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More wines available from Ridge
Pre-Arrival
Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 2017
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$94.51
Ridge’s 2017 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is a fabulous choice for readers who want a Monte Bello fix now, without...
Pre-Arrival
Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello 2001
1.5Ltr - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$1004.85
Expansive black-fruit aromas, plus some mulberry and bitter chocolate, make this mature Californian red hard to...
Pre-Arrival
Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello 2003
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$322.50
This has a wonderful balance of full, silky tannins and creamy ripeness, but with a degree of delicacy that...
Pre-Arrival
Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello 2008
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$353.71
The 2008 Monte Bello is in a gorgeous spot right now, as the aromatics are just starting to show the complex nuances...
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Winery
Ridge
Varietal: Zinfandel
Zinfandel grapes are renowned for being quite fast growing and somewhat vigorous, thriving best in climates which are warm, but not too hot. As Zinfandel grapes are thin skinned, they are prone to dry and shrivel in too much heat, and due to the fact that they grow in large, tightly packed bunches, they are also sensitive to rot. As such, Zinfandel is a grape variety which requires quite a lot of care and attention, but which can produce beautiful results given the right conditions. Indeed, this grape varietal is often praised for the fact that it is one which can demonstrate the skill and expertise of the winery processing it, and clearly demonstrates the features of the terroir it is grown. Partly this is due to those thin skins – the lower tannin content in the wines allows other features of the grape to come forward and be displayed in all their various glories. The grapes themselves are known to ripen early, and produce plenty of juice with a high sugar content. It is not unusual, however, for wineries to take a late harvest of Zinfandel grapes, and the concentrated sugars and over-ripe fruits often make for excellent dessert wines, also.
Region: California
When it comes to New World wine regions, it is widely agreed that many of the finest wines are grown and produced in California. The long stretches of coastline and the valleys and mountainsides which come off them are ideal areas for vine cultivation, and for over a century now, wineries have found a perfect home in the hot, dry state, with many of the wines produced here going on to reach world class status. The state is greatly helped by the brisk oceanic winds which cool the otherwise hot and dry vineyards, which hold mineral rich soils covering vast areas and featuring many established wineries. The state is split into four main regions, the largest by far being the central valley which stretches over three hundred miles in length.
Country: United States
The first European settlers to consider growing grapevines in the United States must have been delighted when they discovered the now famous wine regions within California, Oregon and elsewhere. Not even in the Old World are there such fertile valleys, made ideal for vine cultivation by the blazing sunshine, long, hot summers and oceanic breezes. As such, it comes as little surprise that today more than eighty-nine percent of United States wines are grown in the valleys and on the mountainsides of California, where arguably some of the finest produce in the world is found. However, American wine does not begin and end with California, and due to the vast size of the country and the incredible range of terrains and climates found within the United States, there is probably no other country on earth which produces such a massive diversity of wines. From ice wines in the northern states, to sparkling wines, aromatized wines, fortified wines, reds, whites, rosés and more, the United States has endless surprises in store for lovers of New World wines.
Appellation: Sonoma Valley
Often referred to as the 'birthplace of Californian wines', the beautiful and expansive Sonoma Valley has long been seen as something of a vibrant and beating heart within the American wine industry. The 'valley of the moon', as it is affectionately known, benefits enormously from the blazing Californian sunshine it receives throughout the long, hot and dry summers, and exceptionally warm autumns in which the vast array of grape varietals found there ripen. Sonoma Valley is most famous for big, full-bodied and flavorful red wine grapes, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as many excellent white wine grapes. Due to the volcanic soils of the region, fed by thermal springs packed full of minerals, the soil is wonderfully fertile and capable of supporting a wide variety of grape species.