, and likely can’t. Not sure they can even subdivide and spin off the bulk to open space. Just a big gape between what the family wants, which does relate to its total value, and what any one entity would want to pay.
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2021 futures overview page is live on the website, I’m guessing allocations are forthcoming. Pricing is up by $10 this year to $155 per bottle.
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Is there a 2020 Monte Bello vintage profile on the site? I see reports up through 2019, and then a description of 2021 in the offer, but I don’t see 2020.
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Also from the 2020 offering page, you can get to the full vintage report, which comments on the smoke issue:
In the early morning of August 16th, a monsoonal weather system passed over Central and Northern California. It brought incredibly strong wind and thousands of lightning strikes. Given how hot it was the day before, it was a welcome surprise. It cooled the night air, and the lightning bolts racing across the night sky was magical to watch. Unfortunately, the lightning sparked an overwhelming number of complex wildfires throughout the state, which was already threatened by a persistent drought. The smoke began to fill the sky, moving in and around mountains and valleys, carried by the wind off the ocean. Vineyards in close proximity to the fires had difficulty with access for sampling. Eventually, after a couple of days, we could get in and check the crop, pulling many grape samples to analyze and taste for smoke damage. Fortunately, both analysis and taste showed no significant issues for most of our vineyards. Those with issues were not picked. High in the atmosphere, the haze reduced the sun’s intensity, slowing photosynthesis. Though the sugar increases were slow to develop, the flavors were still coming along nicely.
Quantities in 2020 will be less than normal due to below-average crop size and some grape loss due to smoke damage. Despite the incredible challenges of COVID-19 and the fires that we faced in 2020, we are excited about the quality of the wines we have been able to make.
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Allocation email just hit, no change from last year, 12 bottles, been on the futures list since the 2010 vintage.
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Same (though my allocation is only 4 bottles, which is what I’ve had it set at for the last several years).
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Based on some of the comments in this thread I half-expected a reduction, but there were no changes to our standing order of six bottles and three magnums.
We’ve been buying direct since the 2008 vintage and have never been asked or required to take anything else to keep our Monte Bello offer intact (though we have certainly ordered plenty of other stuff through the years).
At some point I hope Ridge stops increasing the price yearly, but they sell out, I’m sure, so why would they?
I was looking at my pricing on futures, starting in 2013, and the numbers I entered (though without exact figures in each, as tax/shipping are estimated when I add to CT as ‘awaiting delivery’) are as follows: (2013 - 2021)
105
119
119
130
139
150
156
163
170
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I think it was $85 (before tax and shipping) when I started with 2007.
Was honestly surprised my allocation was not reduced but I got my normal ask. IMO still a bargain and a fantastic wine. Price was up but so wasn’t Walter Scotts release today as well and it was up more than ridge. 40->55 and 65->80 and 90->100.
Sean