Synopsis, Our Opinion: OUTSTANDING California Merlot.
Producer/Winery: Ridge Vineyards; Cupertino, California.
Grape Variety: Merlot.
Geographic Appellation,, Region, Country: Santa Cruz Mountains; Central Coast, California.
Vintage: 2014
Price: $75.00 (with a club discount)
Purchased From: Ridge Vineyards; Cupertino, California.
Paired With: Venison meatloaf with Madeira sauce, mashed potatoes and green peas.
Tasting:
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Note: This wine was chosen tonight because this was the same venison meatloaf dinner we had two nights ago with the Familia Deicas Cru d’Exception Merlot 2009 and we wanted to do a little”centering” and compare a similar priced New World Merlot with the same dinner. See also: our original April 11, 2018 tasting review of this wine (Ridge Perrone Merlot 2014).
Opened one hour before drinking. Opaque, dark garnet color with a purple tint and the same color rim. Lots of sweet spice and powerful plum, chocolate and smoky aromas with hints of tobacco (and alcohol on both the first and second pours). Silky smooth and juicy mouthfeel, medium to full body and a 150-grit texture. Ripe plum and peppery spice with dusty herb flavors. Substantial bright acidity, wonderful structured tannins with just a touch of grittiness and a plum and spicy finish that carries the lively acidity to the very end. Delicious, but with a little back of the throat scratch, somewhat overpowering sweet spice and the finish lost the tannin grip way before the end. With all that said, if we hadn’t had the Familia Deicas Merlot we probably would have been much more positive about this Merlot…it was really OUTSTANDING California Merlot.
So what are the major differences compared with the Familia Deicas Merlot? The Ridge didn’t have the rich, plump mouthfeel and the finish didn’t have the complex flavors and sensational ending. The Ridge had substantially more acidity and an encroaching sweet spice from start to finnish. Both were superb, but at about the same price point we would take the Familia Deicas Merlot, without question!!!
Photo from TastedOnline.
See also: our reviews of other Ridge Vineyards wines.
Alcohol Content: 13.6%
Closure: 50mm Natural cork.
UPC Code: 7 44442 13100 6
Imported by: Not applicable.