From the winemaker: "Ridge has made the Geyserville as a single-site zinfandel in every year since 1966. The grapes are grown in three adjoining vineyards on a defined stretch of gravelly soil approximately one-and-a-quarter miles long and a half-mile wide. Saturated ruby color. Penetrating cherry/plum fruit, black tea, pepper/clove spice, gravel, tar, mint. Fresh bramble entry, polished tannins. Opulent, balanced, complete."
"The 2009 Geyserville is a gorgeous wine. It shows expressive inner
perfume, sweet black cherries, menthol and minerals. This is an
understated, exceptionally elegant red endowed with considerable finesse
and fabulous overall balance. A round, sensual finish makes it
impossible to resist a second taste. In 2009 the blend is 74% Zinfandel,
17% Carignane, 6% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet and 1% Mourvedre.
Anticipated maturity: 2012-2029."--The Wine Advocate
I tasted a breathtaking array
of wines during my recent visit with Paul Draper at Ridge. Draper is a
true American icon, so it’s great to see him doing well after a bout
with illness. I also tasted a number of older wines, including several
Monte Bellos going back to the 1970s. Heretical as it may sound, I think
the wines Draper is making today will prove to be far superior to the
wines of decades past, many of which are rightly considered legendary.
For ease of reference I have also included notes on all of the Ridge
wines made outside the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Chardonnays are
fermented with native yeasts and go into barrel with their gross lees,
which are stirred once a week. The malos usually start the following
spring. The wines are assembled just before the following harvest and go
back into neutral oak. Aging is about 15 months for the Estate and 17
months for the Chardonnay Monte Bello, with a maximum of 25% new
barrels. The reds are fermented with ambient yeasts, undergo malolactic
fermentation in tank (except for the Monte Bello which is mostly done in
barrel) and stay on their gross lees until the following spring.
2009 Ridge Vineyards, California
9.12.2011
 Ridge Vineyards has for decades been the cornerstone of northern
California winemaking, an institution that has both outlived (and
certainly outclassed) industry trends and fashions by simply making
excellent wine year after year from its foggy perch in the Santa Cruz
Mountains.
It goes without saying that we always come back to
Ridge when we want the best California can give. And with the 2009
vintage, we can’t but agree wholeheartedly with the words of Antonio
Gallioni of the Wine Advocate when he said that iconic artisan Paul
Draper may be making some of the finest wines of his career today, even
better than the estate’s excellent bottles of yesteryear, many of which
“are rightly considered legendary.”
The following selections are
simply peerless wines from a very successful vintage—they show to a one
good structure, deep (yet not overly saturated) ripe fruit and good
balance. Impressive, delicious and unquestionably long-lived, these are
(as always) limited wines that belong in every serious cellar.
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New domestic wines IN STOCK
4.25.2011
As much fun as we have scouring the back roads of France and Italy for
special bottles to bring to you, there's something truly special about
the unique, small-batch wines being made in our own West Coast
"backyard."
Whether the iconic Ridge Vineyards that put
California on the map to the cult status of micro-wineries such as
Bedrock Wines or Peay Vineyards, there are some seriously good domestic
wines just waiting to be discovered.
continue reading >>
Filed under:
just arrived
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Marietta Old Vine Red NV
United States
/
California
For over three decades one of the great values in dry California red wine has been the non-vintage kitchen sink blend from the Bilbro’s family-owned Marietta Cellars.
Call 1-800-266-6585 to inquire.
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Philip Togni Ca'Togni Sweet Red 375 ml 2000
United States
/
California
"Knockout nose features prune, maple syrup, orange peel, violet and rose petal. Supersweet and fat with currant, rose petal and exotic spice flavors, if not quite as complex in the mouth today as on the nose. But this very thick wine possesses lovely fruit and superb sappy length. Best of all, this singular sweet wine is delicious already."--Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar
Call 1-800-266-6585 to inquire.
