TN: 2013 Ridge Torre Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

[Robert.A.Jr]

Honestly Neal, give it three more years or so. No fear of the fruit drying out this early. The fruit is deep.

[Marshall_Manning]

Popped another 2013 Torre on Thursday, finished the remainder last night. Sticking to my guns on this one, way over-oaked. And a damn shame as the underlying fruit is gorgeous. A very pungent vanilla coconut perfume on day one, which toned down in day two a little bit, but then out comes the heavy new oak notes on the palate and some astringency. Todd says the oak will integrate, I honestly doubt it on this wine. It may tone down, but it ain’t going away.

Not sure why Ridge went so heavy here. The Torre got 100% new American oak for 21 mos. The Monte Bello got 98% new American oak and 2% French for 16 months. For my palate, these would be much better wines in French oak, or at the very least, tone down the heavy use of pungent new American oak. I get the Draper perfume, been drinking his Zins since the 1991 Geyserville came out. It’s the only wine in the Ridge portfolio that I continue to buy. I’ve stopped all other purchases. I’ve got quite a bit of the Cabs, including 3 left of this Torre, to follow over the long cycle.

I used to be a big Ridge fan with the late-'80s and early-'90s wines, was in ATP, etc. It seems the new oak usage increased around 1995 and it just became too much. I’m sure I’d appreciate an aged Monte Bello from that time if someone opened one, but I just don’t like American oak, especially a high percentage of it. If I want whiskey I’ll buy that…it’s a lot cheaper!

[Howard_Cooper]

Popped another 2013 Torre on Thursday, finished the remainder last night. Sticking to my guns on this one, way over-oaked. And a damn shame as the underlying fruit is gorgeous. A very pungent vanilla coconut perfume on day one, which toned down in day two a little bit, but then out comes the heavy new oak notes on the palate and some astringency. Todd says the oak will integrate, I honestly doubt it on this wine. It may tone down, but it ain’t going away.

Not sure why Ridge went so heavy here. The Torre got 100% new American oak for 21 mos. The Monte Bello got 98% new American oak and 2% French for 16 months. For my palate, these would be much better wines in French oak, or at the very least, tone down the heavy use of pungent new American oak. I get the Draper perfume, been drinking his Zins since the 1991 Geyserville came out. It’s the only wine in the Ridge portfolio that I continue to buy. I’ve stopped all other purchases. I’ve got quite a bit of the Cabs, including 3 left of this Torre, to follow over the long cycle.


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You and I know a few things about Ridge Cabernets, esp. the higher end ones. (1) They have beautiful fruit. (2) They age effortlessly forever. (3) They have new American oak that is offputting for a number of years but eventually integrates into the wine. So, when you open them at seven years old (is it now two bottles or three, I have lost count), the oak is really on you and not on the wine. Would you start drinking Latour at seven years old and then blame the wine when it is not ready?

[Ed_Steinway]

I agree about the oak being prevalent and that these wines need a lot of time. FWIW, I have had the 2013 and 2014 Torre’s side-by-side a few times and I prefer the 2014. To me there is much more fruit and balance in the 2014.

Ed