2010 Ridge, Merlot Estate, Monte Bello Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains.
This wine was a star in a recent tasting lineup of new Ridge releases, and a sleeper that is often overlooked, showing impressive complexity, pleasure and depth of flavor that certainly make this wine feel right at home with a selection of fine Pomerol wines, though as always remains a true California red. While people gravitate to the Ridge Cabernet, Chardonnay and of course their Zinfandel blends this unrated Merlot quietly succeeds in delivering quality and style with round fullness and medium weight grace. The nose has hints of grilled herbs, anise, subtle oak and red berry fruit with a touch of sandalwood while the palate flows with black cherry, plum and red currants plus cedar, vanillin extract and spicy notes. The acidity lifts this wine, giving elegant balance and the ripe tannins are sweet and refined through out. Sadly this wine seems the wallflower of Ridge’s lineup, it surly deserves better and more attention than it is likely to get and for those that want a great quality, 100% Merlot, this is a wine to cherish, drink over the next 5-7 years.
($45 Est.) 93+ Points, grapelive