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Thackrey Pleiades XXI California
United States
/
California
One of California's most iconic and mystical winemakers, Sean Thackrey has logged in 20 or more vintages of consistently stunning wines...his "Pleiades" is in its 21st cycle around the heavens, and as is usual with this heavenly blend, we're not exactly sure what's inside. Gorgeous red fruits, a hint of Bolinas eucalyptus leaf, a lot of spice -- a delicious wine from top to bottom and as rare and exquisite as a shooting star.
Call 1-800-266-6585 to inquire.
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Abrente Albarino Napa Valley 2010
United States
/
California
Abrente is a side project of the very talented Morgan Peterson, founder of Bedrock Wines, and also son of Joel Peterson, founder of Ravenswood. A unique focus on Spanish grape varietal Albarino has made this label a must-have yet very hard to find, as quantities are very small yet quality is stratospheric! Great freshness and minerality -- wonderful with seafood.
Call 1-800-266-6585 to inquire.
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Cosa Obra Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma Coast 2010
United States
/
California
From the winemaker: "Sourced from Hummingbird Hill Vineyard in the cool, windy hills of the Sonoma Coast, this complex, rich Sauvignon Blanc showcases powerful aromas of key lime, lemon and peach, followed by a lively tropical and citrus palate of lemon, mango and papaya. Pure, graceful and fresh, it's perfect for tapas style dining or savory snacks like olives and cheese. This versatile wine is one you will want to enjoy all year long. "
Call 1-800-266-6585 to inquire.
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Antica Terra Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2009
United States
/
Oregon
From the winemaker: "Antica Terra displays the richness of the vintage, but it is paler, detailed and more concise. Its flavors are from the forest: small wild berries, chanterelles, yellow leaves. This wine includes more fruit from our estate and two extreme sites closer to the coast. In 2009 the stems from these sites ripened to become russet, dense and woody. The impressions of spice, woodlands and autumn come from this."
Call 1-800-266-6585 to inquire.
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Cep Vineyards Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2009
United States
/
California
A family winery that has gone from strength to strength. Cep Vineyards is a secret "second" label of Peay Vineyards, one of northern California's most lauded and definitely talented small-production wineries. Cool-climate Pinot Noir (especially at this price) just doesn't get any better.
Call 1-800-266-6585 to inquire.
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Copain Pinot Noir Tous Ensemble Anderson Valley 2009
United States
/
California
"Bright ruby. Subtly aromatic nose of cherry, mocha, cinnamon and musky herbs. Smooth and expressive, with dark cherry and spice flavors and an appealing pliant texture. Nicely concentrated and seamless, with very good finishing breadth and cling..."--Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar
Call 1-800-266-6585 to inquire.
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"The 2009 Geyserville is a gorgeous wine. It shows expressive inner
perfume, sweet black cherries, menthol and minerals. This is an
understated, exceptionally elegant red endowed with considerable finesse
and fabulous overall balance. A round, sensual finish makes it
impossible to resist a second taste. In 2009 the blend is 74% Zinfandel,
17% Carignane, 6% Petite Sirah, 2% Alicante Bouschet and 1% Mourvedre.
Anticipated maturity: 2012-2029.
I tasted a breathtaking array
of wines during my recent visit with Paul Draper at Ridge. Draper is a
true American icon, so it’s great to see him doing well after a bout
with illness. I also tasted a number of older wines, including several
Monte Bellos going back to the 1970s. Heretical as it may sound, I think
the wines Draper is making today will prove to be far superior to the
wines of decades past, many of which are rightly considered legendary.
For ease of reference I have also included notes on all of the Ridge
wines made outside the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Chardonnays are
fermented with native yeasts and go into barrel with their gross lees,
which are stirred once a week. The malos usually start the following
spring. The wines are assembled just before the following harvest and go
back into neutral oak. Aging is about 15 months for the Estate and 17
months for the Chardonnay Monte Bello, with a maximum of 25% new
barrels. The reds are fermented with ambient yeasts, undergo malolactic
fermentation in tank (except for the Monte Bello which is mostly done in
barrel) and stay on their gross lees until the following spring."--The Wine Advocate