2022 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Saturated purple hues with aromas of black cherry, blueberry, cola, dried herbs, cedar, juniper berry and sweet oak. Medium bodied with rich textures that coat the entire palate. Flavors of red and black fruits and exotic spice with layers of gravelly and mineral notes. Long and complex finish. TG (4/24)

A dry, mild winter resulted in limited yields, and a warm summer ripened the small crop evenly. On Labor Day, an intense heat wave accelerated ripening for an early harvest. The wine showed appealing fruit and firm tannins. In tasting, the wines most typical of the Estate style were selected. This excellent vintage was barrel-aged for an extended twenty-two months to fully integrate the tannins. Enjoyable now, it will reach full maturity in ten to fifteen years. TG (4/24)

In 1886 the first blocks of the Monte Bello vineyard were planted and construction on the winery begun. The first vintage was the 1892. In the early 1940s, the last of the old vineyard was abandoned; in the late forties a few blocks were replanted. Those cabernet vines—now over sixty-five years old—produced the first Ridge Monte Bello (1962) and subsequent vintages until 1974. By then other abandoned blocks had been replanted and their fruit considered for use in the Monte Bello. A number of those consistently produced a more accessible wine that developed its full complexity earlier and these were combined as the “Santa Cruz Mountains.” With the 2008 vintage the name of this stylistically distinct wine became the Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, stressing the principal varietal and the Monte Bello estate vineyard as its source.

Rainfall: 28 inches (below average)
Bloom: Late May
Weather: 2022 was another drought year, with just enough Spring rains to help the vines through the season. Two heat spells, one in late July and the other in late August, pushed the vines to an early harvest.

Harvest Dates: 9 September – 5 October
Grapes: Average Brix 24.2˚
TA: 7.08 g/L
pH: 3.36
Fermentation: Grapes destemmed, and sorted; 100% whole berries fermented on the native yeasts.
Barrels: 100% air-dried American oak barrels (52% new, 20% one year old, and 28% two years old); 56% Appalachian, 27% Missouri, 17% Virginia.
Aging: Seventeen months in barrel

Hand-harvested, estate-grown grapes; destemmed and sorted; fermented on indigenous yeast; calcium carbonate; full malolactic on the naturally occurring bacteria; minimum effective sulfur (35 ppm at crush, 120 ppm during aging). In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention, this is the sum of our actions.

JebDunnuck.com: 97 Points “Blending 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot and 5% Merlot, and lovingly referred to as Baby Monte Bello, designated as Monte Bello since the 2008 vintage, the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Monte Bello Vineyard is known for its weightlessness, made to be approachable in its youth with great intention. Barrel-aged for 17 months in 50-60% new oak to integrate and soften the tannins, it still has another 15-20 years of aging, if not 25.” -Virginie Boone (April 2025)

OwenBargreen.com: 94 Points “The glorious 2022 ‘Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon has 9% Petit Verdot and 5% Merlot blended in. Stored in American oak barrels, this delivers dark florals and red currants that parade with chocolate, pencil lead and suggestions of coconut dusted sandalwood aromatics. The palate is rich and viscous with a terrific sense of mouthfeel and tension. Smooth and refined, this really needs another year in the bottle to fully be aroused. Drink 2026-2040.” -Owen Bargreen (March 2025)

Wine.com: 92 Points “I have sometimes regarded the estate Cabernet Sauvignon as the stepchild of Monte Bello. Was I wrong? Hell yes! This wine was always a gamer. The 2022 vintage is steady and lasting on the palate. This wine illustrates its focus on this noble grape variety. It delivers aromas and flavors of early summer blackberries, hints of minerality, and toasty oak notes. Enjoy it with beef burgers topped with cheddar and a side of grilled Portobello mushrooms. (Best Served: 2025-2034)” -Wilfred Wong (March 2025)

Vinography.com “Very dark garnet in the glass with purple highlights, this wine smells of black cherries, whisky barrel, blackberries, and dried herbs. In the mouth, electric acidity makes the mouth water as flavors of black cherry, blackberries, and sweet American oak swirl on the palate. Intense in flavor but without any weight, this is a wine that will improve as the oak becomes more integrated. For now, there’s a very strong oak signature in the finish. Give this 3-5 years and watch out. Pretty damn tasty already. A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, and 5% Merlot. 13.5% alcohol. Score: around 9.” -Alder Yarrow (March 2025)

See all food pairing recipes we have created specifically for this wine.