Ridge Vineyards in Wine & Spirits Top 100 Wineries of 2022

2019 Evangelho | 94 Points

“A blend of 47% carignane, 29% zinfandel and 24% mataro, this bottling seems to capture the ripeness of all three varieties at their peak expressions. Grown at Contra Costa’s famed old vineyard in Antioch, it develops a scent of raspberries and bramble, a hint of spice and cured meat, a vibrant freshness that leaps out of the glass, juicy and highly structured at once, with an effusive red berry flavor that is the epitome of old-vine mixed-black balance and charm.” -P.J.C.

Our newest bottling from the historic Evangelho vineyard (just our second wine from this vineyard since 1993!) is perfect for summertime. The mild, dry summer in 2019 produced beautiful fruit from the vineyard’s 130 year-old vines. 

2018 Monte Bello | 96 Points

“The youthful energy of this wine is breathtaking, as if channeling its proximity to the sky and the ocean in a combination of brightness and freshness, their power subsumed into supple fruit. It’s cabernet with a sense of freedom, its flavor extending skyward, not bound by the American oak in which it aged, or the black-plum flavor of the grapes grown on a high ridge of limestone in the Cupertino hills. Harvested from 23 parcels starting on Septmber 28 and ending on October 18, this fermented as whole berries without added yeasts, then aged in new barrels, mostly American oak. If there’s an impression of delicacy, it might have more to do with the context of contemporary American cabernets: This is clean and elegant with no excess weight to stand in the way of the Monte Bello ridge, a formidable site with the power to grow long-lived and beautiful cabernet.” -J.G.