Hidden Ridge...What to do now that they're gone?

[Marlon_F]

Marlon, didn’t the old label have the “55% slope”? I think the last one we bought was the 2013.

Ed

that’s right… good catch. The wine access one does not have it…(btw, the WA one says it is from Wine Maker Timothy Milos, the one from Immortal.)

[Max_S1]

I reached out to WA on this one for more info… interested to see what they say. I get the feeling Immortal is bringing back the HR label as an entry level bottling.

[D_Mowe]

Several years back, I discovered Hidden Ridge cabs after a fellow Berserker shared a positive note about them. At the time, their cabs (like the 55% slope) were selling for about $60, and I thought they were fantastic. They later essentially doubled their prices, but I didn’t care–I thought the wines were an excellent example of a California cabernet, so I bought them anyway.

Sadly, the winery was sold (in in 2016, I think) and the buyer (Immortal Estate?) just hasn’t produced the same wine since. For those who may share my affinity for this wine, where did the wine maker go? Who is making California cabs with a similar profile?

Really miss these guys <sniff!>

New owners and renamed Immortal estate. Exactly the same fruit & exactly the same winemaker. If you liked hidden ridge, you will like immortal

[Max_S1]

For anyone interested, here is WA’s response on the Hidden Ridge bottling:

@Wine Access

Thank you for reaching out to us. As you referenced, Hidden Ridge did change names in 2014 to Immortal Estate. They kept making the same two wines, which are now called Impassable Mountain (same as before) and Immortal Slope (same as the old 55% Slope). The 2017 Hidden Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County that we are offering is indeed a custom bottling for our members and is a different barrel selection of wines made from the same Hidden Ridge Vineyard.

[Gabe_Berk]

Several years back, I discovered Hidden Ridge cabs after a fellow Berserker shared a positive note about them. At the time, their cabs (like the 55% slope) were selling for about $60, and I thought they were fantastic. They later essentially doubled their prices, but I didn’t care–I thought the wines were an excellent example of a California cabernet, so I bought them anyway.

Sadly, the winery was sold (in in 2016, I think) and the buyer (Immortal Estate?) just hasn’t produced the same wine since. For those who may share my affinity for this wine, where did the wine maker go? Who is making California cabs with a similar profile?

Really miss these guys <sniff!>

New owners and renamed Immortal estate. Exactly the same fruit & exactly the same winemaker. If you liked hidden ridge, you will like immortal

Same vineyard, same wine maker, same great wine. The 2013 Hidden Ridge 55 Degree Slope was $55 upon release (97 pts Parker). The 2013 Hidden Ridge Impassable Mountain was $80 upon release (100 pts Parker). Upon the winery selling, the new owners re-named the winery from a quote of Robert Parker and jacked up the Impassable Mountain from $80 to $303. Investors needed their ROI, but my gosh, what a turn off. 4 years later, they are selling the 2015. Seems like the investment isn’t working out the way they planned perhaps? Nonetheless, the wines are very good. The Slope at $75 is a good buy.

[D_Mowe]

Several years back, I discovered Hidden Ridge cabs after a fellow Berserker shared a positive note about them. At the time, their cabs (like the 55% slope) were selling for about $60, and I thought they were fantastic. They later essentially doubled their prices, but I didn’t care–I thought the wines were an excellent example of a California cabernet, so I bought them anyway.

Sadly, the winery was sold (in in 2016, I think) and the buyer (Immortal Estate?) just hasn’t produced the same wine since. For those who may share my affinity for this wine, where did the wine maker go? Who is making California cabs with a similar profile?

Really miss these guys <sniff!>

New owners and renamed Immortal estate. Exactly the same fruit & exactly the same winemaker. If you liked hidden ridge, you will like immortal

Same vineyard, same wine maker, same great wine. The 2013 Hidden Ridge 55 Degree Slope was $55 upon release (97 pts Parker). The 2013 Hidden Ridge Impassable Mountain was $80 upon release (100 pts Parker). Upon the winery selling, the new owners re-named the winery from a quote of Robert Parker and jacked up the Impassable Mountain from $80 to $303. Investors needed their ROI, but my gosh, what a turn off. 4 years later, they are selling the 2015. Seems like the investment isn’t working out the way they planned perhaps? Nonetheless, the wines are very good. The Slope at $75 is a good buy.

There is no way you can farm that vineyard and sell at the previous owners bottle prices and make a profit. Not to say $300+ is justified but if you are in biz for profit, a correction would be necessary.

[Jonathan_Jaggers]

For anyone interested, here is WA’s response on the Hidden Ridge bottling:

@Wine Access

Thank you for reaching out to us. As you referenced, Hidden Ridge did change names in 2014 to Immortal Estate. They kept making the same two wines, which are now called Impassable Mountain (same as before) and Immortal Slope (same as the old 55% Slope). The 2017 Hidden Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County that we are offering is indeed a custom bottling for our members and is a different barrel selection of wines made from the same Hidden Ridge Vineyard.

Same winemaker, too, I wonder?

[Max_S1]

Same winemaker, too, I wonder?

Yep, they say it in the wines description

[Gabe_Berk]

New owners and renamed Immortal estate. Exactly the same fruit & exactly the same winemaker. If you liked hidden ridge, you will like immortal

Same vineyard, same wine maker, same great wine. The 2013 Hidden Ridge 55 Degree Slope was $55 upon release (97 pts Parker). The 2013 Hidden Ridge Impassable Mountain was $80 upon release (100 pts Parker). Upon the winery selling, the new owners re-named the winery from a quote of Robert Parker and jacked up the Impassable Mountain from $80 to $303. Investors needed their ROI, but my gosh, what a turn off. 4 years later, they are selling the 2015. Seems like the investment isn’t working out the way they planned perhaps? Nonetheless, the wines are very good. The Slope at $75 is a good buy.

There is no way you can farm that vineyard and sell at the previous owners bottle prices and make a profit. Not to say $300+ is justified but if you are in biz for profit, a correction would be necessary.

I hear you, but the correction isn’t from farming costs, its from how much the new company paid for the land vs. how much the original owner paid 30 years ago. Id imagine there was a slight difference between the two. Perhaps millions of $.

[Jin_L]

any update on how impossible and slope are tasting under new ownership even with old formula of grapes and winemaker?

[Daniel_Walsh]

any update on how impossible and slope are tasting under new ownership even with old formula of grapes and winemaker?

Slope TN’s on CT are quite good and the bottle is $80 now and I wouldn’t even bother with Impassable Mountain with its price of $299+. So many amazing wines under that price point.

[Rohit_B]

any update on how impossible and slope are tasting under new ownership even with old formula of grapes and winemaker?

Slope TN’s on CT are quite good and the bottle is $80 now and I wouldn’t even bother with Impassable Mountain with its price of $299+. So many amazing wines under that price point.

I recently inquired about tasting the wines, and they essentially required a commitment to purchasing a 3-pack of Impassable Mountain ($900)…that was a very passable mountain!

[Daniel_Walsh]

any update on how impossible and slope are tasting under new ownership even with old formula of grapes and winemaker?

Slope TN’s on CT are quite good and the bottle is $80 now and I wouldn’t even bother with Impassable Mountain with its price of $299+. So many amazing wines under that price point.

I recently inquired about tasting the wines, and they essentially required a commitment to purchasing a 3-pack of Impassable Mountain ($900)…that was a very passable mountain!

Yikes and this is the kind of stuff that wants to persuade me from purchasing their 2016 Slope.